Alfred Edward Chalon

SHOULD YOU PERSONALIZE YOUR QUERY LETTERS?  

Before we jump to the answer, let's define personalization.  According to Query Tracker, a personalized query is when you give a specific reason as to why you are querying a certain agent, such as "I saw you post recently that you like [these books]." Or "Since you represent [author] I thought you might be interested in something similar." 

Query Tracker Founder Patrick McDonald says, "A recent post on Twitter/X asked about the effectiveness of personalized queries, so I thought I'd crunch some numbers.  QT collects successful query letters (which you can view at https://querytracker.net/offers/show_interviews). Out of the 400 or so queries there, only 23% were personalized. Which means the majority of successful queries are not personalized. So if you are not sure how to personalize a query, don't worry about it. Just send it."

Okay then, if a writer chooses not to personalize, what would the beginning of a query letter look like? 

Many winning writers of 2024 PB Party pitch contest didn't personalize and started their letters with: 

• memorable lines from the book
• the book title and its themes
• a compelling book description
• the book title, genre, word count, and audience and a question that asks how the story will play out

Here's an example that hooked agents: 

Dear [agent],

I’m excited to send you INCOGNITO BURRITO, my 497-word metafiction picture book. INCOGNITO BURRITO brings cultural foods to the forefront of a thought-provoking conversation that transcends the ages: are most foods just burritos in disguise? It is perfect for fans of burritos who also enjoy reading Tara Lazar’s Private I series and Julio Torres’ I Want to Be A Vase.

However...agents have different opinions when it comes to personalization.   

Recently, I attended a webinar where the agent encouraged personalization.  She said that if you met an agent at a conference, subscribe to the agent's newsletter, are familiar with a client's book, or found a connection through X (Twitter) this could be an excellent way to begin the letter.  

In fact, literary agent Adria Goetz says most agents appreciate sincere personalizations like mentioning the reason why you're querying them. Perhaps they worked on a book that you love, or you saw a recent deal of theirs that sounds right up your alley. Maybe you watched or listened to an interview with them and something they said resonated with you.  Adria says, "Don't force the personalized bit, though, or say anything that you don't actually mean!"  She goes on to say that a simple, "I hope you're having a great week" or "Thank you so much for considering my materials!" goes a long way. 

Making the decision to personalize can be worrisome.  But the good thing is, personalization doesn't seem to be as critical as it once was.  I think it's because agents want to get to the meat of the matter.  That is, they want to find out about your book.

So, relax.  You have a choice.  Either way, your goal is to grab the attention of an agent by writing a polite and professional letter with a compelling hook.  And you can do that with or without personalization.  

✌ and ♥

                                                                                                                                                                Photo: Freepik

THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR BOOK  

It's a good idea to include the inspiration for your book in a query letter.  

Briefly, a query letter is usually composed of three paragraphs that introduce the title and the hook, give a description of the story, and present the writer's biography.  Whether you begin the query with the inspiration for your book or place it later in the letter, mentioning why you created this story has the potential to show agents that you are the person qualified to tell the story.  

Let's focus on how to reveal the inspiration for a book.  I'm willing to bet most would take the easy approach and write:  This is book was inspired by... blah, blah, blah (pick one: my pet, an occasion, a vacation, a person, another book, a movie, etc.).  

Doable, but predictable.  And boring.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, to quote Jerry Seinfeld.   

But here's the thing.  When you query an agent, you have to stand out.  There are tons of people vying for an agent's attention so, why would you write the basic "I was inspired by" when you can be more creative?  Find a way to bump it up a notch.  You've got to go the extra mile and strive to be more imaginative. 

Okay, now back to your query letter.  Your goal is to state the reason for writing your book in an engaging way.  Let's see if you can avoid using the word "inspired."  

Here are some ideas.  Reveal the reason (a vacation, a person, a pet, an event, a tradition, or a book, etc.) that...

• helped to plant a seed for (title) 
• sparked the idea for (title)
• launched the idea for (title)
• moved me to create (title)

Let's try using a couple of the suggestions as examples:  

I depend on a service dog for mobility assistance and he sparked the idea for CHARLIE IN CHARGE.

My visit to Dubrovnik, where cats are treated like royalty, launched the idea for THE MAGIC CAT. 

Now expound on the reason you wrote the book.  Give compelling details why you wrote this book.  I repeat: compelling!  Speak to the heart of the agent.  Something that might make her laugh or tear-up. Lastly, add the takeaway.  Reveal the message you want to convey to readers.  What do you want them to get out of reading your book?  

To be honest, you have very little time to pique the interest of an agent.  The way you present the inspiration for your book could make a huge impact on impressing an agent.  It could actually seal the deal.  

So, don't get lazy or take the easy way out.  Be original.  Be imaginative.  Be unique.  Give the agent the captivating reason as to why you wrote your book.  This is your chance to show why you are the one and only person who can tell the story.      

 

✌ and ♥