The Art of the Query Letter with Literary Agent Maria Vicente

Learn to write and pitch an effective query letter that grabs the attention of the reader, under the guidance of Maria Vicente, an agent at P.S. Literary Agency.

Your Instructor: Maria Vicente of P.S. Literary Agency

Where: Online — Available everywhere!

When: This class is not currently enrolling. To be notified when it is offered again, Click Here

Enrollment: 35

Price: $99

Class Description

The purpose of a query letter is to highlight the very best parts of your manuscript and convince the reader to keep reading more.

Literary agents want to find gems in the slush pile—so why not make your manuscript impossible to resist?

This class will have you thinking about your manuscript like a literary agent. In The Art of the Query Letter, instructor Maria Vicente, an agent at P.S. Literary Agency, will provide you with an easy-to-navigate formula for writing a query letter that allows your passion for your manuscript to shine through. You’ll learn exactly what literary agents are looking for when they read your query letter.

During these two weeks, Maria will share what literary agents are looking for in a query letter and help you create the perfect pitch for your manuscript. She will also critique your queries, answer any questions you have about the querying process, and provide you with valuable resources that will help you on your publishing journey.

What This Class Covers

Week 1

Lecture: Maria will teach a step-by-step process for crafting a successful query letter. You’ll learn the key components of a query letter, common querying mistakes to avoid, and how to come up with a compelling pitch that will make literary agents want to request sample pages of your project.

Assignment: Using the lecture material, you will write the first draft of your query letter. Maria will critique your query and provide you with detailed feedback to apply to your next draft. All queries will be posted to an online, private forum (viewable only to members of the class), and students will be encouraged to critique each other, as well.

Throughout the week, Maria will be available to answer questions via the discussion forums.

Week 2

Lecture: Maria will teach you the best practices for researching literary agents and sending out your query letter. You’ll learn where to find literary agents’ wish lists, how (and when) to follow up with literary agents while querying, and how to prepare other material literary agents may ask for during the querying process.

Assignment: Using the feedback from Week 1, you will submit a revised draft of your query letter. Maria will again critique your query and share any final feedback for you to consider before sending it out to literary agents.

Again, Maria will be available throughout the week to answer questions via the discussion forums.

Goals Of This Class

  • Create a query letter that will catch the attention of literary agents.
  • Receive two professional critiques of your query letter from a literary agent.
  • Collaborate with other writers as you develop your query letter.
  • Discuss best querying practices with a literary agent.
  • Learn how to research and contact literary agents appropriate for your manuscript.
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