Linguistic Inclinations in Query Letters
Abstract
In traditional publishing, a writer sends out query letters in order to seek representation. Though previous query letter research has examined this document’s function when submitted to editors of magazines and journals, query letters submitted to agents for novels have only received attention from within the industry rather than as an object of academic inquiry. This study uses a corpus of query letters for fiction manuscripts to explore whether or not language proficiency and linguistic components bear weight on the success of querying authors. Ultimately, these findings stand as evidence of the empirical impact of language on acquisition odds and encourage further study on the matter.
Author Biography
Karen Quick is an English Writing and Psychology double major at Montana State University. Her short story, “The Bird Bag,” earned the 2023 Edith R. Mirrielees Award for Creative Writing. After graduation she plans to further her research as a graduate student.
Individual authors retain the copyright of their work published in Young Scholars in Writing.
