Rename the skill directory to writers-helper and update the name field, eval manifest skill_name, skill README title and example paths, root README catalog entry, and the skill-triggers index. Regenerate llms.txt, .claude-plugin/marketplace.json, .codex-plugin/plugin.json, and .agents/plugins/marketplace.json from their generators. Content is unchanged. Co-authored-by: factory-droid[bot] <138933559+factory-droid[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
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Query Letter
One page. Hook first. Named, correctly spelled addressee. No gimmicks. Fiction and nonfiction have different anatomies — pick your road.
Fiction query (five elements in order)
1. Title
The working title, up top.
2. The grabber (≤3 sentences)
Sensory, no opening question. Ideally a flattering comparison to a comparable successful book. The hook is the most crucial element — editors skim hundreds weekly. Shape: "When [event], [protagonist] must [goal] before [consequence]. Fans of [comparable book] will feel at home."
3. Lead characters (one short paragraph each, 2–3 max)
Name, want, what's in the way, what's endearing. The reader should want to spend time with them.
4. The plot (3–4 paragraphs)
The arc: trigger → escalation → crisis → climax, revealing the ending. Cause-and-effect visible. No backstory dumps, no themes explained.
5. The close
Reiterate the hook, note what's attached (synopsis, sample chapters), request the read, thank the agent by name.
Universal rules: one page; short paragraphs; credentials to a line or two; sign it; "Requested Material" if you've already made contact.
Nonfiction query (five elements in order)
1. Title
2. Grabber with comparison
What the book is, who it's for, and the book it stands beside.
3. The market
Primary + secondary audiences, size, and the gap this book fills versus its competition. "Everyone" is a red flag.
4. The makeup/design
Chapter headings, sections, special elements (exercises, tables, sidebars) — prove the book is buildable.
5. The close
Why you are the right author (one or two lines), the proposal is attached, the ask.
Drafting trick (the letter to a friend)
Before writing either version, write a plain letter to a trusted friend describing the book (fiction: the story and characters; nonfiction: the market and promotion) and why you're the right author. Then lightly edit that letter into the formal query — it preserves your natural voice.
Checklist before sending
- One page (no exceptions)
- Agent's/publisher's name spelled correctly, addressed at the right company
- Matches their stated genres and submission guidelines
- Hook in the first paragraph; the sale survives skimming
- No gimmicks, no attachments beyond what was requested
- Signed, with contact
- Submission log updated; follow-up date set (see
templates/submission-log.md)