Learn how to write a query letter for literary agents, including the correct structure, paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown, submission strategy, and proven techniques to increase your chances of getting representation.

Writing a query letter is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—steps in the traditional publishing process. It’s your first impression with a literary agent, and it determines whether your manuscript gets read or rejected.

In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Stephen Aryan, who secured representation with literary agent Juliet Mushens, to break down exactly how to write a query letter that stands out in a competitive submissions inbox.

This is a detailed, practical deconstruction of query letters, designed to give you a clear, repeatable framework.

We cover every stage of the query process, including:

• What a query letter is and how literary agents evaluate submissions
• The standard query letter structure (opening hook, synopsis paragraph, author bio, closing)
• A step-by-step walkthrough of how to write each paragraph
• Key query letter terminology and industry expectations
• How many agents to query before revising your approach
• Whether you should follow up with agents—and how to do it professionally
• How to get feedback on your query letter (including services like Stephen’s Write Advice)
• Real-world insights from Stephen Aryan’s successful query letter

This episode combines craft, strategy, and industry knowledge to give you a complete understanding of how querying works.

If you’re preparing to submit to literary agents and want to improve your chances of securing representation, this episode provides a clear, actionable guide to writing a query letter that gets results.

ABOUT STEPHEN ARYAN

https://stephen-aryan.com/

https://stephen-aryan.com/2014/07/31/how-i-found-an-agent-part-2/

https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2024/06/the-write-advice-4-common-mistakes-in-query-packages/

https://www.mushens-entertainment.com/blog/the-perfect-cover-letter

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