Writing a query letter may be the most intimidating step in the publishing process.
You’ve written the book. You’ve revised it, polished it, shared it with early readers… and now comes the unsettling moment when you have to condense your entire book into a few paragraphs designed to make an agent want to read more.
In this week’s Author Insider conversation, I spoke with novelist and Pitch Your Novel creator Karin Gillespie, who has published nine books across Big Five, small press, and indie routes, and now helps writers navigate the submission process.
We talked about what agents actually look for in a query today, how expectations around pitches and comps have evolved, and how writers can position their books more effectively before they ever hit send. If you’re preparing to pitch a novel or memoir, this conversation offers a clear and practical roadmap.
And if you don’t have time to watch or listen to the full conversation straight through, here are a few key moments you can jump to:
Key moments from the conversation
01:07 — The two things that matter most in a query letter today
Karin explains why the one-sentence pitch and recent comp titles have become the most important elements of a modern query.
02:53 — How to write a one-sentence pitch
Breaking down the core elements agents want to see: character, inciting incident, desire, obstacles, and stakes.
12:53 — Why publishing has become a “soundbite industry”
Why clear, concise positioning helps agents quickly understand and champion a book.
17:45 — Why querying many agents at once is expected
The reality of the numbers game and why querying widely isn’t considered bad etiquette.
23:05 — How pitching memoir differs from pitching a novel
Memoir still needs stakes and narrative drive, but the author’s personal story and credibility play a larger role.
24:06 — How to choose strong comp titles
Why comps should be recent, comparable books rather than massive outliers like Gone Girl.
52:02 — The best tools for building an agent list
Karin’s recommended resources: Publishers Marketplace, Manuscript Wish List, and QueryTracker.
If you’re working on a query letter now—or planning to start soon—I hope this conversation helps demystify the process and gives you a clearer sense of what agents are actually looking for.
And a special thank you to everyone who joined the live session and contributed questions in the chat! I always appreciate the thoughtful participation from the Author Insider community.
I’ll also share a few key takeaways from this conversation early next week.
Until next time,
Panio Gianopoulos
Editorial Director, Author Insider & The Next Big Idea Club
