Waiting for that query letter to write itself

I’ve been patiently waiting for my query letter (for Ragnarök Willie) to write itself. Or at least edit itself.  The query letter, apparently, is even more stubborn than I am.  It refuses to move its words around so that it makes sense.  So that it matches convention.  So that it has a chance in Helheim of getting past the slush pile reader.


Mostly I stare at it and ponder the meaning of a writing life. It sits, printed out, by my computer, patiently waiting for me to edit it.  I on the other hand, am patiently waiting for it to write itself. A writer friend said, hey if you get stuck on the query just write a one-page synopsis first, which is possibly the only thing I hate more about writing than query letters.

I need a better hook.  I need to summarize, in a witty sentence or three, a novel that took me two years to write and contains 87,000 or so carefully crafted words.  I need to let that agent know what Lasse’s goals are, what obstacles he faces, and what are the consequences of his choices (that last part may be easy: global tyranny, a Nordic apocalypse or true love–choose with care, Lasse).

I need to let it sit another day or two.  Maybe the Old Norse equivalent of a muse will provide inspiration if I am patient. Or maybe I just need to knuckle down and write it.

CR Hodges

This entry was posted in Ragnarök Willie, Writing and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to Waiting for that query letter to write itself

  1. Pingback: Querying a novel: a 1 in 5000 play? | CR Hodges, Author

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