Crafting the perfect query letter can feel like an impossible task, especially when you’re not sure where to start.
That’s where the Query Letter Swipe File comes in.
Written by an experienced query letter expert, this book offers a comprehensive collection of successful query letter templates, exact words, phrases, and prompts that will help you create a winning query letter.
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at the content, writing quality, practical helpfulness, and organization of the Query Letter Swipe File.
That way, you can decide if it’s the right tool to help you achieve your publishing dreams.
What Is The Query Letter Swipe File Book? (Overview)
The Query Letter Swipe File is a book designed to help aspiring authors write effective query letters to literary agents and publishers.
The book offers hundreds of successful query letter templates, exact words, phrases, and prompts that have been curated from the best query letters in the world, query letters that have resulted in numerous manuscript requests and multiple offers of representation.
As the author of the book, I spent over 20 years deconstructing query letters and identifying patterns that work.
Then I compiled all of those patterns into this comprehensive guide.
You could call it the ultimate mad libs fill-in-the-blank system for crafting a perfect query letter.
The Query Letter Swipe File is available in both print and ebook formats on Amazon.
What Does the Query Letter Swipe File Include?
The Query Letter Swipe File includes five complete templates of query letters and swipe files for hooks, pitches, book details, bios, and salutations.
Here’s a closer look at what each section includes:
Hook Swipe File
The hook is the opening line of your query letter that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to keep reading.
This section includes a swipe file of successful hook examples to help you come up with a compelling opening line that will make your query letter stand out.
Pitch Swipe File
The pitch is part of your query letter that gives a brief summary of your book’s plot.
Not to mention where you highlight its unique selling points.
This section includes a swipe file of successful pitch examples to help you craft a pitch that will pique the interest of literary agents and publishers.
Book Details Swipe File
In this section, you’ll find a swipe file of successful book detail examples.
This includes details such as the book’s title, word count, genre, and target audience. Including these details in your query letter will help agents and publishers understand the marketability of your book.
Bio Swipe File
The bio is where you introduce yourself to the agent or publisher.
You also give a brief summary of your writing experience and accomplishments.
This section includes a swipe file of successful bio examples to help you craft a compelling author bio that will make you stand out.
Salutation Swipe File
The salutation is the goodbye you use at the end of your query letter.
This section includes a swipe file of successful salutation examples to help you choose the right tone and approach when addressing literary agents and publishers.
Full Query Letter Templates
The Query Letter Swipe File provides you with five complete query letter templates, which can be utilized as a foundation for crafting a personalized and effective query letter.
These templates are based on successful query letters and can easily be adapted to your story.
In summary, the Query Letter Swipe File includes everything you need to craft a winning query letter.
With the help of the swipe files and templates provided, you’ll be able to create a query letter that will grab the attention of literary agents and publishers and help you achieve your dream of getting published.
How Do You Use the Query Letter Swipe File?
Once you have the query letter book in your hands, there are a few different ways you can use it to create a winning query letter.
One way is to take one of the complete query letter templates from the back of the book and plug in your story and personal information. For example, let’s say you’re writing a science fiction novel about a time traveler who gets stuck in the past.
You could use the template provided in the book as a starting point, and customize it to fit your story.
Here’s an example of what the customized query letter could look like:
Dear [Agent Name],
[Personalized greeting based on agent’s preferences]
WHEN [Protagonist name] traveled back in time, [he/she/they] didn’t expect to get stuck in [time period]. Now, [he/she/they] must navigate [time period challenges] to find a way back to the present.
As [Protagonist name] faces [setting or situation], [he/she/they] must confront [challenge or conflict], forcing [him/her/them] to make a difficult choice between [two opposing forces or options].
My science fiction novel, [Title], is complete at [Word Count] words and will appeal to fans of [similar author or book]. As a [personal information, such as your writing experience or any relevant accolades], I am confident that my story will captivate readers and leave them eager for more.
Thank you for considering [Title]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards, [Your Name]
Alternatively, you can browse through each section of the book and pick and choose the perfect set of words, phrases, and sentence templates that work best for your book.
For example, let’s say you’re struggling to come up with a hook for your query letter.
You could turn to the Hook Swipe File section of the book and find inspiration. Here’s an example of a hook you could use for the same science fiction novel:
WHEN [Protagonist name] woke up in the past, [he/she/they] thought it was a dream. But as [he/she/they] looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, [he/she/they] knew it was all too real.
