Confused about the order of things

by Uchiha Sasuke


Question: I am young, and I finished my manuscript, and I'm about to give it to my sister, who is an excellent writer, to edit. While she is doing that I am planning to make a list of agents, learn more about the industry, and start drafting some query letters.


I am confused about whether I am supposed to get professional edits by a "freelance" (I think that's what its called) editor before I query to agents. Or will the agent help me find an editor, or will it get edited after it gets accepted by a publishing house?
Thank you so much!

Answer: In the traditional publishing system, an agent will submit your manuscript to acquisition editors at various publishing houses in order to sell it for you. After you have a contract, the publisher will assign you one of its editors to work with you to prepare the manuscript for publication.

This system is still in place. However, in recent years it has become much harder to sell a manuscript to a publisher. Publishers are buying fewer books and their acquisition staff are under pressure to buy only books with a strong potential for becoming best sellers, and to accept manuscripts that need almost no editing.

At the same time, there are more emerging writers than ever trying to break into the business.

All this pressure has caused some aspiring writers to hire freelance editors to pre-edit manuscripts before they start submitting them to publishers, in order to improve their chances.

Also, many new writers choose to self-publish rather than go the traditional route (because it seems easier, though it is more costly and the odds of success are lower). Self-publishers also hire freelance editors to help them prepare their books for publication.

Here are my thoughts on your situation...

1. Never pay an agent to have your book edited. In fact, never pay an agent at all. A proper agent makes his/her money by selling your book on your behalf. They take 10-20% of the royalties as their reward and send the rest to you. An agent who makes money by charging writers for services is probably not a
good agent.

2. While you could hire a freelance editor to help you prepare your manuscript, it may not be necessary. Sometimes no amount of pre-editing will save a bad book, and a great book will not benefit as much from pre-editing. Be aware that an editing service will cost you a fair chunk of money (sometimes several thousand dollars). (Tip: the most important chapters to polish are the first two or three, so you could just hire a editor to help you with those.) If you do hire an editor, check their credentials carefully before hiring them. Find out what published books they have edited before. Also, you should know what you are getting (substantive editing vs. line editing vs. proofreading).

3. In fact, you should check out all agents and editors on Preditors & Editors (www.pred-ed.com)* before you approach them. This site will tell you which ones are not reputable and should be avoided.

4. Before you hire an editor, you might consider joining a writers group (which often costs nothing) where people read and critique each other's manuscripts. Or you could approach local professional writers and ask if they would be willing to read your book and give their opinion. See if your local college or library has a "Writer-in-residence" whose job often includes giving feedback to aspiring writers. Getting some knowledgeable, objective, and free feedback is a good idea before you start spending money.

5. One advantage to being 13 is that sometimes people will be more generous with their time. Also, if your work is good, then being young is a selling point.

6. While you could be one of those lucky few who experience success right away, most writers need to develop a thick skin and dogged determination. Rejection is frequent and criticism can be harsh. You have to be willing to keep learning, keep improving, keep revising, keep writing new stories, and keep trying, even if it takes you a decade or more. And never get disheartened.

Best of luck.

* Note: as of this writing, Preditors and Editors has been offline for some time. The plan is to resurrect it eventually in some form. Fingers crossed.

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Editing before querying
by: Uchiha Sasuke

So is it reasonable to hire a freelance editor or similar before Querying to agents? Or do agents not like people who get their work professionally edited before querying?
Response
by: Glen

I doubt an agent will object to being shown a better manuscript. (Not that there's any need to tell them you've done some work with an editor.) Most writers will revise a manuscript many times before they start querying agents. You want to feel the book is the best it can be before you query, because that increases your chances.

However, there is no requirement to hire an editor. Most of the time, writers revise on their own or with the help of a critique partner or critique group. (You might want to pick up a copy of "Self-editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Browne and Dave King.) Learning how to revise your own work can benefit you as writer in a number of ways.

I can't tell you whether you should hire an editor. It's your choice. But you may want to explore other free avenues before you go this route. At the very least, you want to know that your current draft shows enough promise to justify the expense. It's hard to be objective about your own work, which is why I suggest you get some objective, expert opinions first.

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When to get an agent

Question: I thought that you got an agent and then they helped you get a publisher but someone told me you usually get a publisher and then after you get your first book published you get an agent. Which one is right or are they both right and it just depends on you? Also when you're ready for an agent how do you find one? Do you just google agents for books? I did that once and one of the websites took me to a lot of agents and the genre they represent but I wasn't sure how real that was. Is there a website or something you go to that has a list of agents to choose from?

Answer: I suspect what your friend meant was that it is easier to get an agent if you have already had one book published and it sold well. That is true. However, it is certainly possible to get an agent for your first book, especially if it has commercial potential or you have a platform. The odds of finding an agent quickly are seldom in anyone's favour (unless you are already famous for something), but it also helps if...

1) You have a great book.
2) You have a great book in a niche that publishers are currently looking for.
3) You target agents who are interested in your genre.
4) You are persistent and just accept that you will probably hear "no" many times before you hear "yes."
5) You follow each agent's submission guidelines.
6) You write a great query letter.
7) You go to conferences where you have the chance to pitch to agents in person.
8) Luck is on your side.

Some sites that list agents, their interests, and their submission guidelines are AgentQuery, Publisher's Market, and Preditors & Editors. Google them.

The last is particularly useful because it tells you which agents are less reputable, so you can steer clear of them.

You can also approach publishers directly. Again, follow each publisher's submission guidelines and target those who publish your genre. However, publishers can take many months to read a submission from an unagented, unpublished writer. Also, some of the big ones won't look at unsolicited manuscripts at all. Smaller publishers may be more open.

Either way, before you start querying agents or publishers, make sure your novel is finished and as good as you can make it.

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Publisher Preferences

by Kathi
(California)

Question: I've heard that publishers are unlikely to consider a single book (novel), or are more likely to consider one if it is the first in a series of three or more. Is that true? Thank you.

Answer: If a book sells well, publishers will want to issue sequels. They know those books will also sell well (since demand is already established). This is particularly true in popular genres such as YA, fantasy, or SF.

At the same time, plenty of standalone novels are published as well. In some genres, such as literary fiction, single titles are the norm.

Here's my take on this issue.

Your priority is to write an outstanding first book, because that's always what publishers want.

