What you need to know to get published

Joseph Jacob 234 Broadway New York, New York 10000 123-123-3467 thestoryguy@yahoo.com


June 21, 2008
Merrilee Sellsalot
Top Tier Agency
1234 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10000

Dear Merilee Selsalot,

A naïve boy, desperate to save himself and his mother from starvation, trades the family cow for seeds which produce a sky-high vegetable stalk leading into a dimension populated by a human-eating giant. He sneaks inside the giant’s castle and helps himself to a bag of gold coins, a goose that lays golden eggs, and a singing harp. Better at stealing than staying hidden, he’s discovered by the giant who pursues him with murder (and lunch) in mind.

Jack and his widowed mother eke out a living on a small farm until the crops fail and the cow goes dry. Jack is instructed to take Bossy into town and sell her so they can buy food. Unskilled in business or bartering, Jack trades Bossy for a handful of magic seeds. His mother berates him for making such a worthless trade and throws the beans out the window. In the morning, Jack discovers an enormous bean stalk that soars skyward into the clouds. He climbs it and enters another dimension, populated by a giant who grinds up human bones to bake into his bread. Sneaking around to avoid detection, Jack steals a bag of gold coins, thereby taking care of his immediate needs for food and shelter. On his second trip up the stalk, Jack discovers a way to insure residual income and steals a goose that lays solid gold eggs. Jack climbs the stalk a third time and nabs a singing harp that rats him out. Even though the giant pursues him, Jack is determined to keep the stolen goods, a decision that throws him into a life-or-death struggle against a formidable foe.

A lifelong fan of folklore, I’ve edited several published books, including Celtic Fairy Tales and European Folk and Fairy Tales. The story of Jack is one of several fables in ENGLISH FAIRY TALES, a 56,000 word book I’m compiling using fables thought to have come from European storytellers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

NON-FICTION/SELF HELP

The following query letter is formatted for email.

To: m.sellsalot@toptier.com

SUBJECT: NF/self help for troubled teens: "You’re Not Crazy, Just Bipolar."

Dear Merrilee Sellsalot,

More than 20 million Americans suffer with bipolar disorder. These people experience dramatic mood swings that vary between depression to manic episodes in which they require little sleep and view life in an agitated and unrealistic manner. Twenty-five percent of them attempt to, or successfully, commit suicide before they’re 25 years old.

As a teenager, I suffered with undiagnosed bipolar disorder which I hid from friends, teachers, and parents. I was afraid if others knew the struggle that raged within, I’d be institutionalized. In my quest to understand why I felt "crazy," I read medical books in libraries and book stores. Most were written in technical terms, describing mental illness in adults who were unable to function in daily life. I was unable to locate any resources written for my age group that could help me figure out how to live like other people.

In my 70,000 word book, YOU'RE NOT CRAZY, JUST BIPOLAR, I address issues common to bipolar teens: suppression of erratic behaviors, fear of being discovered, attempts at self-cure, and finally, asking parents for help and treatment in order to live a "normal" life. Written for teenagers, my book will fill a niche within markets in all countries since bipolar disorders have no geographical boundaries. I hold a Ph.D. in child psychology. My articles about bipolar disorder have been published in college medical journals and mental health magazines. A 25-page book proposal is available.

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Client comment . . .  
Molli’s query workbook helped clarify the query process in a stress-free, step-by-step explanation with examples from well-known stories. This process helped me learn to stream-line my own story descriptions in a way I had previously found difficult and daunting. This book demonstrates Molli’s talent for unpretentious instruction to writers of all genres.
S. Keller, writer/high school teacher, Riverview, Florida

#7 FREE QUERY WORKBOOK

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#3 QUERY BASICS  

 Place contact info on one line, using a small typeface, like Ariel 9 point. This gives you more space for your query.





 
First paragraph tells the plot which includes the:
1) challenge of starvation,
2) giant obstacle,
3) resolution tease which doesn’t tell if Jack survives or not.


Second paragraph expands Jack’s story, describing his escalating life of crime. The exact resolution is not clearly spelled out.  

 

 



 




Third paragraph explains the author’s passion for the topic, other works he’s had published, and the length of the proposed book.


 

Don't write the agent's full address, etc. Leave more room to fill the monitor screen with your plot paragraph. 
 



First paragraph describes the situation, and the possible tragic outcome when this illness is not treated. 


Second paragraph holds the reader’s interest while the author shares facts and personal experiences about the challenges of being bipolar. 



Third paragraph tells the agent about her education and writing experience. Good idea to refer to the world-wide market and to mention that a book proposal is available.