How to Get an Agent, Step 3: Write a Query Letter
The query letter is a gamble. A lottery ticket. On the other side of that lottery ticket is a wondrous opportunity, so you should definitely write the query letter. But be aware of the tough odds. Very few query letters make it out of the slush pile and result in full manuscript reads.
To depress you even further, just think about how many of those full manuscript reads turn into offers of representation. Busy Agent A will probably only add 3–4 clients to her list each year, so once you've made it out of the query letter slush pile, you still have only a 3 percent chance of getting signed as a client.
But wait! Before you stop reading and give up on writing altogether, check out this graph:
The Query Letter Slush Pile
An overwhelming number of queries that agents receive are poorly planned, sloppily written, and sent to agents who have been selected at random. So, if you can create a polished, professional query letter and send it to a carefully chosen agent, your odds of getting read – and eventually represented – increase enormously.
Learn more about how to craft a professional, eye-catching query letter.
