Query Letter Feedback: The Algorithm

Sharing a first glimpse at the query letter for the YA dystopian WIP I'm working on

We have a query letter! And a new name for this newsletter! Introducing: Typewriters and Tiaras. Is it silly? Yes. Does it make me laugh? Also yes. I can’t say it’ll be a permanent name, but we’re going with it for now!

As the title on this email suggests, I’ve just finished writing the query letter for The Algorithm. This time, it was so much easier writing it than it was for Forged in Poison. Part of the reason is that I know what goes into a query letter now, but I also think with the topic being more timely and marketable that made it much easier to identify the important parts of the story to highlight in roughly 300 words.

I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions! Though it’s still early and I’ve only completed a first draft, I’m glad I have the query letter finished and out of the way!

Query Letter

Dear (Agent),

I am seeking representation for my near-future YA dystopian novel, THE ALGORITHM (##,### words) depicting the rigid conformity and totalitarianism of George Orwell’s 1984, a competition reinforcing a corrupt power structure as seen in The Hunger Games series, and inspired by the research and observations on our algorithm driven society and self-imposed surveillance state as detailed in the nonfiction book Filterworld.

17-year-old Miri has lost nearly everything—her father, her education, and the hope of saving her family from the vicious cycle of poverty. She lives in the Falls, where it’s impossible to escape a life of back-breaking work all so the elites of Edenton can thrive.

When Miri’s posts about life in the Falls go viral on the government’s approved social media platform, she earns a coveted spot in the Ministry of Media’s influencer competition. The prize? Lucrative brand deals, millions of followers, and a cash prize that could get her family to the safety of Edenton.

The odds are stacked against her. Miri doesn’t have the resources of her competitors, but she has grit, tenacity, and something worth fighting for.

Yet, as she succeeds in the competition, Miri realizes the Edenton portrayed online has a dark reality. Trapped between the government’s ruthless demands and her fans’ impossible expectations, rebellion stirs within her. Miri must choose—conform and lose herself, or take down the system she thought would save her.

By day I work in nonprofit public relations, and by night I’m a writer of power-girl princesses and warrior women. I hold a BA in journalism, have published several articles, and host a podcast. My goal is to spark a dialogue on the growing culture of conformity and to remind young readers of the gift of free will, the importance of creativity, and the power of choice.

Indie Bookshop:

Recommended reads from independent authors

Reply All: (a pen pals to friends to lovers workplace romance)
by Caroline Frank

Bridget Quinn owes a big thank you to whoever created the email “recall” function. Thanks to them, instead of ending her career, a wayward “reply all” lands her a secret confidant inside her fashion firm’s top client. The more she talks to Will, the more she finds herself falling head over heels. But when they go from an online friendship into an IRL hook up, she’s not sure she’s ready to risk the one person she has come to trust completely.

Bridget prides herself on always seeing the silver lining. But the more she talks to Will, the more he helps her realize that sometimes her “silver-lining” is really settling. To stand up for what she really wants she’ll need to go out on a limb: with Will and at work.
When reality hits, Bridget and Will have to decide…was it love at first email or will their relationship land in the spam folder?

What I’m Enjoying:

I just got back from a trip to the Universal theme parks, including the brand-new Epic Universe. Seeing Harry Potter world was a big bucket-list dream-come-true experience. I can’t believe how perfectly the world came to life. There was a magic moment on the first night while riding Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Kyle and I were seated in the first row and it was already dark out so the lights on the motorbike were extra bright and it gave the ride a more mysterious vibe as we dashed through the ruins and past all the creatures. If that wasn’t amazing enough, the fireworks show started while we were on the ride! I will be riding the high of that moment for a while, and it was such a special memory to share, especially since it was the first amusement park my husband and I have gone to together!

New Projects:

We are a little over two months out from the big move to Italy. A LOT is going to change, and I’ve already found myself journaling more to process all the feelings. I’m toying with the idea of starting another newsletter based on the move, my tips and tricks for moving (as someone who’s done this fourteen times already), travel highlights, and the highs and lows of living abroad. For the most part, this newsletter would be a way for me to document this time in my life and something to look back on, but I’m curious to see if any readers would be interested in something like this.

Freebies

As always, you can find my free query tracker spreadsheet for anyone entering the query trenches, along with my PR Guide for Writers on my website. Stay magical!