To spoil, or not to spoil? When it comes to writing a query letter, that is the question.

There is an answer ("No, you shouldn't"), but let's break down why that is. 🧵

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#AmQuerying #AmWriting #WritingCommunity

Many agents will ask writers for two submission documents beyond their manuscript: a one-page or two-page synopsis (which will spoil everything), and a query letter (which will not).

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Many agents start with the query letter (the one that doesn't spoil), and that's a good thing because we're aiming to engage them at that point. We WANT them to want more. The more materials you can get an agent to read, the better your chances, right?

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A query letter that spoils the ending gives them a quicker opportunity to reject. Conversely, a query letter that properly teases a story and leaves the agent wanting more will get them into your pages and/or synopsis.

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Think of the plot summary portion of your query letter as a product description for a book on Goodreads or Amazon. They want you to read/buy, so they make you think, "Dang this sounds good." That's the same thing you're trying to accomplish in your query.

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If an agent wants to see how your story will end, they'll read the synopsis. Otherwise, they want to be tantalized in the query, so don't give away the milk for free! Make 'em buy the cow!

~el fin~