The Query Doctor
Ready to submit your manuscript to literary agents? These days, being a great writer isn’t enough; you need to be a marketer. If you don’t have a killer query letter to capture agents’ limited attention, you’ve fallen at the first hurdle. And writing a killer query letter comes down to exceptional marketing.
Bronze
Query letter
- Comprehensive query letter review
- 3 rounds of feedback
Silver
Query letter + synopsis
- Everything in Bronze
- + 3 rounds on your synopsis (max. 2 pages)
Gold
Query letter + synopsis + manuscript
- Everything in Silver
- + 3 rounds on your manuscript (first 10 pages)
Unicorn
Your special project
- Every project is different. Let’s chat about what you need.
Contact
Your query letter is more akin to a sales pitch or jacket copy for your book than it is your manuscript. Is the hook there? Does the first sentence, first paragraph, and first few pages make an agent want to read on? We can get your query letter, synopsis, and first 10 pages of your manuscript in an irresistible place. It’s all about marketing your book to literary gatekeepers and getting that all-important foot in the proverbial publishing door.
We offer a range of competitively-priced packages for all budgets. Our editing services are time and labor intensive, and our prices have been carefully worked out to reflect that. If budget is an issue, please reach out to us and we can work together on a tailored solution, or inquire about our Unicorn option!
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FAQs
Who is the Query Doctor?
Our Query Doctor, Natalie Harris-Spencer, has 15+ years’ experience marketing for major global brands, including the U.K.’s largest publisher and the world’s largest entertainment corporation. Natalie’s own query letter helped her land multiple agent offers. She gets it. With our customized packages, we guarantee you a marketing query letter that will make you stand out from the masses. Learn more about Natalie on her website or our About page.
What is a query letter and why do I need one?
A query letter is more like a marketing pitch or jacket copy for your book than it is prose. Bottom line: if you want to sign with a literary agent and pursue a traditional book publishing path, you need a query letter. See all our query letter resources for more information.
How long does the process take?
Natalie often responds to your materials within 48 hours (working days), often sooner. However, the process takes as long as it takes you to send the materials with each round. There’s no set timeframe.
How much does it cost?
All of our services have been carefully constructed to accommodate different budgets. Contact us for more information. We can almost always work something out.
Can you help with my genre?
Yes! A query letter is broadly genre agnostic. The Query Doctor has worked with literary fiction, historical dramas, thrillers, romance, YA, fantasy, space operas, and more.
Do I need a query letter for non-fiction?
A query letter is for fiction only. Non-fiction requires a book proposal, which is different from a query letter. The Query Doctor may be able to help with your book proposal; please reach out for more information.
Can you guarantee me literary agent representation?
No. Nobody can. If they say they can, they’re lying. However, having a polished query letter makes it all the more likely that a literary agent will request more materials. Many of the Query Doctor’s clients have gone on to sign with agents; read some of their testimonials below.
Testimonials
The path to publication can be perilous, but the proper navigational tools help writers forge ahead. This is Natalie Harris-Spencer’s gift. Natalie’s experience in the querying trenches, her creativity, and her marketing genius are invaluable assets to writers seeking to improve their work and share it with the world. Her intense focus on what matters in the story, how to frame it, and successfully package an enticing description is invaluable. Natalie took my effort at querying a novel and analyzed it like a professor teaching a master class. She knew exactly what words to use and how to order them in my presentation. Hers is a rare talent, one that any writer will treasure.
You need Natalie’s feedback on your query letter. Not only does she know how to land an agent because she’s a great writer, but she has years of marketing experience. She understands story and how to sell your story. She looked at my query letter and instantly helped me shape it into something that was unmissable to potential agents. Her feedback was thoughtful, direct, and made me feel confident going into the query process.
Natalie knew exactly how to punch up my non-fiction book proposal so agents would respond—her background in digital marketing, deep knowledge of the publishing industry, and her ability to personally relate as an author really came through. Natalie’s feedback was specific and actionable, always staying true to the tone of my book and writer’s voice. She also essentially gave me a crash course in the publishing industry and was very helpful in managing my crippling anxiety/expectations throughout the process. I queried approximately 15 agents and received five offers of rep within a few weeks!
Natalie gets it. Her assistance with my query letter and synopsis not only improved my products, but also taught me so much about writing, audience awareness, and what’s required to attract and keep an agent’s attention. She has a keen eye as an editor, and she offers critical analysis and guiding questions that display her commitment to helping you succeed. She responds quickly yet manages to be thorough, thoughtful, and on-target. The Query Doctor is a wise investment.
I consulted Natalie Harris-Spencer for my first novel, THE HUMMINGBIRD LADY. As a first-time novelist, I don’t think I could have finished my book without her. She offered expert guidance with regard to structure, character development, and point of view and her gift for language and craft saw me through to the end. Natalie’s positive approach to editing, her encouragement, and her expertise was invaluable. She was of enormous help in helping me to shape my query letter, knowing exactly how to best present my book, saving me much anguish and frustration. I wholeheartedly recommend Natalie as an editor as well as a source of inspiration for anyone in need of assistance with their writing.
Writing an 80,000 word novel is far easier than writing a great query letter and synopsis. Natalie Harris-Spencer is a patient teacher and guide. After just three rounds of edits, both the query letter and synopsis had improved dramatically, as had my understanding of how to write a winning opening hook. Natalie is a joy to work with.
It takes a powerful letter of introduction to gain an agent’s interest. I turned to Natalie Harris-Spencer for help with mine, and the results were better than I could have expected. Applying keen marketing expertise and solid industry knowledge, Natalie delivered a communication that strongly demonstrated my book’s greatest strengths. Just as important, she highlighted my book’s place in an opportune literary category. Free from stock phrases and clichéd accolades, Natalie’s approach is never canned or formulaic, but stems directly from her take on each individual writers’ project. Working with her is a complete pleasure.
Natalie Harris-Spencer was professional and kind and produced the high-quality edit and advice I needed on a query letter that was driving me crazy. I will keep working with her in future—so long as she is available. I highly recommend her services.
Working with Natalie Harris-Spencer on my query letter and synopsis was CRUCIAL. I felt a bit overwhelmed with the entire process and she was able to take my drafts of both documents and refactor them into clear, compelling, and exciting copy to send to literary agents. I’m definitely going back to Natalie for my future books!