FOLLOW THE MAP TO A GREAT QUERY

{Image by Viktor Vasnetsov in public domain}

BAD

WORSE

WORST

 

Those are the signposts you keep in mind when writing your

one paragraph summation in your queries.

 

What?

Yes:

BAD ... WORSE ... WORST.

They are the 3 keys to writing a GOOD one paragraph summation for your query.

 

I.) Think Three Act Play:

 

Act I. Bad (First Sentence)

 

You introduce your character and set up the conflict.

 

Conflict being the goal that is desperately desired and the adversary who stands in the way.

 

Act. II - WORSE (The next three sentences.)

 

Each sentence details a disaster derailing the progress of your main character and the victories of the adversary.

Each disaster gets progressively worse.

The sentence of the first disaster contains the MC's decision which sets the disaster into motion.

The sentence of the 2nd disaster contains some small victory for the MC that is destroyed by the sudden turn in fate.

The sentence of the third disaster contains the seeds of the final confrontation between the MC and the adversary.

 

Act III. - WORST

 

The final sentence contains the final confrontation and its resolution.

 

If you don't detail in full the resolution,

you should at least give definite hints on how the story ends

with the MC triumphing over the adversary -- even at the cost of his/her own life.

 

II.) Polish this paragraph until it flows like the narration to a movie trailer.

 

III.) IMPORTANCE of this paragraph summation:

 

This paragraph is the skeleton of your thoughts as you write your novel.

 

Go back to it often and check to see if it matches the story you're writing.

 

a.) If not, no big deal.
b.) Just revise your paragraph accordingly.

 

You will not become bogged down if you have this paragraph as your guide and map

to chart your course through your chapters.

 

IV.) This paragraph has to be intriguing and persuasive.

 

A.) The agent will most likely decide to reject or ask for more from this one small paragraph.

B.) This paragraph should probably contain that all important hook, without which most queries are immediately rejected.

C.) Reading this paragraph like the voice-over to a movie trailer will help you in deciding what that all-important hook should be.

 

D.) A well-written one paragraph summation will provide the outline for your one page (single spaced 500 words) synopsis.

* I hope this helps in some small way when writing your novels and queries ... always your friend, Roland