By using the Hook Swipe File, you’ve found a compelling opening line for your query letter that will grab the attention of literary agents and make them want to keep reading.
You can repeat this process for each section of your query letter: Pitch, Bio, Book Details, Salutation, etc.
Overall, the Query Letter Swipe File is a valuable tool that you can use to craft a winning query letter for your book. But, remember, these are just examples.
The Query Letter Swipe File includes a variety of sentence templates and examples that you can use to customize your query letter and make it as compelling and unique as your book.
Who Is the Query Letter Swipe File For?
The Query Letter Swipe File is a book for aspiring authors who want to get their novels, short stories, or picture books published through traditional publishing channels.
It’s for anyone who is struggling to write a query letter that will result in offers of representation and publication.
The book is especially useful for:
- Authors who are new to the publishing industry and may not know where to start when it comes to writing a query letter
- Authors who want to level up their query writing skills by tapping into a resource of successful examples
- Authors who have written query letters in the past but haven’t had success in getting manuscript requests or offers of representation
Keep in mind that this book is written especially for authors of fiction.
Who Is the Query Letter Swipe File Not For?
While the book is an excellent resource for aspiring fiction authors who want to create a compelling query letter, there are a few groups of people who may not find it as useful.
Here are three groups of people who may not benefit from the book:
- Nonfiction authors
- People who want to write from scratch
- Anyone who doesn’t see the value in examples
1) Nonfiction Authors
The Query Letter Swipe File is specifically designed for fiction authors. Nonfiction authors may not find the templates and examples in the book relevant to their writing projects.
2) People Who Want to Write From Scratch Without Any Help
If you prefer to create your own query letter from scratch, without relying on examples or templates, then the Query Letter Swipe File may not be the best resource for you. This book is designed to help you create a winning query letter by providing you with successful examples to model your letter after.
3) Anyone Who Doesn’t See the Value in a Collection of Successful Examples
The Query Letter Swipe File is a collection of successful examples of query letters. If you don’t see the value in studying successful examples and learning from them, then this book may not be for you.
Pros
The Query Letter Swipe File offers numerous benefits for aspiring authors looking to craft effective query letters.
Take a look at some of the pros of using this book:
- Provides a step-by-step blueprint for writing effective query letters.
- Includes hundreds of successful query letter templates, exact words, phrases, and prompts to help you write a compelling query letter.
- Offers swipe files for hooks, pitches, book details, bios, and salutations to make the writing process easier and more efficient.
- Provides instant connection openers that will help you get your query letter out of the slush pile and noticed by literary agents.
- Offers mouthwatering novel pitches that will make literary agents and publishers beg to see your work.
- Includes unstoppable, hypnotic prose that pushes all the “hot buttons” agents can’t resist.
- Provides salutations that seal the deal and activate “Gotta have it!” responses from top agents.
- Exclusively for fiction query letters only, so you can be sure that the templates and examples provided are relevant to your genre.
- Written by an experienced query letter expert with over 20 years of experience in deconstructing query letters and identifying patterns that work.
- Includes five full query letter templates that you can use as a starting point to craft your own query letter.
- Provides a swipe file of successful bio examples to help you craft a compelling author bio that will make you stand out.
- Includes a swipe file of successful book detail examples to help agents and publishers understand the marketability of your book.
- Available in both print and ebook formats, so you can choose the format that works best for you.
- Offers a 129-page guide that is comprehensive and easy to follow.
- Helps you save time and frustration by providing proven templates and prompts that will make the writing process easier and more efficient.
- Helps you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of getting published by providing you with the tools and resources you need to write a winning query letter.
Cons
Here are some cons that could be associated with the Query Letter Swipe File:
- The book is exclusively for fiction query letters, so nonfiction authors may not find it as useful.
- While the templates and swipe files provided in the book are proven to be effective, they may not be a perfect fit for every story or author’s voice.
- The book is not free and may not be in everyone’s budget. However, it is priced competitively with other books on the topic.
- The book is not available in audiobook format, so it may not be accessible to those who prefer to listen to books rather than read them.
- While the book provides templates and swipe files to help you write an effective query letter, ultimately, you still have to write and tailor the letter to fit your specific story and voice.
