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Your query should read like you had fun writing it

October 2, 2023 by Nathan Bransford

Chances are you absolutely, positively did not enjoy writing your query letter. Writing a query is among the things writers hate the most about their profession, up there with paper cuts and no host open bars.

But once you’ve scarred your soul whittling down your wondrously complicated creation into 350 words or less of glorified marketing copy, it’s worth a final gut check: does this thing sound like I had fun writing it?

No matter the subject matter, whether it’s a middle grade romp or a literary downer about a twisted family, it needs to have big protagonist energy. If Anne Applebaum had written a query for Gulag she still would have needed to make it sound like she just couldn’t believe how fascinating Siberian death camps are.

There are any number of reasons why your query may not read like you are gleefully facing your literary agent executioners. Maybe you aren’t confident it’s good. Maybe you have a tendency to shrink from the spotlight and minimize your achievements.

Fake your fun till you make it fun. It ties back to the old writing adage “if you have fun writing it, they’ll have fun reading it.”

Do a final pass for fun. And remember: it’s extremely awesome you’ve reached this stage of the process and terribly exciting that you’ll soon be showing the world what you’ve been up to for hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!

For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.

And if you like this post: subscribe to my newsletter!

Art: Detail of Youth Making a Face by Adriaen Brouwer

Filed Under: Query Letters

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About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

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How to Write A Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

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