If you’ve written a book proposal (and you should), then your query letter is often a more condensed version of your book proposal’s overview or summary—those first 500 words (or first one to three proposal pages) should summarize the most important and salable qualities of your book. Your query and your proposal overview should both answer three questions: ****

  1. So what? Why is this book unique, special or needed in the current marketplace?
  2. Who cares? Who is the identifiable and specific audience who will spend $20 on this book?
  3. Who are you? Why are you the best author for this book—what are your platform and credentials? It’s okay if your query and proposal include the same or similar language.

The cohesive answer to these questions constitute your hook.

It’s very powerful to claim that your book will be the first and only book to do X. Ask yourself the following questions:

How to open your query

One of the best ways to begin a query for a prescriptive book is to start by demonstrating the problem or challenge your target reader faces. This shows you understand your market and have created a book that fills a tangible need. Once you’ve outlined the problem the reader faces (in about 100 to 150 words), you then introduce your book as the solution to the problem. Here’s an example.

Motherhood has never been so noisy. The Internet perpetually refreshes with new checklists, studies, and recommendations—all to the supposed benefit of mothers. But  what new mothers need is completely different. Millennial mothers need a break from all the barrage of oncoming information and advice. They need time and space to tune in, and befriend their changed bodies. They need short practices that feel good and are scientifically proven to improve physical and emotional stamina and well-being. What they need is YOGA OF MOTHERHOOD. After more than thirty years of clinical work as a therapist, teacher, and educator, I shifted my focus to create a private practice, workshop series, and website which integrate clinical knowledge with mindful yoga …

Other options for the opening