A query letter is a short, single-spaced, one-page letter that pitches your romance novel to a prospective agent or editor. Basically, it's a sales letter. Rather than a life insurance policy or a new computer system, the product you're trying to sell is your novel … and you, the author.

Some authors write queries in the same tone or style as their novel. In other words, if their book is funny, their query letter will be funny. Other authors are more comfortable with writing a business-letter type of query. Generally, the best approach for you is the one that feels most comfortable for you.

That said, a good query letter should have the following elements:

• The correct name and title of the addressee

• A strong hook for your novel

• A brief description of the book's main characters and conflict

• The book's title, word count, and subgenre

• Your publishing credentials, if any

• Your name and contact info (usually in your letterhead or signature block)

• SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope for their reply)

Agents and editors see thousands of query letters each year. What they want to see — actually, all they want to see — in a query letter is a well-written sales pitch that tells them what your book is about so they can judge its marketability.

If you're a new writer, you probably won't have writing credits to include in the paragraph about your publishing credentials. Instead, mention your membership in writing organizations, such as Romance Writers of America, any writing workshops or classes you may have taken or awards you may have won from unpublished writing contests. All of these prove your commitment to the craft of writing.

For more information about what to include — and how to obtain — publishing credentials for your query letter, refer to Chapter 22.

Assume that you've written a single-title romantic comedy that you want to pitch to an agent. The text of your query letter might read as follows:

Career-focused Melissa Wesson has the perfect job, the perfect boyfriend, and the perfect life in It's Vegas, Baby, my 100,000-word romantic comedy. Or, at least that's what Melissa thinks until a routine three-day business trip to Las Vegas ends in murder, mayhem, and marriage to another man. Melissa's world is turned upside down, and she can't decide if she's more upset about her boyfriend dumping her via Text Message, the dead body of a casino pit boss turning up in her bathroom, or her quickie wedding to Derek Kincaid, the single, most infuriating man on the planet. And then there are those police detectives who want to question her about the dead body, along with the trio of wiseguys and an angry casino owner who are all on the lookout for a missing fortune in casino chips.

For laidback Derek, a commitment-phobic bachelor, the quickie marriage — a necessary move on their part to get them out of a tight spot with the wiseguys — is potentially more problematic than the murder rap, the wise-guys, and the angry casino owner combined. After all, marriage is the last thing on his mind, especially with someone who micromanages every minute of her life the way Melissa does. So why can't he keep his hands off her oh-so-sexy body? And more important, why does the idea of an equally quick annulment keep getting harder and harder for him to accept?

I am an active member of my local RWA chapter and my work has finaled in several RWA-sponsored contests, including the Golden Heart. I would be happy to send you the first three chapters and synopsis of It's Vegas, Baby for your review. An SASE is enclosed for your convenience.

Some writers prefer to open their query letters with a more straightforward pitch, followed by the plot description, such as:

I am interested in securing representation for my 100,000-word romantic comedy It's Vegas, Baby. Your Web site states that you represent novels of this type, and since I am a fan of your client, Betty Bestseller, I am contacting you.

The specific approach you use isn't as important as making certain that your query letter contains all of the things the agent or editor will need to know about your romance novel before she can make a decision about requesting to read your manuscript.