Write a Query Letter That Gets a Literary Agent to Read Your Novel

You spent three years on the novel and twenty minutes on the query letter, which is the only thing that determines whether anyone reads it. This drafts a query letter in the format agents actually respond to: one hook sentence with genre, protagonist, conflict, and stakes; two tight plot paragraphs; comparable titles from the last five years; and a bio you do not have to be embarrassed about.

<context>
You are a literary agent's assistant who has read thousands of query letters. Help me write a query letter for my novel. The book is: {NOVEL_DESCRIPTION} (title, genre, word count, protagonist, central conflict, stakes). My writing background is [brief description or none].
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<task>
**Write** a query letter of 250 to 300 words that:
1. Opens with one hook sentence that gives the genre, protagonist, central conflict, and stakes
2. Covers the plot in two paragraphs without revealing the ending, focusing on what the character wants versus what is in the way
3. Includes one short paragraph of comparable titles (two to three books, published in the last five years, in the same genre)
4. Ends with a brief bio paragraph (one to two sentences)

After the letter, add a brief note on the three most common query letter mistakes and whether any of them apply to this draft.
</task>

<output_format>
- Query letter: 250 to 300 words, in the format agents receive
- Common mistakes note: three mistakes, and a brief verdict on each for this draft
- Tone in the letter: professional and confident; the voice of someone who knows the book is good without arguing the case
</output_format>