5 Tips For Query Letters and Pitches

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Once you are ready to find a publisher for your book, you will have to write a pitch. A written version of a pitch is called a query letter and is what you will most likely use. You often have seconds for your book to stand out from the slush pile (what publishers call unsolicited submissions), so a carefully crafted pitch is essential. Here I'll share 5 tips to help you create a perfect pitch.

1. Know Your Audience

The first thing you have to consider is who the pitch is for—you might have to prepare a pitch for a literary agent or a publisher. Your audience will change how you prepare your pitch, so you should do some research to make sure your book fits within the books a publisher or agent already works with. Sending a science fiction book to a publisher who only works with literary fiction is going to be a waste of your time. Most publishers and agents have a specific niche they work with, so make sure your book fits into that. Look at their catalog and make sure your book fits within it. You can even compare your book to one or two of their titles, which tells them you have done some research. 

Make sure you personalize your pitch for each agent or publisher. It doesn't have to be extensive, but greeting an agent by name is better than a generic "To whom it may concern." Also, referencing titles or authors they've worked with will indicate that you've done research and aren't just sending your pitch to anyone and everyone.  

2. Keep Your Bio Relevant

While you might feel the urge to add your age, hometown, or favorite things to your bio—don't! A bio is more of a brief resume, and you should stick to relevant topics; treat this like a job application. List any previously published work and any awards or accolades it received. Mention your relevant experience and credentials, especially degrees or certifications.

3. Think About Marketing

Have a clear idea of who your ideal reader is and share this in your pitch. Knowing your target market will show that you've thought about how to sell your book. If you have already built an audience or brand, mention that. Some authors have a social media following—which means there are already people who care about what you have to say. If you haven't done anything like this, now is a great time to start. Pick a platform that your reader is on; for poetry, this might be Instagram or Twitter for the YA community.

Think about how your book fits into the market. Comp titles are a great thing to include in your pitch. A comp title, or comparison title, is a book that is similar to yours. Comp titles are similar in subject and are often used for loosely predicting sales. A comp title gives a place for the publisher to start their marketing and shows there is an audience for this type of book. When choosing a comp title, you want to make sure it is recently published (preferably within the last 2 years), in the same genre as your book, and realistic. You want to pick a book that has sold but isn't a best seller. Everyone wants their book to be the next Harry Potter, but picking a book that has modest sales is more believable and shows that you know the market. 

4. Craft a Compelling Summary

Perhaps the most important part of a pitch is the book summary. The first sentence should have a hook—you need to capture the reader's attention so your pitch isn't glossed over. 

In the summary include the setting or context, conflict, and how your book is different. The conflict is the core of your book, so define the conflict and how it is overcome. Introduce the main character(s), and why the reader should care about them.

Make sure to include your book's genre, word count, and title. This isn't the most exciting info, but it's still important for the reader to know.

5. Keep it Short

A pitch should be limited to one page. This might seem difficult, but one page is all the person reviewing submissions is going to look at. You get seconds to capture their attention, so sticking to one page forces you to be concise. Every word should be vital—there is no room for fluff. Staying clear, concise, and on-topic is key for a successful pitch.