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FROM KEYBOARD TO PRINTED PAGE the theme of a specific issue. Be sure to research the submissionpolicies for the specific publication you are interested in prior tosubmitting. Here are some general guidelines:» Include the word count on the first page of your articlesubmission.» Magazine publishers generally do not acknowledge receipt ofarticles.» It is appropriate to inquire about your article after two monthshave passed.» Some magazines, especially in the religious field, will acceptmultiple submissions.» Magazines plan issues far in advance; it is important to keep thisin mind when submitting seasonal material.» Some magazines pay upon publication. They may hold yoursubmission for a considerable length of time before eitherprinting or returning it.» Most children’s magazines do not pay large amounts for theirmaterial, but can provide the novice writer with valuableexperience.9

THE QUERYLETTERby Carla Killough McClaffertySometimes the same author who is capable of writing a book, short story, orarticle is filled with anxiety and dread when considering what to write ina query letter. If you are one of these people, I hope that by the end of thisarticle you will be free from the qualms of the query.Part of the confusion about what a query letter should say comes fromthe fact that there are different genres. An effective query letter thatrepresents a nonfiction magazine article will be very different from onefor a YA novel. Then within each genre, each manuscript is unique, whichmeans that every query letter must be one-of-a-kind.The most important thing to understand, regardless of whether themanuscript is fiction or nonfiction, is that a query letter has one purposeand one purpose only: to cause the editor or agent to want to read yourmanuscript or book proposal. That’s it. Period. The writer’s job is to crafta letter that will create that desire.Think of a query letter as a sales tool that can market a product. Awriter’s product is a group of words that tell a story. The query letteris an advertisement that should make the reader want to know moreabout the product. In some ways, that might sound harsh. It mayeven contradict the “touchy, feely, love of books” reason most peoplebecome writers. Yet writers must understand that they work in a creativebusiness. The process of writing is creative, but publishing is a business.In order for a writer to get the words they have lovingly crafted into thehands of children to enjoy, they need to market their product. Often thatmarketing plan includes a query letter.A query letter should fit on one single page—never longer. It shouldbe clear and concise so that a busy editor gets the meaning of the letterin one quick read. A query letter is a business letter. In it, the writer isnot looking for a friend; they are looking for an editor or agent. Sincethe goal is to create a professional relationship, the tone of the lettershould not be overly chummy or personal. When an editor or agent readsa query, their impression should be that the author is a professionalwriter, not an amateur who is dabbling with a hobby. Part of being aprofessional is following the guidelines found in market guides such asChildren’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market. Each publisher is specific aboutwhat they want to see in a submissions package, so writers should sendthe requested items. For both fiction and nonfiction, what each companyrequests varies widely. Some book publishers ask for a query only, whileothers request a query, outline, synopsis, and sample chapters.So what makes an effective query letter? Although each letter willbe different, each one should contain four basic parts: hook, summary,biographical information, and a closing.HOOKA writer wants to hook their readers with the first sentence of amanuscript. Likewise, the first line of a query letter should hook thereader. Think of this section as a sound bite, not the entire newscast.Find an original, creative way to begin the letter using somethingrelating to the manuscript that makes the reader want to find out more.The only exception to beginning your query with a hook would be ifthe writer has personally met the editor or agent. In that case, it couldbegin with something like, “I enjoyed meeting you recently at theArkansas SCBWI conference and appreciate your willingness to considersubmissions from attendees.” Editors are usually nice people who wouldlike for writers they have met personally to succeed, so they will considersuch a query carefully. If a query begins with a meeting reminder, itshould be brief, then go immediately to the hook.SUMMARYIn this section, summarize what your manuscript is about in threeor four sentences. For novels, this does not mean the plot points ofyour novel. It means an overview that includes the setting, characters,conflict, and how the novel is different from other similar novels. Fornonfiction, it means an overview of how the material will be handled,the availability of photos, access to experts, and facts or statistics thatindicate how many potential readers may be interested in such a book.As in every section of the query letter, the summary details must beexplained in an interesting, exciting way.BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATIONIn the hook and summary sections of a query letter, the writer’sgoal is to convince the editor or agent to read the offered manuscript.In the biographical information section, the goal is to convince the

