How to Write a Great Query Letter

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"Having had 9 non-fiction books published, I wanted to break into the world of fiction writing, and having written a worthy novel, needed some advice on approaching agents--as my initial attempts resulted in many "Thanks, but no thanks" letters. I downloaded HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER and realised where I was going wrong, and followed Lukeman's instructions to the letter. Result? I've just received a letter from a top London agent saying they would like to represent me and my novel. Thank you so much Noah for your help and expertise!"
--Deborah Durbin

"I just downloaded your book HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER and I want you to know how greatly I appreciated not only your expertise and knowledge in that area, but your willingness to post it free and help struggling writers like myself to better understand the business of books. Your information was definitely the most comprehensive and practical I’ve come across – most importantly to me, as I hit the six-month tipping point of my search, your words give me the encouragement I need to keep at this, while juggling my writing with the responsibilities of being a stay-at-home mom and running a consulting practice."
                                                                                                                                                --Natalie Jenner

"Noah Lukeman, one of the top literary agents in New York, gave writers a great gift."
                                                                                                                                                  --James Frey
                                                                                   author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel and The Key
                                                                                                                               (regarding The Plot Thickens)

"This will certainly help writers of any kind defeat rejection and possibly score."
--Writers.com
(regarding The First Five Pages)

Many books have been written about the query letter. But few have been written by literary agents, who receive thousands of queries each year and who grapple with them on a daily basis. Even fewer books have been written by literary agents who are currently active, who are willing to write from the trenches and offer their perspective on why they reject query letters, and why they accept them.

Active New York literary agent Noah Lukeman, President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, has represented Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award Finalists, many New York Times bestsellers, and has written two bestselling books on the craft of writing, The First Five Pages and The Plot Thickens. He receives on average 10,000 query letters a year, and over his last 10 years as a literary agent, he has read nearly 100,000 query letters. Now, for the first time, he offers his insights on the query letter. In a new e-book, he shares an insider's perspective, gives insights and practical tips about what works and what doesn’t, about what will get you rejected, and what will give you success.

HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER: INSIDER TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS is a must-read for any writer serious about being published. Designed for writers of fiction and non-fiction, for screenwriters and poets, it speaks to a broad range of authors, offering principles that will help lead to success no matter what your craft. Practical, engaging, filled with exercises, anecdotes and sidebars, this 80 page e-book takes you on a journey, will transform your query letter from a document that could be rejected to a document that will make agents take you seriously.

HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER includes:

            · The 3 Musts of Submitting
            · 4 Things Not to do When Submitting Your Query
            · 3 Tools to Have at Your Disposal
            · The 3 Paragraph Rule
            · 3 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Plot Paragraph
            · 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Author Bio
            · 8 Steps to Building Your Bio
            · Fiction Versus Non-Fiction (How a Query Letter Will Differ)
            · How to Build Your Non-Fiction Bio
            · To E-Mail or Not to E-Mail?
            · 6 Crucial Issues When Querying Via E-Mail
            · The 4 Keys to Successful Follow Up
            · Checklist: 50 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Query Letter

"Lukeman’s advice is practical—and often entails multiple, time-consuming steps—without a hint of the flakiness that creeps into many writing guides. Though Lukeman works with books, he wisely asserts that the observations in this volume are applicable to all types of imaginary writing, from film to poetry. Indeed, it is a worthy addition to any writer’s reference shelf."

--Publishers Weekly, regarding The Plot Thickens

" Lukeman has stared at thousands of manuscripts, and he can pick out poor ones with a glance….Lukeman has done a great service to the writing community by providing this glimpse into the abyss."

--InscriptionsMagazine.com, regarding The First Five Pages

"I never tire of reading Noah Lukeman's work because his voice is eloquent, insightful, practical, original, and sincere. There is information in Noah Lukeman's books I have not read elsewhere. The man has respect for literature and it shows."

--Prairieden.com

As of May, 2007, Mr. Lukeman has decided to make his e-book HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER free,

as a way to give back to the writing community. (If you are visiting this site from outside the United States,

right click here to download.) Otherwise, follow the below link to download:

DOWNLOAD HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER

Additionally!

As of March, 2008, Mr. Lukeman has made available for free his article, "How to Land a Literary Agent,"

as a way to give back to the writing community. Follow the below link to download:

DOWNLOAD HOW TO LAND A LITERARY AGENT