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How do you get your amazing book published? First, you must captivate and persuade an agent to read your manuscript. The query letter is the correct and professional way to do this. But getting past the intern, who screens all incoming submissions, is the first hurdle to jump. First pages are essential, but they’ll get deleted if you don’t write a fascinating and unique query letter. Trust me, as I was once a literary agent’s intern and sadly deleted thousands.

Session 1: Navigating the Agent's Gateway

In this first two-hour class, you will embark on the journey to understand the crucial components of a successful query letter. We'll explore the purpose of a query letter, delve into the intern's role as the gatekeeper of literary agents, and learn the art of crafting a captivating query letter that hooks both the intern and the agent. We'll also discuss common pitfalls to avoid, the role of social media in your submission strategy, and provide you with an opportunity to workshop your query letter with your peers. By the end of this class, you'll have the knowledge and skills to create a query letter that stands out in a crowded inbox and gets your manuscript noticed. 

**Please bring your notepad or laptop. If you have a query letter, bring it along, too. If not, don’t fret. You will learn how to write one in this class.

Session 2: Polishing Your Query Letter

In the second two-hour class, we take your query letter crafting skills to the next level. Building on what you learned in the first class, we'll recap the key components of a compelling query letter, delve into the do's and don'ts of the query process, and provide valuable peer feedback on your query letter draft. You'll have the chance to further refine your query letter, participate in a writing exercise to apply your knowledge, and gain insights into crafting a stellar submission package. As we wrap up this class, you'll leave with a polished query letter and a solid strategy to increase your chances of success in the competitive world of book publishing. 

**Please bring your reworked query letter using the information you learned from the previous class. If this is your first class, bring a query you are working on with you. 

Angie Azur is a writer and educator pursuing her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she also serves on the Student Leadership Council. Her creative work is grounded in global story traditions, symbolism, and narrative healing, drawing from extensive research and international study. With over 20 years of experience in media—as a writer, editor, and co-owner of Paleo Magazine—and a past internship with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Angie brings a broad industry perspective to her teaching. She is a longtime SCBWI member and currently teaches private writing classes for both children and adults. Angie also curates interviews, craft insights, and inspiration for writers on her blog, Teazurs.blogspot.com.