12 THE QUERY LETTEReditor or agent that the writer of the query is the only one who couldsuccessfully write the manuscript described. In this brief section, thewriter must highlight the areas of their life that make them an experton the topic. For example, let’s say a writer is a physical therapist andshe spends two weeks every summer volunteering at an archaeologicaldig. If that writer was marketing a novel she had written about an iceskater who undergoes months of rehabilitation to overcome an injury,then she would highlight the fact that she had been a physical therapistfor twenty years and had helped many young athletes recover from theirinjuries. However, if that same writer was marketing a nonfiction bookmanuscript about an archaeological dig, she would not mention thatshe was a physical therapist. Instead, she would highlight her previouswork at the dig.The biographical section is also where publishing credits are listed—best-known ones first. If the writer has signed a contract but the articleor book has not yet been published, they could say something like,“I have an article forthcoming in the May issue of Cricket magazine.”If a writer does not have any publishing credits, they should not callattention to the fact. Instead say, “I am an active member of theSCBWI.”Writers should always present themselves as professionals, even whenthey are just beginning. Never make comments like “This is my firstsubmission to an editor, so I really hope you like it,” or “Six differenteditors have already rejected this manuscript, but I think it is right foryou,” or “I read this to my son’s second grade class and they just lovedit.”2021 PUBLICATIONS GUIDE: THE BOOK www.scbwi.orgCLOSINGBring the letter quickly to a close. It could be something as simpleas “I look forward to hearing from you” or “Would you like to see thecomplete book proposal for Successful Query Letters?” However, if theletter runs too long and needs to be cut down, the closing is where tostart chopping. Although a polite closing is nice if you have the space,they already know why you are writing to them.Finally, the query letter should match the tone of the manuscript.If the manuscript you are marketing is humorous, the query shouldbe humorous. If it is a mystery, the letter should convey a mysteriousfeeling. A nonfiction book about an exciting new discovery shouldexpress a sense of anticipation.Some writers spend months, even years, writing and revising theirmanuscript; then, when it is finished, wonder how they could possiblydescribe their work in a one-page letter. It is accomplished when awriter works on the query just as they did the manuscript: Write a roughdraft, then revise, revise, and revise again—until it is as good as youcan make it. Any writer can write an effective query letter. After all, noone believes in a manuscript more than its author.TIPS FROMINDUSTRY INSIDERSWhile every query letter is different and should reflect yourpersonality, there are some tried and true dos and don’ts whenyou write one. We spoke with many publishing professionals,and following are the top ten dos and don’ts when writing yourquery letter.Dos1. Keep it simple! If it’s more than a paragraph, most editors/agents will skip it.2. Be friendly, but professional. No need to be super serious, butremember that you and the reader are not personal friends.3. Include a one- or two-sentence teaser for your story. Think ofit as advertising copy, not a plot summary. (Look at flap copy forexamples.)4. Close with a short bio and include any publication credits.5. Know how to categorize your book in the correct age groupand genre.6. Research who you’re submitting to—what kinds of books(subject matter, age level, genre, etc.) they publish, what they areinterested in (see if you can find interviews they’ve given), etc.7. Let the reader know if you’ve met at a conference or workshop.8. Always include a personalized salutation and get the spellingof their name correct! If you aren’t sure about their gender, omitthe honorific. It is perfectly professional to start a letter with“Dear [First Name] [Last Name].”9. Have a strong opening, something to hook the editor or agent.10. Try to read something an editor has edited or that an agentrepresents so you know their taste.Don’ts1. Don’t open with a question.2. Don’t include marketing plans.3. If an editor or agent passes on seeing your work, do notcontact them asking that they reconsider your query. Yourenergies would be better spent on an editor or agent withunreserved enthusiasm for your project. Similarly, please don’task the editor or agent to provide feedback on your query.4. Don’t mention that your niece, student, child, grandchild, orfriend loves your work. That doesn’t matter—what matters isif it’s good and intriguing and compelling and stands out fromeverything else that’s being published.5. Don’t compare your work to something unprecedentedlysuccessful, like the Harry Potter or Twilight series. Thoseare impossible-to-replicate successes. Find something morerelevant and normal, but still successful.6. Don’t send a picture book manuscript to a teen novel editor.Know editors’ lists and what they acquire before you submit.7. Don’t follow up less than three to four weeks after submittinga project.8. Don’t talk about sequels you have planned.9. Don’t say “I’m a new writer” or “This is the first book I haveever written.”10. Don’t be overly familiar with the editor or agent you aresending a query letter.

