Query letter examples (with notes on why they work)
Two annotated query letters — one novel, one picture book — broken down line by line, plus a fill-in template you can adapt. See exactly how the hook, synopsis, and bio fit together.
The fastest way to learn the query letter is to read a couple that work and see why. Below are two — a novel and a picture book — with notes on what each paragraph is doing, followed by a template you can adapt. For the full breakdown of the form, see how to write a query letter.
Example 1 — an adult novel
Dear [Agent Name],
Because you’ve said you’re looking for atmospheric suspense with a strong sense of place, I thought you might connect with THE TIDE HOUSE, a 82,000-word gothic suspense novel.
When her estranged sister drowns at the family’s crumbling coastal hotel, Maren returns to settle the estate — and finds the guest book still filling with names, in her sister’s hand, dated weeks after her death. As the tide rises each night, so does the water in the cellar, and the names creep closer to her own.
To keep the hotel from the developers circling it, Maren has to decide whether the messages are a warning or a trap — and whether the sister she spent ten years avoiding is trying to save her or take her place. THE TIDE HOUSE will appeal to readers of Simone St. James’s The Sun Down Motel and Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street.
My short fiction has appeared in [Journal], and I grew up in a seaside hotel much like Maren’s. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best, [Your Name]
Why it works
- Personalized opener ties the book to the agent’s stated wishlist — not flattery, a real reason this is a fit.
- Housekeeping up front: title, word count, and genre in the first line.
- The hook is concrete: a specific, eerie image (names in a dead woman’s hand) carries the premise.
- Stakes and a choice drive the mini-synopsis — we know what Maren wants and what it costs.
- Comps are recent and right-sized: real, in-category, not mega-bestsellers.
Example 2 — a picture book
Dear [Agent Name],
I’m seeking representation for THE LAST TO BED, a 480-word humorous picture book for ages 3–6.
Every night, Wombat has one more reason not to sleep: a suspicious shadow, a thirst only the good cup can fix, a sudden need to discuss the meaning of socks. His very patient dad has heard them all — until the night Wombat’s stalling accidentally saves the whole burrow.
With a read-aloud rhythm and a twist ending, THE LAST TO BED will sit on the shelf beside Dragons Love Tacos and The Wonderful Things You Will Be. I’m a member of SCBWI, and this is my debut picture book text.
Thank you for your consideration, [Your Name]
Why it works
- Word count signals craft: 480 words tells the agent you know picture books run short.
- Voice on the page: the “meaning of socks” line shows the book’s humor rather than claiming it.
- It names the hook (the stalling pays off) without over-explaining a 32-page book.
- No illustration notes: author-only picture-book queries leave the art to the agent and illustrator.
A fill-in template
Dear [Agent],
[One sentence: why this agent.] I’m seeking representation for [TITLE], a [word count] [genre] for [audience].
[Hook: protagonist + what they want + the trouble.]
[Mini-synopsis: the central conflict and the choice at its heart.] [TITLE] will appeal to readers of [Comp 1] and [Comp 2].
[One-line bio.] Thank you for your time and consideration. [Name]
Tailor each query to the specific agent — pull a wishlist detail or a repped title from their profile in our directory, and use our “books like…” pages to find agents whose comps match yours. Then send in small batches.