How Do You Draft A Poetry Query Letter?
A query letter is often the most important step in getting published. A strong letter will grab an editor’s attention and put your poem on the road to publication. A weak letter … well, let’s not get into that. Here’s how to make your query stand out from the rest. Format your query in a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial and include all contact information. Sell editors and agents on your idea for a poem from the very first line of your letter. Your query should grab their attention, but not be a line by line description. Include a working title in your query and a projected word count. Both are helpful to editors and agents who need to assess how your poetry will fit in to their publication. Fix a tentative deadline–and tell the editor about it. Also, discuss whether your poem is being simultaneously submitted to other publications. Consider including some biographical information in your query. Many writers do this, but you should be careful not to overdo it. After al
