Soliciting Interest in Your Writing in the 21st Century
Some people write just to write for themselves. Others, however, write with the goal of sharing their work with others. Sometimes, it is difficult for people to get their writing in front of others. Traditionally, this would mean writing and sending out a query letter to publishers and literary agents.
In the 21st century, query letters have become increasingly antiquated. But, it is helpful for all authors to understand what goes into writing a query letter and its modern equivalents. This article will review the elements of a traditional query letter and explain how it is largely outdated.
The Elements of a Query Letter
Every writer had to get their start somewhere. For decades, new authors have sent out query letters to publishers and other industry professionals. These letters introduce the author and their work to pique interest in publishing them. These letters are tailored to the author and their writing, but query letters have some common elements
Writing to the Audience of an Industry Professional
Before you even write your query letter, keep in mind who you are writing to. Often, this will be a publisher, editor, or literary agent. As such, keep the tone and style professional. Showcase your unique voice and what you bring to the table. Ultimately, this is how you sell yourself to the reader.
Introduction
Your letter should start with a traditional introduction of yourself and your work. This is just a quick overview of what you are submitting for consideration. The details will come later in the letter, so just set the scene.
Plot Synopsis
Next comes a brief plot synopsis or summary of the book you are pitching. This is where you put in the work to sell your actual writing to the publisher, editor, or agent. The plot is so important because it is what you are asking them to invest their resources into. Make sure you write a compelling, accurate, and comprehensible overview of your book. This is a good warm up for drafting marketing and promotional materials later.
Biographical Information
After you set the scene with your book, it is time to sell yourself as an author. Describe your professional, literary, and educational background, as much as is relevant. Your industry reader wants to know who you are before they take you on. This creates a full, well-rounded image of your book and you as an author.
Writing Excerpts and Samples
Finally, you will probably want to end your letter with a sample of your work. That can be either an excerpt from your current book or previous writing. The idea is to let the reader know your writing style and potential.
The Modern Publishing Environment
As the industry has evolved, so have the ways authors get their work published. There are plenty of alternatives to traditional publishing that make query letters especially outdated. For example, writers can publish their writing online and grow their audience from there. Some extremely successful authors made their start that way.
In the traditional publishing landscape, publishers and printers dictated what books were published. Therefore, only what was published could be consumed. This is where query letters proved most useful. In 2026, however, there are many alternatives to the query letter.
Publishing with Cloverly Christian
Here at Cloverly Christian, we do not require or accept standard query letters. They are a relic of the past. Cloverly’s model relies on more streamlined, individual manuscript reviews. We blend self-publishing with all the resources of a traditional publishing company.
The first step to publishing with Cloverly is to request an author submission kit. Every prospective author needs to request this kit in order to submit their manuscript. Once you express interest in publishing, one of our literary agents will coordinate the submission process with you.
Nearly everybody who wants to submit their manuscript will be able to do so. We require contact with our team before publication to make sure each manuscript gets the attention it deserves.
Every manuscript that is submitted to Cloverly is reviewed to ensure it fits our standards for publication. When specifically looking for Christian-oriented publication, we make sure your book fits with our Christian specialty division.
