How to Demonstrate Your Book's Selling Point in a Query when the Format Is so Brief and Competitive
- hbkiser
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
The key is to think of your unique selling point as a combination of familiar elements rather than trying to describe something completely original.
The oft-quoted "X meets Y" formula exists because it works. "Eurydice meets The Hunger Games" or "The Sopranos, but in space" immediately tells an agent where your book fits in the market while hinting at what's fresh. But use comparisons strategically.
They should be:
Recent enough that agents know them (last 3 years ideally)
Actually reflective of your book's tone and content
Not so obvious they've seen it a hundred times just this morning
Lead with your hook in the first sentence. Don't bury your unique angle. Your opening line should make the agent lean forward.
Compare:
"My book is about a girl who discovers she has magical powers."
"When a teen hacker accidentally uploads her consciousness into her school's AI system, she has 48 hours to get back to her body before it's declared brain-dead."
The second version immediately shows the concept, the stakes, the ticking clock, and the fresh twist on familiar territory.
Think of the logline in movies…that’s a useful structure that also applies here.
