It was during this stage in 2005-2006 when she wrote her first book after sending dozens of query letters.

"I also have some information in response to your query letter," Caldwell said.

Worried about pestering a company to which you sent a query letter?

Today she doesn't think the agents made a mistake, and blames her query letter as much as the work itself.

Writers can add the word count of the manuscript, although this may also be noted on a query letter.

If you are in doubt about an editor's requirements, by all means write a query letter.

In this sense, the query letter is an author's first step towards getting his/her manuscript published.

Mr. Shayne estimated that he sent out 500 to 1,000 query letters over the last several years.

He tried getting attention for his four screenplays by mailing 200 query letters to literary agents and production companies.

He took some writing classes and for three years sent out query letters about his short stories until he found an agent.