- Home
- Successful Queries
Successful Queries
How to Write Successful Queries for Any Genre of Writing
Learn how to write successful queries for any genre of writing. In this post, we look at what elements go into a query letter and 39 real examples of query letters that have worked for writers with commentary from their agents.
Successful Queries: Gia Cribbs & The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan
This article is part of a series called Successful Queries. It features actual query letter examples to literary agents that were successful for authors. In addition to the successful query letter, you’ll also see the thoughts from the writer’s literary agent about why the letter worked.
Successful Queries: Anna Quinn & "The Night Child"
This article is part of a series called Successful Queries. It features actual query letter examples to literary agents that were successful for authors. Today’s features Anna Quinn and her agent Gordon Warnock (Fuse Literary).
Successful Query: Jennieke Cohen & Agent Jennifer Unter
Debut author Jennieke Cohen shares the query letter for Dangerous Alliance that landed her an agent. Jennifer Unter shares her commentary on the query letter.
5 Tips for Querying & Choosing a Literary Agent
Brianna Shrum shares her experience in the querying process and choosing between multiple literary agents for representation.
38 Query Letter Tips from Literary Agents for Writers
Here are 38 query letter tips from literary agents to help writers know how to write a query letter that will find more success with agents and editors.
Successful Queries: Agent Sarah Yake and "She Came From Beyond!"
The 77th installment in this series is with agent Sarah Yake (Francis Collins Literary) for Nadine Darling's contemporary women's fiction novel, She Came From Beyond! (2015, Overlook Press). Booklist writes that “Darling entertains with a dry, witty humor that results in an amusing and zany romp.”
Successful Query: Agent Adriann Ranta and "Sad Perfect"
The 76th installment in this series is with agent Adriann Ranta (Foundry Literary) for Stephanie Elliot's young adult novel Sad Perfect (Feb. 2017, Margaret Ferguson).
Successful Queries: Agent Jessica Watterson and "The Heir and the Spare"
The 75th installment in this series is with agent Jessica Watterson (Sandra Dijkstra Literary) for Emily Albright's young adult novel, The Heir and the Spare (Jan. 2016, Merit Press).
Successful Queries: Agent Sara Megibow and "The Weight of Zero"
This series is called “Successful Queries.” The 74th installment in this series is with agent Sara Megibow (KT Literary) for Karen Fortunati's young adult novel, The Weight of Zero (Delacorte, Oct 2016).
Successful Queries: Agent Stacey Glick and "Blessed are Those Who Mourn"
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. The 73rd installment in this series is with Stacey Glick (Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) for Kristi Belcamino's mystery, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN (November, 2015).
Successful Queries: Agent Jim McCarthy and "The Big Rewind"
The 72nd installment in the Successful Queries series is with agent Jim McCarthy (Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) for Libby Cudmore's mystery/thriller, THE BIG REWIND (February 2, 2016, William Morrow).
Successful Queries: Agent Suzie Townsend and "A Death-Struck Year"
The 71st installment in this series is with agent Suzie Townsend (New Leaf Literary) for Makiia Lucier's historical young adult debut, A DEATH-STRUCK YEAR (HMH Books for Young Readers, March 2014).
Successful Queries: Agent Kate Testerman and “Steering Toward Normal”
The 70th installment in this series is with agent Kate Testerman (KT Literary) for Rebecca Petruck's middle-grade novel, Steering Toward Normal (Abrams/Amulet, May 13, 2014).
Successful Queries: Agent Sara Megibow and "Falls the Shadow"
In this series, we look at query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In this post, we feature agent Sara Megibow (Nelson Literary) for Stefanie Gaither's young adult novel, Falls the Shadow.
Successful Queries: Agent Katie Shea Boutillier and "The Art of Falling"
The best way to learn how to write a successful query is to read one. In this installment, agent Katie Shea Boutillier (Donald Maass Literary) shares feedback on a query by Kathryn Craft for her book The Art of Falling (Sourcebooks Landmark).
Successful Queries: Agent Allison Hunter and "A Royal Pain"
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting these query letter samples, we will also get to hear thoughts from the writer's literary agent as to why the letter worked. The 68th installment in this series is with agent Allison Hunter (Inkwell Management) for Megan Mulry's romance, A ROYAL PAIN (2012, Sourcebooks Landmark, part of the Unruly Royals series), which, in a starred review, Publishers Weekly called "a delightful love story... worth reading again and again."
Successful Queries: Agent Jim McCarthy and "Midnight Thief"
The 67th installment in this series is with agent Jim McCarthy (Dystel & Goderich Literary) for Livia Blackburne's young adult fantasy, "Midnight Thief" (July 2014, Disney-Hyperion).
Successful Queries: Agent Adriann Ranta and "Not a Drop to Drink"
In this series, we look at query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. The 65th installment in this series is with agent Adriann Ranta (Wolf Literary) for Mindy McGinnis's young adult novel, NOT A DROP TO DRINK (Sept. 2013, Katharine Tegen Books).
Successful Queries: Agent Julia Kenny and "Sure Signs of Crazy"
The best way to learn how to write a successful query is to read one. In this installment of Successful Queries, agent Julia Kenny (Dunow, Carlson and Lerner Literary) breaks down the query for Karen Harrington’s debut middle-grade novel, Sure Signs of Crazy (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and School Library Journal.
Successful Queries: Agent Sarah Davies and "The Rules For Disappearing"
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting these query letter samples, we will also get to hear thoughts from the writer's literary agent as to why the letter worked. The 63rd installment in this series is with agent Sarah Davies (Greenhouse Literary) for Ashley Elston's young adult thriller, THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING (Disney-Hyperion, May 2013). Find Ashley on Twitter here.
Successful Queries: Agent Melissa Jeglinski and "Ink"
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting these query letter samples, we will also get to hear thoughts from the writer's literary agent as to why the letter worked. The 62nd installment in this series is with agent Melissa Jeglinski (The Knight Literary) for Amanda Sun's debut young adult novel, the urban fantasy INK (Harlequin Teen, June 2013).
Successful Queries: Agent Sara Megibow and "The Daedalus Incident"
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. The 61st installment in this series is with agent Sara Megibow (Nelson Literary Agency) for author Mike Martinez's Fantasy/Steampunk novel THE DAEDALUS INCIDENT (May 7, 2013; Nightshade Books).
Successful Queries: Agent Barbara Poelle and "Untold Damage" (Mystery)
The 60th installment in this series is with agent Barbara Poelle (Irene Goodman Literary) for Robert Lewis's 2013 debut mystery, Untold Damage (Midnight Ink, April 2013).