Query & Book Blurb Editing

To sell your book, you need a stellar pitch.

A clear, compelling, and concise query letter is essential to landing a literary agent and selling your book to a publisher. In fact, writing a really good pitch is just as important if you self-publish—because it’s almost the exact same copy that ends up as the book blurb (that is, the description on your book’s jacket and product page).

I can help you create copy that sells your story.

As a writer, pitching is my superpower. My query letter for my debut novel netted two offers of agent representation in less than 10 days. What’s more, my now-agent used that same query letter to sell my novel at auction for six figures to a major publisher and to sell foreign rights to more than half a dozen countries. (It also became the basis for the book’s jacket copy. In fact, I’ve written every single one of the blurbs for my novels.)

And you want to know a secret? That novel wasn’t amazing. It wasn’t awful, either—but knowing how to package and market my story (hint: that’s the purpose of a query) helped editors and publishers see its potential and understand where it fit in the marketplace. That led to a four-way auction and a publishing deal that changed my life.

Since then, I have helped hundreds of fiction and non-fiction writers craft their queries. (I also edit college admission essays.) I’ve also sold many of my own novels to publishers simply using a query letter and a sample chapter.

My query success rate is over 90%.

By which I mean: more than 90% of writers who hire me to edit their query letters receive agent requests to read their manuscripts. Many of those requests lead to offers of representation.

Here’s the thing about writing an amazing query letter (and the reason I now take this step before I write a full draft): it allows you to spot and correct critical holes in your story or concept in a way that you simply can’t while outlining and writing. Done correctly, you can’t go through the process without learning more about your story and how to strengthen—and yes, sell—it.

If you’re ready to begin pitching agents—or you’re self-publishing and want a blurb that attracts your ideal readers—email me to let me know you’d like to work together. Read on to find out more about how I can help you.

Query & Book Blurb FAQs

  • No—because I could never know your story as well as you do. It’s okay if you’re starting from scratch. I’ll give you clear instructions on how to quickly draft a query or blurb that I can edit for you.

  • I’ll give you instructions for how to write your query or blurb. Then I’ll edit the draft you send me using track changes in Microsoft Word, so you can see what I’ve suggested and learn from my edits.

    You’ll have an opportunity to revise your copy and send it back to me for two additional edits (if needed). I’ll also proof your final query or blurb to make sure it’s polished and ready to send to agents.

  • I charge a flat fee of $700 per query letter (fiction or non-fiction). I charge a reduced fee of $550 for clients who have previously worked with me one-on-one or in a mastermind.

    This fee includes instructions for writing a stellar query/blurb, up to three rounds of edits, and a proofread and polish of your final draft.

  • My typical turnaround for the entire editorial process (drafting instructions, two edits, and a proofread) is 1 to 2 weeks.

    You have 1 month from hiring me in which to send me your drafts.

  • I work with most genres. I’ve been in publishing for two decades and have helped writers with queries and blurbs in the following areas: commercial fiction; women’s fiction; romance; YA and NA; literary fiction; historical fiction; sci-fi; thrillers and suspense; prescriptive non-fiction (a.k.a. self help or personal development); memoir; and academic non-fiction.

  • Email me to let me know you’d like to work together and I’ll respond with my earliest availability.

    I’m usually available within two weeks of receiving a request for help.

  • I don't take on book-length projects, but I'm happy to refer you to a developmental editor or book coach if you're looking for one.