If a publisher agrees that your book is outstanding and wants to publish it, and if it is the kind of story that lends itself to sequels, the publisher may ask you if you have any ideas for possible sequels. If you have some good ideas ready, that counts in your favour.

If your first book sells well, the publisher may then offer you a multi-book contract to make a complete series.

On the other hand, if the publisher doesn't think your first book is brilliant, they won't care whether you have ideas for sequels. They'll simply pass on it.

Think of it like going on a first date. If the date goes badly, mentioning that you're looking for a long-term relationship will not save the situation. On the other hand, if the date goes great, your desire for a long-term relationship could be a plus.

So what you should do is make that first book great and, if it makes sense, have a few ideas for what a series would look like. Maybe do a brief plot outline for the arc of the series as a whole. But don't go to all the effort of completing additional manuscripts for sequels until you have sold the first book. If the first book doesn't sell, you will have wasted time and effort that could have been spent on a different project.

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Re: Publisher Preferences
by: Todd Rogers

There is another school of thought, a different approach (if you will) that you can take that might be a better path if money is not your primary motivator in getting published.

To some, just being published is enough because the author knows that where a great story lives, the money will eventually follow, the book's primary distribution vehicle notwithstanding.

And that vehicle to which I am referring is Electronic Self Publishing!

It's exposure for current and future projects, it's keyword term laden for website and search engine optimization, and probably most importantly, it's a retainer of creative, artistic and business control for the author, which can be a very good thing if done right.

One of the most important things to note about self publishing is that there are many many different avenues by which you can accomplish it.

+ Direct Electronic Distribution via a website or landing page with email opt-in, and user account creation that the author creates and then hosts.

+ Publish via Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing or Apple's iBook platform giving you an ultimate reach of up to over 650 MILLION Credit/Debit Card On File accounts worldwide ready to find and purchase your book (either platform would invariably require that you give them exclusive distribution rights for your story in exchange for allowing you to set price and how much you want to get paid, which can be as high as 70% of the book's sale price and paid monthly to your bank account of choice).

+ Direct Self-Print Publishing via advertising in traditional electronic and print media from newspapers to magazines whereby online orders result in using a print on demand service like CreateSpace to print books as they're sold and shipped via USPS, UPS, FedEx or any other carrier depending on where in the world the book is going.

A case study done by a business associate of mine, Ryan Deiss, owner of DigitalMarketer, Inc. in 2012, revealed that in order to get a royalty of just $1, your traditional publishing house distributed book would need to be hardback and priced at around $19-$23 to recoup the money spent on title creation, cover art, editing and initial distribution, which would include any advance check you were paid.

Now, hopefully you'll see why you are given an advance (in most cases anyway).

To get $1 in royalty from electronic self publishing, you only need to charge $1.70, and most stories go for between $0.99 - $9.99 per copy.

The average Star Trek book, for instance, sells for $7.95.

Can you just imagine charging $7.95 and getting a 70% royalty of $5.57?

Just...let that sink in for a bit. :)
To Todd:
by: Glen

Self-publishing has always been an option, since it's relatively easy (though producing a professional book will cost money).

The challenge is always in the marketing and distribution, because of which less than 10% of self-publishers, electronic or otherwise, break even, let alone turn a profit.

Most traditionally published books lose money too -- despite a clear advantage in marketing and distribution -- but at least the author gets an advance, so you won't lose money.

If you can accept losing money just to get your work out there, or if you know you can reach 10s of 1,000s of people willing to buy your book, self-publishing is an option. But most of the time, self-publishing is sold to aspiring authors by companies who want to make money from writers, not from selling books.
Publisher Preferences
by: Kathi

Thank you very much, Glen! This is great information, even more than I had asked. You are very generous to share your knowledge and experience with aspiring writers. Your website is a wonderful resource for us.

It's still hard to decide whether to end my first novel with a firm finale or a cliff-hanger situation, but it's nice to know I have a choice. Thank you again for your guidance!

Kathi
Re: Hard Finale or Cliff Hanger/Publishing Preferences et al.
by: Todd Rogers

I think there is a way you can be certain of which type of ending you should go for.

In my humble opinion, a hard finale would be appropriate if your wish is to wrap up all loose ends and complete all story and character arcs by the final period in the final paragraph of the book.

This could be the case when you, as the author, are unsure if there will be any further books yet you want the book to "stand on its own two feet", so to speak.

A Cliffhanger would be appropriate if your aim is to definitely and unequivocally communicate to the reader that more is coming from you on this particular story.

Usually in such a case, after that final period, there is a blurb about the next book title and that blurb acts as the cliffhanger when you've done a hard finale, which is an alternative option you could take.

To answer Glen on the Publishing Preferences question you originally posted, I think you might have misunderstood my motive for writing that reply.

Of course the aim for writing a book is to make money. But money should never be the first motivator to getting your story out there.

Exposure should be, however. The money simply follows when you use a system like Apple's iBook or Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platforms to put your stories out there in the absence of a website to promote and fulfill purchase and delivery of your book to the devices people will read your story on.

The electronic publishing route is very very promising when you want to guarantee publication, your subsequent or future works evolving based on customer reviews and testimonials, which can be very helpful to you as the author as to what happens next or if there is to be a next.

When you go the traditional route of publishing through a publishing house, there is an entire process you have to go through just to be taken seriously.

You need an agent, that person with the connections to get your story in front of the movers and shakers within the publishing realm, and he takes a cut of your profits, if any, which includes any royalty or advance checks.

You need to submit your monthly budget to the publishing house and give an estimate on how long it will take you to get your story written, or they will just tell you when you need to get chapters submitted, which might mean long hours which could affect the overall quality of your work.

My aim is not to knock or disparage the traditional publishing route, just to give you an alternative to getting your story out there, and to give you a bit of flexibility whereby you can set the price for your story, and perhaps give you an idea on how to serialize your works over a three, four or five book series in addition to your one book stand alone epics.

In closing, if you charge $7.99 for your title, and you've asked Amazon to be your distributor (which the Kindle Direct Publishing Platform only asks for exclusivity in promoting your title for giving you the flexibility of pricing and guarantee of publishing), you can get as much as 70%, or $5.59 per title sold which is direct deposited twice monthly into the bank account of your choosing.

The costs associated with cover creation, title creation and such can be accomplished cheaply through many online methods like Guru.com.

