Literary Agent Query Prep for Writers

WRITING X 455.4E

Craft a strategic plan for querying literary agents while developing your query letter to significantly improve your chances of receiving an offer of representation.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE

What you can learn.

  • Develop a strong query letter that entices the agent to read your pages
  • Learn how to make a successful "pitch" paragraph in the query
  • Craft a strategic plan for who, when, and how you will query to get your book published
  • Learn to identify which agents are the right audience for your project

About this course:

Once you’ve completed your book, mastering the query letter is the first step you will take on your path to traditional publication. In publishing, 80-90% of all books bought by traditional publishers are sold through literary agents. In order to land an agent, you must craft a flawless query letter. Even if you decide to submit directly to publishers who do accept unsolicited (or “unagented”) work, the almighty query letter is still your key to having your manuscript land in the right hands. In this course, critically acclaimed Simon and Schuster author and former literary agent Eve Porinchak guides you in creating a stellar professional query letter (including the central “pitch” paragraph), that significantly strengthens your chances of receiving an offer of representation from an agent, and/or a book deal from an acquiring editor at a publishing house. You also learn how to create a strategic plan for targeting, approaching, and landing the perfect agent for you and your work.

Contact Us

Speak to a student advisor. Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm.
Ready to start
your future?
By signing up, you agree to UCLA Extension’s Privacy Policy.

vector icon of building

Corporate Education

Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.

Learn More

vector icon of building

Donate to UCLA Extension

Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.

Innovation Programs

Student Scholarships

Coding Boot Camp

Lifelong Learning