Sell Your Book, Script or Column: How to Write a Winning Query and Make a Winning Pitch

However you do it, how you write your initial query is the key to success. This is what gets your e-mail query opened and read. Then, this initial impression shapes the way your project is considered. SELL YOUR BOOK, SCRIPT OR COLUMN will help you write a powerful query letter, drawing on my experience of over four years of writing queries for over 900 clients, as well as writing my own successful queries leading to sales of over a dozen books and options on a dozen scripts and TV projects. The book includes articles on writing good query letters, guidelines to write your own letter, and samples of letters I have written that led to high responses and resulted in deals in different industries. The first section provides general tips on pitching your material, writing a good query, and formatting it for an e-mail query, which is different from sending a postal query. It includes articles about whether to directly contact the publishers, editors, producers, and production companies or seek an agent to represent you. The next sections feature guidelines for writing a query for books, articles, columns, and screenplays. The basic principles are the same from industry to industry. The last section includes some sample letters, organized by industry. You'll find this information invaluable in knowing how to best make that all important connection. Then, when you are ready to make those connections, you can send out your own query letter or use a query service, such as PublishersAndAgents or ScreenplayWritersConnection to help.