This is just to open your eyes to what is out there so you can make the most informed choices as to where you want to go with your writing career.
To Kathi
by: Glen

There is a middle ground between ending with a cliff hanger and a firm finale (such as the main character dying).

Most readers appreciate when a novel has a proper resolution of the plot. Genuine cliff hangers can be dissatisfying and frustrating, especially when there is no guarantee the sequel will ever be published.

On the other hand, a novel can have a complete and satisfying plot in itself and at the same time be the setup for a much larger series arc. Sometimes the series setup is a subplot in the novel. On other occasions, the resolution can be satisfying and yet leave the characters in a place where they are ready to head in a new direction.
To Todd
by: Glen

I feel obliged to the many aspiring writers out there to make clear that self-publishing most often brings neither profit nor exposure. Profit and exposure both result from the same thing: a successful marketing strategy (which may begin with a large platform) and a great book.

Most self-publishers, even those with good books, lose money and do not achieve exposure. Simply listing a book on amazon is no guarantee that readers will ever find it. Even those who start with a great book need a way to reach thousands of prospective readers. Traditional publishers have many advantages when it comes to attracting readers, including ...

* Getting books into stores and libraries (which are still the places most people find new books).
* Getting books reviewed by major reviewers and journals.
* Getting into major award contests.
* Qualifying an author for grants, speaking tours, membership in professional organizations, etc.
* An existing platform (in the form of brand recognition).

For this reason, higher profit margins usually do not translate into profits for self-publishers.

If a writer has a large platform already or is a whiz at marketing (which most aren't), self-publishing can work. However, even the few successful self-publishers often switch to traditional publishing because of its advantages.
To Glen:
by: Todd Rogers

Of course, you're 100% correct in your opinion on the self publishing model.

I was simply coming from an alternative point of view where awards, being put in a library, or other such considerations are secondary to getting your book exposure.

The fact that today, it is so hard to get a book accepted by a publisher (even a good story) because they look at your book for box office or television potential in addition to a myriad other considerations, self publishing can be a way for you to get your first titles out there.

You're quite correct (obviously) that self-published authors often do end up going the traditional route, however, they go self publishing first because sites like Amazon have their Kindle Direct Publishing platform whereby your book is disseminated to the new authors section and its given exposure even though you can help it along with a well designed cover.

It's not that I will ever say eschew the traditional process, but if one side is failing, it couldn't hurt to use the other.
To Todd
by: Glen

I admit that self-publishing can work for some writers (though it's a tiny percentage).

If you're publishing for exposure, you have to consider how much exposure you're really getting for the cost. Also, not all exposure is good. If you sell less than 200 copies through bookstores, that may be taken as evidence that your writing is poor quality -- which can count against you if you later seek a traditional publisher.

Aspiring writers must be also cautious about companies that make money selling over-priced self-publishing services. Some companies offer marketing services that cost more than a new car and in 99% of cases deliver meager results.

The most legitimate form of self-publishing is to form your own publishing house as a small business. Many couples do this in cases where one is a writer and the other an entrepreneur.

This route offers tax benefits (because business expenses and losses are deductible). In some countries, publishers are eligible to receive government grants. It is also easier to get distribution, reviews, etc. if you have your own imprint.

Of course, it's also a lot of work and it can be expensive to hire editors, designers, marketers, sales staff, etc. (but less expensive than working with a self-publishing company). If you acquire the skills and knowledge to do much of the work yourself, and you enjoy the work, you are more likely to achieve gratification and profit. In time, you might publish other writers' works as well and so develop a second career in publishing.
Good Grief!
by: Kathi

Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing this polite debate about publishing. This decision is more difficult than writing the (nearly finished) novel!

I AM an experienced marketing specialist and publicist in my day job, so I know a bit about it, including the high cost of effective marketing. Unfortunately, I'm not Mrs. Got-Bucks.

My original plan WAS to write a screenplay. (I used to work in TV production.) A friend who's a TV writer recommended the book format first, since it's much harder to sell a screenplay or TV pilot than a manuscript, and one can self-publish after being rejected by the publishing firms. Then, if the book sells decently, a studio or production company would be more likely to look at a screenplay based on the book. I wonder if knowing that would make them more open to at least reading the darned thing.

That begs the question: How does one acquire a literary agent for the first time, just to get something into a publisher's office?

Again, thank you so much for all your advice!
To Kathi
by: Glen

Re: finding an agent

You might start with this article...

https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/getting-published.html

... which covers the basics of the traditional route to getting an agent and getting published. Some of the links in this article are also great sources of additional information.
Re: Publisher Prefereces
by: Todd Rogers

You are most welcome, Kathy!

And I would go so far as to say that of course the debate would be polite, as there is no reason to get catty or to get mean spirited when we're all here to lend a hand to our peers and (perhaps) learn a few things in the process! :)

The basis of my comments and my beliefs in this subject matter of self publishing stem from coming to learn a few things through the self publishing model that actually makes it easier rather than harder to get published than what was previously thought possible or believed.

The old way is going away in that those that have read so many manuscript submissions as to get overly finicky when something breathtakingly new and fresh hits their desks, are being replaced by those that publish more on how the book is packaged rather than merely the words contained in its pages.

I have come to start reading M/M (that is gay male) Romance novels, and I came across the genre through Amazon Recommends function of the book buying process.

I wouldn't ever have started reading them if I hadn't been first intrigued by the cover art and then the story synopses written likely by the author themselves.

Then, when I started reading the actual story, come to find that while it wasn't perfectly written (some inconsistencies were found that might have caught by those editors working in traditional publishing), the story was good and it flowed nicely and by its end was judged as being as good an attempt as anyone could expect from an starting author.

A literary agent might be a great way to negotiate both writing universes (digital and real world), so I hope you report your experiences with such a person if you find one!
More on self-publishing
by: Glen

I'm starting to wish we moved this discussion on self-publishing to it's own page.

However, I would point out that self-publishing isn't a "new" thing. It has a long history, and many great books have been self-published.

One difference today is that it's harder for a first-time author to distinguish between legitimate self-publishing and newer forms of vanity publishing.

Consider the example of author Virginia Woolf who, with her husband, founded Hogarth Press, a legitimate firm that published the books of Woolf and many other distinguished authors in time. That is true, professional self-publishing. Many writers today still go this route. Of course, you have to know how to produce and market a quality product, and invest your budget wisely where it counts -- just like any business.

