Query letters have one role in your life: to interest an agent or editor enough to request chapters or a full manuscript. That’s it. The perfect query letter will not get you a book deal. Instead, it introduces your work to an agent or editor so they will read  your manuscript. It’s the manuscript that gets the book deal. The query letter is a business letter. It’s not a love letter. It’s not a letter to a pal (unless the agent you’re querying is actually your pal). And it’s not the time to get cute with the hopes of making a good impression. In most cases, all that will get your query is the delete button.

With that in mind, let’s delve into the most important elements of the query.