How to Write a Query Letter for a Book of Short Stories

Writing a query letter isn't as complicated as you might think.

By Mona Mehas and Johanna Haas

I’m getting a few submissions for the 40K and under novella / short story book. I asked for a query letter with the 5-page submission. Some people haven’t done one. You don’t strictly have to, but writing one improves your chances. And I assume you want to improve your chances.

Here’s what a query letter for a collection of short stories may look like:

Dear Cicada Song Press, (or Dear Johanna,)

Paragraph 1 Hook –

“I’m seeking publication of (TITLE), my collection of short stories, complete at (how many?) words.” Tell us the genre and number of stories. Tell us their common theme. Give some reason you wrote these stories. If it is outrageous, let it fly. (Examples: I saw someone being killed, or I was an abused child.)

Paragraph 2 Book –

Give 2-4 examples of stories or issues/themes found in the book and how they fit into the overall theme of the book. (This should be the bulk of the letter. It’s your chance to sell me on stories that I’m not able to read.)

Paragraph 3 Cook –

Tell us your bio. If you have a personal connection to the theme, we want to know that.

Do all this in a maximum of one page. It can be in the email or attached as a separate document.