How important is length in a query?

[RG570]

I'm specifically talking about email queries, since my postage problems prevent me from sending many snail mail queries. I've been wrestling with length in my various versions, juggling snappiness and voice with clarity and length.

Some people say "a page", which could include some pretty long hooks, and then I read other sources that say you shouldn't do more than two paragraphs in an electronic query.

The longest version I have is 336 words. The shortest is 236.

The short one has the general idea of the story, and not much else. The longer one is more showy, but I don't want to kill my chances by using a long query if agents frown upon them.

I mean, does any of this matter? On one hand I want to think, hey, I've done the job in less words, so this one's better. But I think the long one is more interesting to read. I'm not sure where the priority should be in this case.

[RedScylla]

My feeling is that length is less of a concern in an e-mail query than in a snail mail query. In a printed letter, it's obvious if your hook is too long--the letter looks squeezed on the paper. In an e-mail, that's less glaring. If the longer hook is better, use the better one.

[maestrowork]

Does it hook the agent? That's the only question you need to ask, when e-Mail query is concerned.

[callalily61]

I formatted my query to be one page, snail-mail. Then I just used the same query for email.

[Garpy]

The shorter the better.

After opening with 'Dear Agent name', your very next sentence has to be your knock out blow. A what if....blah blah blah, or a really cool tagline. (You could probably consider this one sentence to be the most important you will ever write.)

Then hit 'em with 2-3 paragraphs that tell them who the protag is, the dilemma, the setting and a hint of how it all resolves.

Keep it short, snappy and clear.

[Prawn]

Save the details for the synopsis. Your query should have a paragraph about your book, with a big hook. Think of this paragraph as what you'd read on the back of your book once its published to get people to buy it.

[Saundra Julian]

One page is standard.

[CaroGirl]

It's a skill to say a lot with few words. A short, snappy query with a great hook and interesting voice shows that you can write well and provides the perfect reason to for the agent to request material. Do more with less and keep it to one page.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I formatted my query to be one page, snail-mail. Then I just used the same query for email.

This is what I do, too.

I think length would be even more important in an email because reading on-screen causes eyestrain much quicker than in a letter.