It’s important to note that these cons do not diminish the overall value and usefulness of the Query Letter Swipe File.
The book still offers a wealth of resources and tools for aspiring fiction authors looking to write a winning query letter and get published.
Who Wrote the Query Letter Swipe File?
The author is Christopher Kokoski (that’s me, by the way).
Christopher Kokoski is an experienced writer and blogger who has dedicated over 20 years to studying query letters and identifying patterns that work. He is the author of the Query Letter Swipe File and has helped numerous clients write successful query letters.
He runs the website WritingBeginner.com, which features popular articles on writing query letters and other writing topics.
That’s this website that you are on right now.
You can find a list of some of his best articles on writing query letters at the bottom of this review.
Christopher is a full-time writer and blogger, and his work can be found on Amazon, WritingBeginner.com, and Medium.com.
Sample
The best way to find a sample is to go to Amazon and click on the big picture of the book.
You can browse through the Kindle version or the print version. I recommend the print version so that you can check out the detailed table of contents.
Just in case you don’t want to go through those extra steps, here is a quick sample and video of the Query Letter Swipe File.
The example we’ll look at is from the Pitch Swipe File Section:
Conflict/Crises/Inciting Event Swipe File
[CHARACTER’S NAME]’s life was perfect until…
[CHARACTER ROLE] + [CHARACTER NAME]’s day plummets into chaos when…
[CHARACTER] becomes the number one target
[CHARACTER] didn’t count on…
[CHARACTER] doesn’t believe in…until…
[CHARACTER] doesn’t want to…not that he/she has a choice.
[CHARACTER] is doomed from the moment…
[CHARACTER] tries to [GOAL] but…
As [THE ANTAGONIST] closes in, the [PROTAGONIST] must…to survive
But as his perfect [LIFE/ROLE/JOB/RELATIONSHIP] starts to unravel…
Now, check out this video of me using the Query Letter Swipe File to quickly pull together a good query letter:
My Final Verdict on the Query Letter Swipe File (Book Review Chart)
My final verdict in this Query Letter Swipe File review is that the book is worth buying.
Yes, I’m biased but I really do believe in this book. It helped me and my friends. I think it will help you, too.
| Categories | Rating |
|---|---|
| Content | Excellent |
| Writing Quality | Good |
| Helpfulness | Excellent |
| Comparison to Other Books | Good |
| Price | Good |
| Overall Rating | Good |
Explanation of ratings:
- Content. The content of the Query Letter Swipe File is comprehensive and provides a wealth of resources and tools for aspiring authors to write effective query letters. The book includes proven templates, swipe files, and exact words and phrases that have worked for successful query letters. The rating for this category is Excellent.
- Writing Quality. The writing quality of the Query Letter Swipe File is good, but not exceptional. While the language is clear and easy to understand, the writing may not be as engaging as some readers might like. The rating for this category is Good.
- Helpfulness. The Query Letter Swipe File is incredibly helpful for aspiring authors looking to write an effective query letter. The book provides step-by-step guidance, swipe files, and templates that can save authors time and frustration. The rating for this category is Excellent.
- Comparison to Other Books. While the Query Letter Swipe File is a great resource for aspiring authors, it may not be as unique as some other query letter books on the market. However, the swipe files and templates provided in the book are proven to be effective and can help authors stand out in a crowded market. The rating for this category is Good.
- Price. The Query Letter Swipe File is priced competitively with other books on the topic. However, the book is not free, and some readers may find the price to be a barrier to entry. The rating for this category is Good.
- Overall Rating. The Query Letter Swipe File is a comprehensive and helpful guide for aspiring authors looking to write effective query letters. While it may not be perfect in every category, the book provides valuable resources and tools that can increase an author’s chances of getting published. The overall rating for this book is Good.
Where Can You Buy It?
The best place to buy the Query Letter Swipe File is Amazon.com
You can also get the Query Letter Swipe File at these locations:
Final Thoughts: Query Letter Swipe File
Yet another way you can use the book is to combine it with an AI writer like Jasper AI.
You simply plug in a full query letter template or a selection of swipe files that you like, along with your story and bio details. Then you ask the AI writer to pull it all together into a good query letter.
It works like magic!
Check out some of the other query letter-related guides listed below.
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