At the other end of the scale you have companies that try to look like traditional publishers -- except they publish anything, regardless of quality, charge authors big fees to publish their book, and then try to sell hugely expensive marketing services (based not on what is appropriate for a particular book, but on how much money the writer is willing to pay) so that 99.9% of authors have very little chance of breaking even, let alone turning a profit. Some of these try to convince writers that a "new model" of publishing will be more profitable than traditional (which it usually isn't).

The worst of these, I suspect, are simply taking advantage of people with a lot of money to waste and ego to stroke, just like the old vanity publishers. Worse, there are many doors closed to writers who go this route.

In between is a huge grey area with a variety of models, including companies that make ebook publishing inexpensive (but won't help you make sales), crowdfunding, co-publishing arrangements (some legitimate, some not), independent publicists, freelance editors and designers, agent-publishers, online slushpiles, etc.

If you're going to enter this grey area, you have to do your research to make sure you're getting value for your investment. Make sure you have a quality product to offer (bearing in mind that you are seldom the best judge of this), and that you know how to market it.
Re: Publisher Preferences
by: Todd Rogers

See, THIS is why I LOVE this website!

I couldn't agree with you more, Glen!

It is often said that we are our own worst critics, but in the Court of Public Opinion, the People are the true judge.

This is why we have our music stars coming from the likes of YouTube and Reality Competition Shows on TV like "Your Country's" Got Talent, X Factor and The Voice.

The people judge what they wish to consume.

When applied to the publishing world, this could work wonders for new authors who want to add their stories to the Literary Lexicon, but there is also a bad side and you make a very .. dare I say it, "Fair and Balanced" argument.

The trouble with self publishing could muddle its blessings, so thank you for calling a spade a spade.

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Pre-publishing a novel online

by Hana
(Canada)

Question: I'm considering pre-publishine a novel online in a serialized format on a quick and free publishing site for original fiction (i.e. Wattpad, Booksie, Fictionpress, etc.).

However, my mid-term goal would be to publish said story, and I believe that these sites would help me: a) analyze whether there's a market for the story (i.e. reader demand for updates); b) finish the story (motivation), and c) continually edit and implement balanced plot structure via direct interaction with readers.

So, is this shameful?

As in I don't want to offer a story for free, and then yank that opportunity away from readers.

I am even thinking that I can reconcile my dilemma by putting up a few chapters to determine whether I want to continue to complete it through these above sites, or whether I'll leave that part up as a marketing tool and self-publish, or take the chapters down and query agents.

On another note, a great example of this type of marketing would be how publishers sometimes release longer excerpts of stories (from both established authors with established stories or new stories, and from debut authors with new stories or a new story in a new field).

For instance, I just finished reading Laini Taylor's free 7-chapter excerpt of her upcoming release "Days of Blood and Starlight" (a "gift" from her publisher). And I recall reading the first 100 pages of (then first time author) Veronica Roth's Divergent, her 2011 debut novel (which I believe is still available through her blog). And of course, there's E.L. James--the difference being her work was completed originally as fan fiction--and her lucrative Fifty Shades Trilogy (which I have as the original fan fiction in .pdf format).

But that didn't stop me from comparing James' now-published, now-original novels with her then-published, then-fan fiction version and realizing that the two stories are virtually identical (which has been felt by some readers to be a little miserly on the author's part when sometimes only the names of the hero and heroine have been altered). For this comparison, check out Jane Little's DearAuthour blog: http://dearauthor.com/features/industry-news/master-of-the-universe-versus-fifty-shades-by-e-l-james-comparison/

I know it seems I'm ranting while trying to rationalize my happiness, but I want the facts (as they stand currently) to be laid out there before I get answer(s).

BTW, thank you again for that fast reply to my question yesterday!

It was a pleasant surprise to wake up at 1:30 this morning--tired as I was--only to see that my question had already been answered! (less than 24 hours! As a matter of fact, less than 12 hours! 8D)

It definitely eases up one of the many problems I have as I'm pushing through the plotting stage.

Answer: A lot of budding writers are using this type of online self-publishing or pre-publishing for the same reasons you describe.

Part of the motivation is also the fact that it's extremely difficult to get a publishing contract. Even if you have a great book, it can seem like the odds are against you. Publishers seem to want little besides guaranteed bestsellers. Getting some positive feedback can help you maintain your perseverance. Or, if you have a bad book, it can save you much wasted time trying to sell it.

As with the examples you give, in some cases (admittedly rare) pre-publishing can lead to a publishing contract. The publisher assumes that the new edition will be sold to readers who haven't seen the original, and most of the time that is true.

What's more, you can the pre-publishing as a way to get feedback from readers about your book. This may lead to a revised and improved second edition which will be the one you offer publishers.

Of course, if you do sell the book to a publisher, they want you to take the original version offline because it would compete with the new one.

There's nothing unfair about this. It's like giving away a free one-month membership to a gym in hopes that satisfied customers will then pay to continue their membership. Sure, some people may be annoyed at having to pay, but they have no real grounds.

From the publisher's point of view, if your book attracts a lot of praise and readers online - or if it makes a lot of money - it can signal that your book is worth moving to the top of the slushpile.

I suspect these sites are going to become training grounds for a lot of future professional writers.

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Feeling better...
by: Hana

Thanks for the reply, Glen!

I'm already feeling better, and it's made my resolve to pre-publish stronger. =)

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Who should read my book?

by Marissa
(Ohio)

Question After I finish my book should I have some of my friends and family read it before I send it to an agent or publisher so I know if it's good or not? 0r should I just send it to an agent or publisher? or does it not really matter?

Answer: Before you send a query letter to an agent or publisher, you want to know your manuscript is the best it can be, because that will improve your chances of making a sale.

Sometimes, we are so close to our work that we don't recognize if something isn't working. With that in mind, it can help to get some feedback from other people who approach it from a different perspective.

Bear in mind, you have to take feedback differently according to who is giving it. Family and friends might be overly kind in some ways. On the other hand, they may not be the ideal audience for your story. And they may not have a lot of expertise in writing.

If they generally like books in your genre and can be honest, they can be a good source of feedback. However, what you want to pay attention to is not what they say about the book as much as how emotionally engaged with the book they become. More engagement is better.

If they don't show much enthusiasm or emotional response, that can be a bad sign. But you must use your judgement. Sometimes people you know can be jealous or surprised by what you write and that can make them less appear less responsive (for instance, you write a steamy sex scene that turns them on, but they don't want to admit it and they can't believe such graphic thoughts came out of your innocent head because they always thought they were more worldly than you).

