Query

I love the look of a finished query letter.

A query letter is the letter writers attach to their work when they are asking an agent or publishing house to look at their work.

It is probably one of the hardest parts of the entire writing process because it is your ONE (and I mean one) shot to sell your work. You know that 50,000 word novel you just wrote? You have about 300 words to sell it. The worst part, to me, is there is a formula for the letter YET every "successful" query letter I have seen breaks one of the cardinal rules.

ARG!

As a first-time author this bugs me. I'm not sure if I should follow my creative gut and go out on a limb to get my letter to stand out OR if I should trust the English teacher in me who screams, "Follow conventions, idiot!"

Sigh.

That is why I love the look of a finished query letter.