Here is where the writer must grab the reader's attention, and it should be done by delving right into the subject matter. Write this section as if it were the blurb on the back of the book jacket cover. This is where you must generate interest in your book or magazine article idea, and you must do it in just a few words. Make this paragraph engaging, but keep it to just a few sentences.
In this paragraph begin to describe the story line of your work. Describe the protagonist and the story's conflict. If the manuscript is nonfiction, focus on why the story is relevant to a reader. Explain the genre you're writing in and the story's structure. Tell approximately how many words the piece is and compare the work to other similar publications, describing why you believe your story is different.
This section is dedicated to the author. Outline your writing and publishing credentials, your writing experience and education or expertise in the manuscript's subject matter. In this paragraph you must convince the reader that you are qualified to write the manuscript by including information about awards, honors and your profession.
The final paragraph should be only one or two sentences. Simply thank the reader for taking the time to consider your work, politely request a timely response and offer the best way for the reader to contact you.
Convincing an editor, publisher or agent that your manuscript idea is good enough and marketable enough to publish is not an easy task. Most query letters either go unanswered or generate a form letter rejection response. Editors, publishers and agents are sent thousands of queries and simply don't have the time to respond properly to all of them. However, if your query letter is well written and offers a strong story or idea that the reader believes has merit, a response will eventually come by way of formal letter, email or phone call. Sometimes this response can take several months.