four things a good query does

guest post by Kourtney Heintz


1) The Opening Paragraph Anchors And Introduces
This is where you tell the agent what you have and why it’s right for them. You lay out the title of your book, the genre, the word count, and why you think this specific agent would be interested in your book. Make sure you personalize it. Do some research on the agent and mention how you read on their blog or in an article in Writer’s Digest how they like x or represent y author and you think they would like your book because it has x or something like x or is similar to y author in q respect.


2) The Summary Explains The Main Plot Arc

You’re book is amazing. It’s got so many layers and themes. You are sure if you just convey all of this to an agent, they will love your book as much as you do.

But if you try to cram in every detail of what makes your book unique and interesting, including all those secondary characters and cool subplots, the agent won’t know what your book is about. And the whole point of the summary paragraph is to answer that one question--what is this book about?

Strip away the subplots. Forget about themes. Figure out who your main character is. Concentrate on what your main plot arc is for that character--what is the hook of your book? Write a one sentence summary. And then build that into a paragraph or two. 


3) The Summary Is Gripping And Intriguing Without Sacrificing Clarity

Once you’ve got that summary paragraph drafted, now it’s time to make it zing. Use action verbs. Strong nouns. Infuse the voice of your novel into that summary. Make sure it captures not just the plot but the heart of your story.

You’ve got to make it read like the back cover of a book. Reveal enough to make it clear what the plot is and what is at stake for your character, but keep it tantalizing and end with a cliffhanger. Get them wanting to read your pages to find out what happens.


4) Closing Paragraph Provides Credentials

This is the bio that is relevant to your writing this book. What makes you the person to tell this story? What are your credentials for writing? Do you have a degree in English? Do you belong to national writing organizations? Have you had anything published? Did you win any major writing contests? Is your book about ADHD and you’ve raised a child with ADHD? Here’s the place to let the agent know you are serious about your writing career and/or you have unique knowledge of your subject matter.



Author Bio: 



       Kourtney Heintz resides in Connecticut with her warrior lapdog, Emerson, her supportive parents and three quirky golden retrievers. She dreams of one day owning a log cabin on Butternut Lake. Years of working on Wall Street provided the perfect backdrop for her imagination to run amuck at night, imagining a world where out-of-control telepathy and buried secrets collide.

       Her debut novel, The Six Train to Wisconsin, is a 2014 EPIC Ebook Awards Finalist, a 2013 USA Best Book Awards Finalist and a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semifinalist.





One Sentence Summary of The Six Train to Wisconsin:



        When Kai’s telepathy spirals out of control, her husband Oliver brings her to the quiet Wisconsin hometown he abandoned a decade ago, where he must confront the secrets of his past to save their future.





Where to Buy:
         Signed paperbacks are for sale at the Novel Idea Book Shop in Park Falls, WI and the Butternut Area Historical Society Museum in Butternut, WI.
        You can also purchase ebooks and paperbacks at Amazon, B&N, iTunes.