You’ve written your novel, or completed a proposal for your book, and are finally ready to share it with the world. But what’s the next step?

 

Literary agents tend to receive hundreds of queries a week. Pressed for time, they often make instant decisions on which manuscripts to request. So how do you wrangle that monster of a manuscript into a few paragraphs that will get an agent excited?

 

This class will reveal why an agent says yes and how you can craft an irresistible letter. What four things does an agent look for when they scan your letter? What information is helpful from a publishing perspective, and what might hurt your case? Students are encouraged (but not required) to submit their query letters in advance for discussion in class.

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About the Instructor:

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Anna Ghosh is the founder of Ghosh Literary, an independent Literary Agency based in San Francisco. She was previously a partner at Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency in New York City and has nearly three decades of experience in book publishing. She has taught classes on publishing at NYU, Columbia, and UC Berkeley, as well as conferences and literary organizations. Most days, she spends just 17 minutes reading queries.

 

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LEFT MARGIN LIT'S CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY:

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If you find that you can't take a class for which you registered, you may request a refund, less a $25 administrative fee, at least 48 hours prior to the start of the first class session. If a class doesn't reach its minimum enrollment, it will be cancelled, and all students will receive full refunds.