In my reviews of query letters I’ve come across some that are really great, and some that are….not great.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when an author with a great story idea starts his query letter by telling the agent that he’s submitted to several agents and none of them wanted his book.
Mentioning how unsuccessful you’ve been with previous submissions is like talking about having been dumped on a first date.
An agent doesn’t need to know how many queries you’ve sent out. Or how many agents have sent rejection letters. Or even how long you’ve been querying your novel.
Stick to the information the agent wants to know! Tell them about your book, about your story, and about you. Don’t tell them how stupid other agents are for turning down your work.
That’s never a good look. And it’s a quick way to get yet another “NO!”
