Knock Their Socks Off: Writing Great Query Letters, PART II

Queries for Non-Fiction Books

Query letters are vital for non-fiction books. Your goal is to have the publisher or agent be so wowed by your query that they simply must read your whole book proposal or manuscript immediately. Fame, fortune, and publishing success are right around the corner! But first…let’s figure out what makes a great non-fiction query.

Look at this one:

February 21, 2008

Dear Editor:

Proposed book: “Saying No: a Positive, Dynamic Approach to Raising Positive, Dynamic Children” by Dr. Laurie Schlossberg.

It’s almost impossible to find a parent today who doesn’t have some sort of discipline problem with their children. Parents everywhere have tried various methods of punishments, rewards, or flat-out bribery to appeal to their children’s sense of right. Do physical punishments work? No. Does candy? Not always. The interactions most families endure are as varied as the children themselves, but the outcome is generally the same: anger, distrust, and a lack of a cohesive family bond.

The thing most parents don’t realize is that their “No’s” aren’t taken as the end of the road, but rather an initiation to further push and cajole because it has worked before. How many times have your kids convinced you to let them say up “just five more minutes,” to buy them “just one more bag of candy,” or pouted until you took them on “one last rollercoaster ride?” Too many. It’s time to get off the rollercoaster…literally.

This book, “ Saying No,” unmasks the four easy-to-implement methods, nicknamed H.O.P.E. (Healthy Limits, Open Doors, Positive Reinforcement, and Every Day Love), a parent can use to have their “No’s” be heard as what they really are: boundaries. There are various exercises, relationship-building activities, and illuminating real-life anecdotes throughout the book to help both parents and children get to a real level of communication and respect.

Dr. Laurie Schlossberg has been a Family Psychologist for more than 11 years, with an additional 5 years as a Guidance Counselor at public schools in both Brooklyn and the Bronx. Dr. Schlossberg runs family workshops in various New York City neighborhoods, as well as one-on-one counseling with children who have been placed on educational probation. Originally from England, Dr. Schlossberg received her PhD from Harvard University with additional degrees from Oxford University and Rutgers.

May I send you a proposal, outline, sample chapters, author’s bio, marketing section and book comparison section? I look forward to hearing to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Laurie sure knows her stuff! This letter is informative and succinct, both key for a letter like this. Some tips:

Non-Fiction Query Letter Tips :

1. Non-Fiction query letters are similar to Fiction Query letters, except they need to highlight why the author is qualified to write the book. For example, Dr. Schlossberg is a Family Psychologist who has worked with private families as well as at various educational institutions. She seems very knowledgeable about her subject material.

2. After explaining the thrust of your book, it’s helpful to mention where you’ll be getting your information and details. Reinforce that your book is different and more illuminating that other books on similar subjects.

3. End the letter asking to send them an official book proposal.* This shows that you are professional and serious about getting your prospective book published. Even if the manuscript isn’t done, you can send a proposal. Your main goal is to get the editor or agent to fall in love with your topic so that they want to read the book proposal and, soon enough, the book itself.

*Keep in mind that a Non-Fiction Book Query is not the same as a book proposal, which usually runs 10-15 pages and often includes a sample chapter. A good reference for writing book proposals can be found here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2072509_book-proposal-that-will-sell.html

Read “Knock Their Socks Off: Writing Great Query Letters PART III” to learn about writing query letters for publications next!