This post offers real advice on improving your book’s cover letter.
Yesterday, I asked writers to submit their cover letters and I would offer feedback for free. Book proposals are my thing. I have used the same principles as we apply to our client’s book proposals. These principles are in this post called Writing a Book Proposal.
In summary:
The query letter is perhaps the most important part of your book proposal. It needs to not only give a snapshot of your book, but also convince your publisher that it is a marketable and profitable product.
The goal of a query letter is to snag the interest of the publisher/agent, encouraging them to read your synopsis. It is your synopsis and (hopefully) your extract that will seal the deal. This means your query letter needs to be concise and to the point. No waffle, no exaggerated claims, just a focussed and honest summary of your book.
I would suggest a four paragraph approach:
Paragraph 1: The opening paragraph is split into two sections. The first is the elevator pitch, which consists of a couple of lines that capture the essence of the book. This is a concise and targeted summary of the book in just a couple of sentences.
The second part of the opening paragraph is a brief summary containing a few sentences that describe your book in a bit more detail. Include a VERY brief outline of your narrative and the main characters. At this stage you are simply showing the agent/publisher the type of book you have written and giving them a chance to see if it will fit into their current list.
Paragraph 2: The aim of this paragraph is to present your book as a viable product. Remember that you are trying to sell your book as a tool from which publishers/agents can make a bit of cash. You need to include the following:
- The book’s genre,
- The book’s word count,
- An indication of the market with one or two representative titles,
- Notes of any images, illustrations or unusual requirements,
- An Indication of if the book is written and if not when it will be finished.
The representative titles are important and should not be missed. The best way to decide on these is to think what readers of your book may also read. The examples will give the publisher/agent a good indication whether your book is the kind of product they can publish/sell.
It may also be advisable to include statistics of potential markets where possible. If you have access to specialist figures then these certainly should be included. However, do not include figures that are either educated guesses or approximations UNLESS they are specific to your book and something the publisher/agent will not be able to find themselves.
Paragraph 3: This is a loose outline of your book’s plot – just remember to keep it brief. Do include the key characters, the problem they face and the point of conflict. But do not expand this to a full blown synopsis. Short and sweet is the key.
Paragraph 4: This is about you as a writer. In the modern world of internet driven marketing the writer is increasingly becoming an important part of the process. Include a brief biography, containing any relevant information such as previously published titles. I would also suggest you add information regarding your web presence.
The Compostela Key by David Gennard
Dear….
The Compostela Key has been found and is wanted by a vengeful private investigator, a dogged journalist, a ruthless fascist general and a violent vicious gangster. In a desperate race through the noir underworld of 1950’s Britain and against the backdrop of Francoist Spain, they follow a cryptic trail to a fabled field of stars and cold revenge.
This paragraph is good but lacks an elevator pitch. I would add a sentence at the start that said something like: “The Compostela Key holds the answer to a secret people will kill for…”
Fully completed, with a word count of approximately 82,000 words, The Compostela Key fits neatly into the thriller genre.
This paragraph contains word count and genre, but needs to include some indication of market. I would go for three titles. In this case I would suggest the book is like The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (a classic example), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (a modern bestseller), plus something more quirky like Lennox: A Man for Hire, But Not For Sale by Craig Russell. These are just examples and I am sure that David can come up with better books. The idea is to give both the agent (and publisher) a very clear picture of where the book sits.
I have worked for the past five years as Chief Photographer and Video Journalist for a local newspaper and two magazines. Unfortunately or maybe luckily, I have not investigated a story as dangerous or as exciting as the ones I write about fictionally.
The last sentence is good, injecting some of the writer’s own voice into the letter. However, I think it would be better with a few more sentences. I know David has an excellent website and blog dedicated to the book. In addition, he is active on Twitter and other social media platforms. All of this should be included, giving the agent/publisher a taste of how serious the writer is in backing his own story. I would also encourage David to include any writing experience he may have had up to this point.
I would like to become a full time writer developing the story of the Compostela Key into a series. The second of which, The Secrets of Es Vedra is already nearing completion.
This is pitched just right. He is telling the agent/publisher that he is more than a one book wonder and is already getting on with the next book. I would not encourage the writer to say more at this point, though I would be tempted to suggest he includes a very brief one paragraph summary of the second book at the end of the synopsis for the title being ptiched.
Further down the line I would like to adapt my story into scripts for both film and video games.
This is not needed. The agent/publisher will assume that other media rights are included in the deal. Any agent/publisher will try to sell film and foreign rights as part of the deal. I would only leave this section in if the writer had experience or expertise in any of these additional media channels.
Please find enclosed a synopsis and the first three chapters of my unpublished novel for your consideration in representing me.
Yours sincerely,
David Gennard
Overall, this is a solid cover letter. I would suggest David looks at three areas. The first is to include more marketing information. The second is to detail his current efforts to promote the book. The third would be to include a brief description of any marketing plans he has outside the usual book signings.
You can find out more about David’s novel, The Compostela Key, at his excellent website.
