The Query Letter: Revising With Feedback By Kate Hart

Congratulations! You've finished a manuscript! Your critique partners have shredded it, you've revised and polished it to a brilliant shine, and you've researched literary agents. Now you're ready to click send on a query that's also been shredded by your most trusted advisers and--

Wait, what? You didn't let anyone critique your query?

STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD.

This is for your own good.

Yes, I know, a query is just a short email. You send hundreds of those a week! You can proofread it yourself! But a good query does more than prove you can run spellcheck-- it proves you can craft a compelling piece of writing with an arc that leaves readers wanting more. Just like with your manuscript, you need someone to read for clarity and appeal, as well as mechanics.

Ideally, you'll have several someones. At least one should know next-to-nothing about your book-- just like the agent who'll receive the query. Think of this reader as an abbreviated version of Veronica Roth's Strictly Objective Beta Reader: "He or she doesn't even point out weak areas. All he or she does is tell you what you have." If the main conflict and themes s/he pinpoints aren't what you intended, it's time to revise.

At least one other reader should be a beta who's read your manuscript. This person can tell if your query's tone matches your manuscript's, and let you know if your summary sounds anything like the story s/he read. For instance, a friend said my first query could be describing Beautiful Creatures... which was problematic, since my book was supposed to be more like Friday Night Lights.

You'll probably have to repeat these steps several times, whether with fresh eyes or very patient re-readers. But if you're in need of readers, don't despair! I found most of my critique partners on Absolute Write, where members can also post in Query Letter Hell for feedback; I believe Verla Kay's forums have something similar. Beth Revis has a great post on finding beta readers, and there are lots more querying, revision, and other writing links on the YA Highway Publishing Road Map (as well as examples of successful queries).

Now: Get back to that keyboard and revise!

KATE HART is a young adult writer and history nerd represented by the lovely and brilliant Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary. She and her husband build treehouses, and on Fridays she writes the round up at YA Highway. She has two little boys, an oversized garden, and a fairly strong Southern accent.

Want to see the query that landed Kate seven (!) offers of representation? Check out this post with her and her agent's (awesome) comments as part of YA Highway's Query Series!