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a system, not a personality test
You're putting on a tie to write a query letter and that's why it's stiff.
Queries are a system. The system is teachable. The agents who say yes are responding to structure and category fluency, not magic. We walk through the four-paragraph Maven query that has gotten my clients fulls and offers, the bio paragraph that does not make you sound desperate, and the comp-titles trick most writers get wrong. Comp titles aren't your literary heroes. They're your nearest neighbors on the shelf. Pick wrong and the agent reads your query as 'doesn't know the genre.'
The four-paragraph Maven query
| Paragraph | Job | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hook + comp titles + word count | Position the book | 2-3 sentences |
| 2. Plot setup | Status quo, inciting incident | 3-5 sentences |
| 3. Stakes + escalation | What's at risk, what changes | 3-5 sentences |
| 4. Bio + thanks | Credentials, personalization, sign-off | 2-3 sentences |
The comp-titles fix
- Find 2 books published in your sub-genre in the last 4 years.
- Both should be modestly successful, not bestsellers.
- Use the formula: 'X meets Y' or 'X for readers of Y.'
- Avoid mentioning classics, films, or books over 5 years old.
- Test the comps with a writer friend. If they raise an eyebrow, redo them.
Queries aren't a personality test. They're a system. Agents say yes to structure and comp-title fluency, not magic. Most writers fail the comps and blame their voice.
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
From the Maven Catalog
- Master Course — The Maven Query
- eBook — Querying Without Begging
- Toolkit — Query Letter Toolkit
- Planner — Query Quarter Planner
Use the four-paragraph structure. Get the comps right. Send 10 a week. Track responses. The system works. The personality test was always a myth.