How to Get an Agent’s Attention with a Personalized Query Letter

Finding an agent is hard work, and it isn’t uncommon for an author’s query to end up in the slush pile. There are ways, though, that authors set themselves apart so that their letters lead to a full manuscript request. Eventually, the right query letter can put them in contact with a quality agent. Elle E. Ire, author and educator, explains the best ways to personalize a query letter. “The writing speaks for itself,” says Ire. The writing comes first because an agent won’t pick up an author who...