Also, average readers can usually tell you what they liked about the book, or what parts bored them. But they aren't often good at telling you how to fix problems (even if they think they are). You have to figure out how to improve the story on your own.

An alternative is to show your book to people who have more expertise, such as other writers you know. Sometimes you can get free inexpensive critiques from pros, but you have to hunt around. Conferences, for example, often offer such opportunities. (You can also pay a lot of money for critiques, so be careful.)

A lot of writers find it beneficial to join a writers' critique group where everyone critiques each other's work. Even then, you have to use your own judgment regarding the feedback you get. Some groups are better than others.

At the very least, it can be quite helpful to have a friend who is good at grammar and punctuation proofread your work before you submit it. A fresh set of eyes can often spot simple errors that you don't (because we tend to gloss over our own work).

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How to find an agent?

by Selina
(Menominee, MI)

Question: I never have a problem writing, I do get occasional writers block but I'm not sure where to even start to find someone to read my book. Where should I look?

Answer: Before you look for an agent, you might consider joining a writers group, going to a conference, approaching a local writer-in-residence, or taking a course. The purpose would be to get some feedback on your writing.

Before you start approaching agents, you want to make sure what you have to offer is a fully-polished and professional quality work.

Once you are confident you have a book that is as good as you can make it, you can start researching agents. Good places to start are website such as...

AgentQuery
Preditors & Editors
Publisher's Marketplace

It can also be valuable to go to a writing conference where agents and editors are guest speakers/workshop leaders.

You want to look for agents who are interested in the type of book you have to offer. Don't just submit to any and all agents.

Each agent will post their submission guidelines on their website, which tell you what they are looking for and how you should approach them. Follow these guidelines.

You will likely need to send a query letter to each of the agents you have identified.

I've explained the process in more detail here...

https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/getting-published.html

Be patient. It can take some time to find the right person for you and your project.

Best of luck.

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Getting a Contract with an Editor

How long does it take on average between sending a query to agents and getting a contract with an editor?

Also, how many agents is it advisable to send a query too at one time.

Thank you!

Answer: That's really difficult to say. The first step is getting a contract with an agent. For some people, it happens quickly. For others it can take many months (if it happens at all).

You have to consider that agents get thousands of queries each year. A good agent will spend most of their time working on behalf of their existing clients, so reading queries or slush (submissions) is something they do in their spare time only.

There are some factors you can influence to your advantage - such as targeting agents interested in your genre, following submission guidelines, and writing a good query letter. But luck also plays a big role. So does the quality of your writing (especially after you have send in a manuscript).

Once you have a contract with an agent, the amount of time it takes for the agent to sell your book to a publisher depends on the agent's skills and the relationships they have in the industry. There are no guarantees.

Keep in mind that authors such as Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and J.R.R. Tolkein had their first books rejected numerous times before being sold. That's where luck and perseverance come in. The process can literally take years in some cases. Weeks in others. It is certain that some fantastic books don't get published because the authors give up after a few dozen rejections. It's also certain that many bad books get submitted dozens of times because their authors believe in them. For every bad book that gets published there is probably a good book that gets sent to the writer's attic.

I don't know if I am inspiring or disheartening you, but that's the crazy nature of this business. There is no definitive answer to your question. You have to decide how much you believe in your book - based on objective evidence from other people as well as your own assessment. Then see if you have the stamina to take dozens of rejections and still be willing to keep querying and submitting.

You have to decide when to quit, and you have to make sure you don't quit too soon.

Of course, there's always a slim chance you'll be one of the lucky one's who sells to the first agent you query. But don't count on it.

Seriously. Don't.

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Keeping motivated to write

by Mina Bancheva
(Bath, UK)

My questions is about keeping motivated to write. I completed an MA in Creative Writing with distinction last October and had excellent feedback from my tutors. As part of the course we put together an anthology consisting of all the students contributions( 2000 words each) and this was officially launched a couple of weeks ago and was attended by a number of agents.

Contrary to my (and everybody's) expectations, there was't much interest in my contribution while many others were approached by agents.

My book is set during the Cold War and is the story of a young Bulgarian woman who is asked to spy on her British husband by the Bulgarian Secret Service. It deals with the impact this has on her marriage and her relationships with her daughter and her family. My tutors thought there would be a lot of interest in the topic but that hasn't been the case and the experience has left me disheartened and demotivated. I have one more chapter to finishing my manuscript and my heart just isn't in it any more.

Your comments would be much appreciated!

Mina Bancheva

P.S. I find your website and your answer to my previous question very helpful so I am writing again.

Answer: First, congratulations on finishing your MA! That is quite an accomplishment.

Next, I wish I could say that this one event doesn't matter in a way that you would believe it wholeheartedly, but I know that would be asking a lot. Nonetheless, there are many good reasons why you should simply shrug it off, finish the book, and go query some other agents or publishers. Here are a few...

1. They may simply not have been the right agents for your book. Every agent has her own interests, contacts, and expertise. They feel confident about their judgment and ability to sell in certain genres and not others, so they will not represent books outside their area. This is no reflection on your writing.

Most good agents have more manuscripts sent to them than they have time to read, so for them to take the time to go to this event might mean they were looking for a particular type of manuscript to fill a niche demand. Quality may not have been the only criteria.

2. Timing/Luck. Sometimes you may be lucky enough to have written the kind of book publishers are buying right now (which may barely be on shelves yet), but other times you are not. Books in a hot genre are much easier to sell, regardless of quality. Great books in an unpopular or saturated market may not sell (or perhaps not until the market cools).

Similarly, sometimes an agent is currently flogging a book similar to yours and feels they can't represent both out of fairness. They may not tell you this. Again, it's a matter of luck and timing and is no reflection on your writing.

3. Rejection is normal. Okay, there are a few people who sell their first book on their first try and we all hate them for it, just like we hate lottery winners. But the truth is that they are a tiny, tiny minority. Most writers collect stacks of rejection slips (or emails) throughout their career. JK Rowling, Stephen King, and JRR Tolkein (to name just a few) had their first books rejected many times and went on to sell millions of copies.