THE SYNOPSISby Deborah Fletcher BlumFor some writers, the thought of writing a synopsis, a short summary oftheir book, causes panic, downturned eyes, and heavy sighs. It can be asomber task to whittle one’s beloved story down to its bare essentials. Butit can also be exhilarating. Here are some tips to guide you through the process.Attempt to fit the essentials of your story into a neat package—between one to three pages—though lengths vary depending on theaudience. Synopses (plural based on the Latin root) are often requestedby agents and editors. Writers may or may not be given a word count orpage length guide. Either way, a writer does best to ponder the highs andlows of their story, the main character’s arc, the tone and setting beforebeginning. Then take a deep breath and begin, knowing that there willbe a chance to edit and revise.A GUIDE TO WRITING SYNOPSES:Step 1: Always Use the Third Person Present TenseRegardless of the tense in which the story is written or the voice of thenarrator, a synopsis should always be written in the third person presenttense.Step 2: Write a One-Sentence Character Arc Before StartingWrite a one sentence arc for the main character before starting, and keepthis sentence available for later use, and as a reference guide to keepyou on track.Step 3: Hook the ReaderStart your synopsis with a gripping, one-sentence summary thatcaptivates and mirrors the tone of the story. A mystery may use amysterious question. A synopsis for a middle grade novel or a picturebook might require vocabulary more elevated than that used in the story,but the language should not be too overblown. A tone that evokes thestory itself is best. The hook provokes thought and forces the reader toask: What happens next? It can be the same few sentences used in aquery letter. In fact, the beginning of your synopsis might sound verymuch like the plot-summary paragraph of a query letter.Step 4: Introduce the Main CharacterDescribe the main character’s MOTIVATION, CONFLICT, and GOALS.Highlight the main character’s personality with one or two vividadjectives. This may seem like type-casting, but it a useful tool thatallows the reader to visualize the character quickly.wFor example: Shy but adventurous Katy longs to discover what ishidden in the old chest in the attic that belonged to her grandmother.But first she must gather up the courage to ask her stern grandfather forthe key.Step 5: Construct the Body of Your SynopsisUse paragraphs to write out the main events of each chapter. Or pick outthe high and low points and chart the story’s progression from beginningto end. Major events focus on the rising action and the main character’sconflict or goals, and how they are achieved or not achieved.Keep paragraphs tight. Only details critical for the reader’sunderstanding should be included. Each paragraph must include: anACTION, REACTION, and DECISION by a main character. Include thoughts,beliefs, mistaken beliefs and assumptions, if they are critical to theoutcome of the story.For example: Sam takes Jeremy’s lunch box at recess. Jeremy runs afterhim, falls down and skins his knee. Jeremy decides he will take a paperbag lunch from now on and throw it away.Step 6: Put Character Names in ALL CAPSWhich secondary characters are involved in the major scenes included inthe synopsis? Each new character’s name should be written in all capitalsthe first time it appears, exactly as it appears in the story. Charactersmentioned unnecessarily will only take up valuable space.Step 7: Reveal the EndingTell the story to the end. Even if the story is a mystery, do not bemysterious with the ending. State it clearly and briefly. Devote one totwo paragraphs to the CLIMAX (CRISIS) and RESOLUTION (ENDING).Describe the main character’s final struggle and its outcome. Why doesthis matter? This is the time to state what the main character learns.

14 THE SYNOPSISDon’t keep editors or agents guessing.For Example: In the end, Jess makes peace with her brother, paysback the money she stole from him and ends up with a new best friend.She learns that if you make a mistake, sometimes you get a chance tomake it up to the person.Step 8: Revise and PolishEach sentence must flow and convey the power, excitement, and humorof the story. Use strong adjectives and verbs. Keep revising and editinguntil the synopsis flows and is the length you desire. You may start witha three- to four-page summary and whittle it down to one or two pages.Be patient. The process is a valuable one.Step 9: Remove Extra WordsA synopsis should be quick to read. It must not slow down. It is allexposition, but it must not drag even the tiniest bit. The bare bonesof the story speak for itself now, with no flowery details or quirkydialogue to break up the sentences. Though it is possible that a quoteor two might appear in a synopsis, this would be if the words said by acharacter are themselves part of the plot.Step 10: Check for the Main Character’s ArcYour main character need not change dramatically, but the changeshould be meaningful. Maybe they learn a new way of looking at theworld, overcome a fear or repair a brok

of everything from agents to book reviewers to relevant websites. Time-sensitive material contained in THE BOOK is updated regularly on our website, scbwi.org. The SCBWI staff takes great pride in presenting you with this invaluable tool that will optimize your career, whether y