Writing (let alone editing) a query letter is a time-consuming and difficult process. When you think of writing or editing a query letter, the library is likely the last thing that comes to your mind. However, your local library can be a veritable treasure trove of cost-free information that can help you research, write, and edit your query letter.
Allison Ortiz, La Mirada (California) Community Library Manager, winner of the 2017 County of Los Angeles Public Librarian award, and county librarian of ten years, shares tips on how authors can use FREE—and don’t we writers love free things—library tools to research for and improve your query letter!
Discover Your Libraries E-Resources
Let’s take the fictitious case of Linda Shell Wright. Her friend told her that the library might have some helpful resources for getting started on her query letter.
Here’s where real-life librarian Allison comes in.
Linda’s first step is simply discovering what library resources are available for a writer. If you happen to be in California, Allison says, “California is super fortunate to have a number of amazing library systems.” One such resource, available through the LA County library system, is The Writer’s Corner. Allison says, “It gives a great overview of the resources that we offer.” What are some of these resources? Allison names three standouts.
“The first is Coursera, which is an amazing resource. It's a group of free online courses. … It's led by top universities and companies. So these universities record fantastic courses and presentation's, and then you work through those with a cohort who's going through the class at the same time.” Allison mentions that she has taken a number of these courses herself and found them, “incredibly helpful.”
The second Allison mentions is, “LinkedIn Learning, which is again, a similar online instructional video website. It's taught by industry experts. And there's a lot of courses on there that would be related, including writing and publishing. Those are free with your library card.”
Allison’s third resource? “I also particularly like Gale Courses which again is similar, and they have writing workshops and things on how to self-publish and sell your ebooks and that kind of thing. Those are 100% free and incredibly informative.”
Not in California? No problem. Allison offers tips for finding these library resources, no matter where you are. She says, “Every library should have something for writers. I would recommend, too, if you're in a more rural area, you might try to get connected with the public library of a larger city. I do have patrons that travel from one library to another getting cards. … With a lot of these digital resources, you can continue to use them with your card.”
Now that you have a good understanding of what’s available. Your next step is utilizing the free resources.
Use E-Learning to Write and Edit your Query Letter
Linda has jumped into writing her query letter. She’s browsed through her library's resources; but she wishes that she could find a reliable, and comprehensive overview of the process.
Here’s where specifics matter. While, as Allison mentions, each library will have its own resources, let’s focus on a few she has specifically called out.
Let’s start with LinkedIn Learning. If you’re looking for a true, top-to-bottom overview and guide to writing the query letter, look no further than the course, “Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher” by Jessica Brody. This course includes everything from why you need an agent, to the different sections of the query letter, to navigating the actual book deal.
Coursera allows access to courses that include information such as, “Writing Effective Loglines” and “Writing Effective Query Letters for Getting Published.”
Gale Courses offers a course called “Beginner's Guide to Getting Published,” taught by LeeAnne Krusemark. In it are sections such as “All About Query Letters” and “All About Agents and Contracts.”
If you don’t have access to any of these e-learning platforms through your library, find out which e-learning resources your library does have. Once you’ve logged in through your library, try a search for something like “query letter,” “publishing a novel,” or more broadly, “writing.” Using the tips Allison offered earlier, you should be able to find something to meet your needs.
Use Library Resources to Research Agents
Linda Shell Wright used her free library resources to write a great query letter. Her next step is to figure out who she wants to send it to. How can she find agents? Citing Los Angeles Public Library’s resources, Allison says,
‘Agent Query.’ is a good place to start for free because I know a lot of the resources that you would use to find agents do require subscription. So that's a good place to start for free.
Agent Query is a free, online database of literary agents, publishers, tips on writing query letters, and more. Best of all, it can be accessed without using a library card.
Another agent listing that should be available at your library, is the physical copy of the annually published, Guide to Literary Agents, put out by Writers Digest. This several hundred page volume contains listings of agents, as well as a how-to section for the query letter itself.
Now that you can compile an agent list, based on your genre, of who you want to send your beautifully crafted query letter to. Linda is getting ready to send hers too…
Conclusion
Allison’s last tip?
Part of it is that libraries have so much to offer … It just takes time to go through what's available, and if you have a question, just give us a call and we'd be happy to help.
Now you have the knowledge to use this little-known and underutilized resource to write and send your query letter!
Utilizing the library is a free, DIY resource for writing and editing your query letter. But if you don't have the time to spare, why not let Big Book Analytics help? Check out our Personalized Literary Agent List. Just share your book blurb, and we match you with a minimum of 10 literary agents who might be interested in your manuscript. Learn more by clicking on the link below!
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