Sometimes rejection is the fault of the writing, but often it simply reflects the difficulty of finding the right agent or publisher for your book at the right time. You have to learn to be thick-skinned and not take rejection personally. The fact that your tutors think your writing is good shows that you may just have to put some effort into finding the right agent/publisher on your own.

4. Ask yourself why you are pursuing a writing career? Is it because you wanted instant fame and fortune (in which case, the odds are stacked heavily against you) or is it because you love writing? If you love writing, try not to spoil your fun by making external validation the be all and end all. Make the writing itself the rewarding part and treat the business end as a necessary evil--something you do so that one day you'll be able to spend more hours writing (because your writing will pay some bills).

At the same time, there's nothing wrong with getting other forms of external validation. Do readings. Share bits of your work online or with friends. Ask other writers to give you critiques.

Most of all, once you have finished the manuscript and made the final draft as good as you can, start sending out queries to agents and publishers who specialize in your type of book.

I recommend doing multiple simultaneous submissions. If the right agent is number twenty on your list, you don't want the first nineteen rejections to discourage you.

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Re: Keeping motivated to write
by: Todd Rogers

I am so very motivated and inspired just by reading you got your MA in Creative Writing!

Well done!

I agree with Glen here (well, like I almost always do!).

Just because you got a rejection does NOT mean that your writing is crap or that the story is crap, or that it can never be published.

I have often been a pro-self publishing voice here on "How To Write A Book Now", and I believe the system has its merits.

But in answering the basic questions as to why you want to write in the first place, let the joy it gives you fill you up inside and don't care about what the naysayers blather on about.

Just focus on getting that story out. The world needs perspective, and your book might be the next Schindler's List, or might stand on its own as the next great story the world must know about.

J.K. Rowling had her manuscript for "The Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone" rejected by SEVEN MAJOR PUBLISHING HOUSES before someone finally decided to give it a chance!

They called the material too dark for children, the book too long to keep their attention, and they said it would never sell.....

540 MILLION COPIES, 8 movies, a website called Pottermore, a theme park attraction and ride later....

I think you can safely say, "What the HELL do those crumudgeons know?"

Write your book.

Tell your story.

Never back down.

EVER.
thank you
by: Mina Bancheva

Thank you, Glen for your encouragement and advice, much appreciated!

Thank you Todd for your encouraging words too, this means a lot to me!

Mina

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Proposal submission

by Vijay K Kerji
(India)

Question: I thank you for your time to read and answer the questions.

I have submitted my proposal(synopsis, initial chapters) to a few agents and publishers. A few publishers have responded and some of them haven't replied even after six weeks. Their website doesn't mention any time frame either.

1. Should I send my complete manuscript to those who have rejected my proposal for reconsideration?

2. Is it all right if I remind those who haven't replied yet? And what is the average time frame I need to wait before asking the agents?

Any informative guidelines on the this matter is really appreciated.

Answer: Hi Vijay,

The standard practice is... if someone has rejected your proposal, don't approach them again with the same work. You only get one chance. (The exception is if they specifically say they will look at it again after you make certain changes, but that's rare.)

For that matter, if you query one agent at an agency and they reject, don't then query another agent at the same agency.

I know some publishers can take up to six months to reply to an unsolicited manuscript submission. Agents are usually faster regarding queries, but it all depends on the agent and their current workload.

If an agent requests a full manuscript, it may be polite to let the others know who haven't got back to you, but I wouldn't hound them too much.

Of course, there are people who break such guidelines out of desperation, but if you make a habit of it, you won't endear yourself to those in the industry.

Querying is a frustrating process that tests every writer's resolve, especially since luck and timing seem to play as big a role as quality of writing.

If you have received good feedback on your book from people you trust, all you can do is be patient and persistent.

Best of luck.

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Protecting Rights
by: Kenny Ray

I am researching material for a book on local history. I have a local publisher in mind. My topic has not been written about in depth, the only things written about it are a number of unpublished articles. Among historians that is a big deal. My concern is if I put 'feelers' out there, i.e. anything other than a complete manuscript, I am afraid of someone else seeing that and jumping on it. Any thoughts on how I can protect my ideas before writing them?

Thanks
to Kenny Ray
by: Glen

You must realize that ideas cannot be copyrighted, only the actual expression of the ideas (i.e. the manuscript itself).

That said, what a publisher is buying is a combination of the research that only you have done, your unique interpretation of the evidence, and your ability to express that interpretation in an appealing way.

Even if someone were to read your proposal and decide they wanted to steal your ideas, they would still have to do all the research and the work of creating a manuscript. That's a lot of effort to create something that, for all they know, might not even sell.

Besides, anyone who wants to write books and has the talent has enough of their own ideas of topics to write about.

In short, you don't have anything to worry about.

Yes, you could go to the trouble of finishing your manuscript and then registering it with the US copyright office for a fee, but this is usually a waste of time and money.

(In nonfiction, one usually gets a contract from a publisher based on a proposal and sample chapters before writing the full manuscript. This potentially stops you from spending many additional months working on something that doesn't sell.)

Best of luck.

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Discrimination in Publishing?

Question: I'm writing a romance novel right now targeting women in their twenties and I hope that when I am finished it I could get this book published in the US. But I'm concerning about if agents or publishers in US would turn down my novel only because of my nationality, race, or age. I live outside of America, and I'm still a student. English is not my mother language. I'm not white, but my protagonist is a white American.

I'm very glad to find out that quite a few people who had visited this website and had left questions previously are English second language writers like me. But I'm wondering if there's successful cases of people like us getting their books published in the US. I know that probably we wouldn't be able to write like a native speaker who had grown up in the US, but with elaborate research, years of reading English originals, and professional help from native English speaker editors, it is not impossible to write a book which is as appealing to our target readers, although I'm aware of how hard it is.

Will we stand a equal chance to get published comparing to american writers, if assuming that the book is equally good? Will agents or publishers consider about the author's nationality, race, or age? Will using a pen name which looks american helps?

Answer: While I can't speak for the pubishing industry, I can tell you this...

One of the nice things about submitting a manuscript to an agent or publisher (apart from the ridiculously stiff competition and slim odds) is that they don't usually meet you face to face until they know they're interested in your book. That means they are less likely to make a snap judgement based on your appearance, accent, nationality, gender, age, etc.

Publishers and agents make their decision based on the manuscript and query letter alone. If the writing is good, and if you are writing the type of book publishers are currently looking for (which you can't predict), then your chances of success are much better.

