The Query Letter

[cthood]

I have read a ton of articles, forums, and examples of the query letter, but I still find the entire thing a crazy mess.

Everyone says there is a formula that we should stick to, but every example I read has a different formula.

I've broken the letter down into a few key parts.

1. Intro - connection with agent
2. Manuscript - title, genre, word count
3. Elevator Pitch (this appears sometimes with #2)
4. Synopsis - 1 to 2 paragraphs
5. Bio - about author
6. Request to represent
7. Thank you, signature

Now, here's where I guess things differ from article to article. It doesn't really seem to matter what order these go in. I've seen some queries with the Manuscript information at the beginning, and some with the information at the end. I've seen some with a quick elevator pitch along with the synopsis, and others that don't. And I've seen some specifically ask for representation and others that don't, (assuming that this is the entire point of the query letter.)

I'm curious as to what everyone's opinions are on this? Could we sequence these sections in a specific order, or does it really matter?

Chris