Succinct, clear advice for the OTHER awful task once the book is finished. I’m in the process, so this came right on time. Thanks, @KMAllan_writer. (And Chris the Story Reading Ape, for sharing this).
Perhaps the most feared thing after a synopsis for writers is the query letter.
Mostly because it has so much riding on it. It’s your chance to make a good impression on an agent or publisher, and you only have a few paragraphs to do it.
You want your query to lead to a request for your manuscript; it needs to be strong, interesting, and not feature any of these don’ts.
Query Letter Don’ts
1. Don’t talk about yourselfmore than the project you’re pitching. The agent/publisher needs to know about your book first. You, second.
2. Don’t skimp on story hooks. A hook is called such for a reason; it hooks the reader and makes them want to read more. If your query doesn’t mention at least one hook, rewrite it so it does.
3. Don’t give away too much. Yes, this contradicts the last point, but even though…
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Just Can't Help Writing 