In your query letter, you only include facts if they would help sell the book. For instance, let's say a writer were African. If the book were set in Africa, the writer would mention her nationality in the query letter because that would be evidence that the book will contain authentic details of life in Africa.

If your book is set in the US, and you have never lived in the US, you might not draw attention to this fact (though it will be apparent from your address).

If you look around, you can find plenty of examples of successful writers who write about people very different from themselves. Sometimes they use pseudonyms to evade prejudice. (For instance, male romance writers might use a female pseudonym. Female writers sometimes use a male or genderless pseudonym when writing for a male audience.)

If you are writing in a genre where such a bias exists, a publisher might suggest using a pseudonym. But such cases are more rare than they used to be. In fact, many readers like to read works by people from other cultures because of the novelty.

In short, I wouldn't worry about this issue. Just write the best book you can. That's what counts.

(P.S. Being young can be an advantage. Agents like young authors because, if you're successful, they can look forward to having you as a client for many decades.)

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Other options
by: Anonymous

If you cannot find a publisher then you always have the option to publish on Amazon. That is something anyone can do and many authors, including highly successful ones, have done that.

On the other hand you have picked a very difficult path. Writing as a nationality other than your own is loaded with traps. Perhaps you have had a lot of experience with Americans in your own country and that would help. But I have seen many other authors try to write as an American and they generally fail to know about the many quirks we Americans have.

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Synopsis that Gives Gives Away the Plot

by Dai Henley
(Romsey, Hampshire UK)

Question: Should I write a synopsis that gives away the plot? Should it reveal the major plot twists?

My feeling is that if you do, the agent/editor/prospective publisher won't get the same affect as the ultimate reader if you get that far. The element of surprise will have been taken away.

Does this matter?

Answer: The agent/editor won't appreciate the element of surprise if they never read the manuscript.

And they won't read the manuscript unless the query letter and synopsis convince them that you know how to construct a solid plot. The ending is part of the plot, and showing that you can bring the story to a satisfactory ending is part of how you convince the agent/editor that you are a competent writer.

Remember that a synopsis is not "jacket copy." You're not going to spoil anything by giving away the ending.

One reason you cannot sell a novel without a complete, finished draft is that publishers of the past had to deal with writers who got half-way through a manuscript and got stuck. They weren't able to bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion. And if a publisher had been foolish enough to have given such a writer an advance... well, let's say they would never made that mistake again... and their career might be over.

This is why only non-fiction books can be sold without a finished draft (if you fail to finish a draft of a non-fiction book that is expected to sell well, the publisher can always hire a ghost writer to finish it for you.)

If an agent/editor reads a synopsis that leaves out the ending, they will have to ask the writer how the story ends, to see if the ending works. If the writer then gives an answer like, "I haven't worked that out yet," that is a serious red flag. It says, "This author doesn't have a complete draft, which means he/she might never finish the book. So don't waste your time on them."

Of course, your synopsis can still present the twists in the order they appear in the book - including the emotional twists. If you write it well, the synopsis will convey the effect you are trying to create in the book and prove to the agent/editor that you know what you are doing and you have the complete draft ready to submit as soon as they ask for it.

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Characters to include in a synopsis

Question:
Your page on writing a synopsis is super helpful. One question, though. Aside from minor characters, how does an author decide which characters to include in a synopsis? I have written a paranormal romance with two main characters. Obviously, I should include the lovebirds. But what about the protagonist's best friend and the best friend of the love interest, whom both, at times, play a vital role in the story? Writing a one-page synopsis about four characters, two of whom only play a vital role at specific times, is proving to be a challenge.

BTW I'm new to your site, and I love it! I didn't see a question and answer page for synopsis writing, so I wasn't sure where to post this question. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting my question on the novel writing page.

Thanks!

Answer:

No rules broken. Here are a couple of things to consider when writing a short synopsis:

1. Does mentioning a minor character make the synopsis more engaging (both intellectually and emotionally)? Or does it make it boring? If you're just mentioning minor characters for the sake of completion and there's not enough detail to make the reader care about them or their contribution to the story, your synopsis can become tedious.

2. To make a minor character engaging, include their whole arc (setup --> complication --> crisis --> resolution). Who is this person when they enter the story? How are they challenged to grow? What is their crisis? Who or where are they in the end? The arc is what creates engagement. If you don't have space to describe an engaging story for that character, it may be better to omit them.

3. In a romance (paranormal or otherwise) the relationship arc is usually the most important and takes much of the focus. So you are on track to include it. Next in importance is the arc of the main character's inner conflict. Many romances are told from the perspective of both the main character and the love interest, so the impact character's arc is also important. So are the ways in which these two characters influence each other to change and grow.

4. So what about the minor characters? Often they are part of the overall or external story -- which is about the pursuit of the goal that affects or involves most people in the story world.

In a romance, the overall story may be just a device to get the two lovers to spend time with each other so the romance can happen. It's still important and should have a complete story arc, but you may not devote as much page space to it as the other arcs I mentioned.

So you probably only need to mention minor characters to the extent it is necessary to describe the overall/external story arc in an engaging way. A brief mention may be enough for most of them. Feel free to not mention these characters unless it is absolutely necessary.

Of course, every story is different and there are always exceptions. For instance, maybe the main character's best friend plays an important role in the main character's inner arc, and is worth mentioning for that reason -- but perhaps only mention her in the context of the main character's arc.

5. One page is not a lot of space, so I expect you will need to be disciplined. You may need to omit subplots or minor character arcs. You might even have to omit one or more of the major arcs. For instance, if there isn't enough space to outline the overall throughline, you might say something like, "In this world of dark magic and political intrigue..." and then launch your summary of your main character or relationship arc.

But regardless what you omit, make sure that what you include describes a complete arc. It's that four-part structure that makes the story engaging. In addition, it shows the reader that you can bring your story to a satisfying conclusion.

Hope that helps.

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Too Much Development

by M Dee
(Los Angeles)

Question: An agent told me my manuscript has "way too much development work" for him to represent me. Where do I begin to make improvements?

Answer It's painful to get this kind of comment, or the kind of comments I'm about to make, so take a deep breath.

Development of a manuscript can mean different things to different people. (There are lots of aspects that can be "developed.")

Also, as you probably can guess, most agents can't afford to take the time to do a well thought out, deeply considered appraisal of a manuscript before rejecting it. Rejections happen very quickly in an agent's office.

