Query Letter Generator
A query letter to pitch literary agents
A query letter is your one-page pitch to a literary agent, and it follows a form agents read hundreds of times a week. Get the shape wrong and it is passed over; get it right and your pages get read. Describe your book and get a query you can tailor to each agent.
What is a query letter?
It is a one-page letter to a literary agent that pitches your finished manuscript. The standard shape is a hook, a mini-synopsis that reads like back-cover copy and stops at the central conflict, a metadata line naming your genre, word count and comparable titles, and a brief author bio. Its only job is to make the agent request pages.
What is the biggest query mistake?
Summarising the whole plot, including the ending. A query is not a synopsis; it is a tease. It should build to the central dramatic question and leave it unanswered, exactly as a back cover does, so the agent has to read the manuscript to find out what happens.
Do I need an agent to publish?
Not to self-publish. Agents matter for traditional publishing, where they sell your book to publishers and negotiate contracts. Many authors query agents and self-publish in parallel, or choose one path deliberately. The query is only relevant if the traditional route is your goal.
Frequently asked questions
What is a query letter?
A one-page pitch to a literary agent: a hook, a mini-synopsis ending on the conflict, a metadata line, and a short bio.
What is the most common query mistake?
Summarising the whole plot including the ending. A query teases; it does not synopsise.
Do I need an agent to publish a book?
No. Agents matter for traditional publishing. Self-publishing needs no agent and no query letter.
Is this free?
Yes, with a daily limit for guests.