Monday, August 01, 2011

All purpose query with fill in the blanks for customization

In memoriam of Leonard Stern, creator of the Mad Lib, who passed away earlier this summer.
Warning:  Using any query resulted from this exercise may result in having your ass handed to you.


When (main character) accidentally (verb), he/she (verb) a (catastrophe).

Every (age) year-old boy/girl (dreams/wishes/hopes) for a chance to prove he/she is (adjective), but (main character) (dreams/hopes/wishes) for the (opposite characteristic).  That is until (adjective) (love interest) shows up in (place).  Suddenly he/she is drawn into (conspiracy), and he/she might not just have to catch (love interest)'s eye, but save his/her life.  Because only (main character) has the (special ability) that can save not only (love interest) but the world.

I have always dreamed of being a writer, but I currently work as (soul-crushing profession).  In college, I studied (Major - probably English), and I am a member of (organization to which you pay dues).

(Title) is a YA (subgenre) complete at (number) words.

The complete manuscript is available at your request, and I will be hitting refresh on my inbox every five seconds after I finally send this.
Best,
(Your name)

5 comments:

  1. Ohh, I know why my queries sometimes don't work! They're missing that last line. I may tweak it--"I will be hitting refresh on my inbox every three seconds after I finally send this." Thank you sooooo much! I'm off to requery everyone!

    Haha :) I love posts like this.

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  2. You forgot to add:
    "I'm the god-child of Stephanie Meyer and JK Rowling and Susan Collin' love child"

    Great post. Useful template for the bones of a query. But don't forget to add your own voice and style.

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  3. Fun! I KNOW I'll get an agent in no time with this! ;-)

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  4. You missed the bit of "Meyer/Rowling said about de book (fantastic/couldn't put it down/indredible)" xDDDDD

    Great post ^^

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  5. Brilliant. Love it. Perhaps you could do a workshop...

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