So the message you should probably take is simply that this agent feels your manuscript needs a lot of improvement before to would be good enough to publish.

Sometimes, if an agent loves a book and just feels it needs a little tweaking before showing it to an editor, they will make a conditional offer (conditional on you fixing the things that need fixing). In this case, the agent obviously felt too much needed to be fixed and didn't feel it was worth the investment of their time to work with you on the task.

Don't be too hard on the agent it's hard for agents to sell enough books to make a living.

Assuming you are committed to making this manuscript a whole lot better, you will need a much more detailed critique of your book. You want to know exactly what the weaknesses are, so you can make sure you are fixing the right things in the right way and not taking away from the aspects of the manuscript that currently work.

For that, I suggest you join some kind of writer's critique group where you can get the detailed opinions of a number of people - ideally people who are good writers themselves.

A lot of writers associations run these critique groups, either on or off line, and they often don't cost a lot (they are part of your membership in these associations). You might look for an association that specializes in your genre.
You will, of course, have to critique other people's manuscripts at the same time, but that is also a learning opportunity that will help you in your work.

You will find some people/groups who charge hefty fees for critiques (for instance, a few dollars per manuscript page). Sometimes the people doing the critiques have expertise and can really help you. Others are less helpful. Either way, you still only get one person's opinion, which is why I recommend joining a group where you get feedback from a number of knowledgeable people.

If one person says something is a problem, you have to use your own judgment whether to accept or reject the criticism. If six people say the same thing is a problem, they're probably right.

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Which Books or Websites are Best for Querying

by Uchiha Sasuke

I have reached the editing stage for my 95,000 word novel and I'm wondering which books or websites are best for querying.

This is my first time finishing a novel, but I want to try querying to agents. I've heard that The Writer's Market is a must have, so I searched it up. I found out that there is a book, and a website, and you have subscribe to the website to access it.

Which one would be more useful?

Also, I found a book called Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino. If I am already getting Writer's Market (either online or book) should I also get this book? I do not know if I would need it because the Writers Market is supposed to have listings of agents

Answer: First of all... Congratulations!

Finishing a draft of a novel is a major accomplishment at any age. It takes a lot of effort, time, and discipline, as I expect you have discovered, so I hope you feel quite proud of yourself.

Writer's Market was the standard reference on publishers for many decades but, as you can imagine, it has been somewhat eclipsed by a number of free, online sources.

The difference between the Writer's Market book and the website is that the book is issued once a year, whereas the site should be updated more frequently. Both are great sources of information, but a subscription is more useful for short story writers (who presumably start submitting new stories each month or so).

Here are some free alternatives if you want to save some money...

Query Tracker (https://querytracker.net/) is probably the best resource for finding agents interested in your genre and querying them. Many agents today require you to submit queries through Query Tracker. For you, this makes the whole process simpler and easier. An agent will post a query form on the site that asks for exactly the information they want from you. It will also record and keep track of agent responses.

The site is free for your first novel. There is a paid upgrade, but you don't need to bother with that if you don't want to.

Some other useful sites are...

Publishers Marketplace (http://www.publishersmarketplace.com): Another great source of information on publishers and agents.

Agent Query (http://www.agentquery.com): In addition to listing agents, this site provides you with all the information you need about how to query and submit your work.

You may find that, after checking out these sites, you don't need to buy anything.

Also, you may want to look at Writer Beware (http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/alerts), a site which alerts writers to the various scams that exist in the publishing world. Sadly, they are numerous, and you don't want to be taken advantage of.

Best of luck.

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Average Sentence Length
by: Vijay K Kerji

Hi, Glen,
I Thankyou again for your valuable time spent in helping writers.

I have the following questions:
1. What should be the average sentence length in fiction? No doubt we should vary the sentence length to keep the reader's interest. But when I checked it for a couple of my chapters, it is around 9.7, and the variety around 5. What kind of sentences the readers like most(in terms of length)?

2. My second question is, how long should a dialogue in a scene be? In my work, I wrote for about 400-500 words, including POV thoughts and character actions. Should we elongate the conversations to have a pleasant effect on the reader or just concentrate on moving the plot? Also, please tell us about how much POV character thoughts one can write before his dialogue. Would it be okay if it is more than two sentences?

Again, Thank You for your time,

Vijay
Let go, Vijay. Trust your feelings
by: Glen

Average sentence length usually only matters if you're writing for children or government. And even then, it's not a reliable measure of story's effectiveness. There's no fixed length for dialogue either.

My concern is that, if you're worrying about numbers and formulae, you're not putting your attention where it ought to be, which is on how the story moves you emotionally.

Good dialogue keeps one's attention riveted, regardless of length. It fascinates the reader for a variety of reasons (subtext, relationship, plot twist, suspense, wit, etc.). Any dialogue that seems dull is too long.

I will give you one tip regarding sentence length. Read your work out loud. If you find you run short of breath, your sentence is too long. If it feels too staccato, perhaps combine some short sentences into longer ones. Good writing should feel comfortable when spoken.

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Synopsis Format

Question: Hello! Thank you for answering my question about how many characters to add in a synopsis! I should have included this question with my last submission. Could you please discuss how to format a synopsis? I've been researching formatting and find conflicting directions. Two reputable sites—at least I think they are reputable—suggest two different things. Writer's Digest says the synopsis must be double-spaced. Master Class says single-spacing is a must. One says include a title page to include contact information; the other says use headers. Any advice on formatting would be greatly appreciated! And thanks again!

Answer: The first place you should always go for questions about submissions is the website of the agent or editor you are submitting to. Follow the submission requirements exactly. It makes agents and editors' jobs easier when all the submissions they receive are in their preferred format.

However, agents and editors don't all prefer the same format, which is why you will find conflicting advice. For this reason, you sometimes have to adjust the format for each agent or editor you are submitting to.

Also, not every agent or editor is as fussy about synopsis format. Many of them don't post strict guidelines for you to follow. Or they might have guidelines regarding manuscripts but not synopses.

So for those situations where you are uncertain, the best thing is to use a fairly neutral format that is unlikely to annoy an agent or editor. This will be the "default" format you will use unless the editor or agent doesn't states requirements to the contrary.

By default, the most important thing is that your synopsis should be easy to read. This matters because editors and agents usually spend many hours each day reading. They tend to find any document that is hard to read annoying, and you don't want to annoy them.

With that in mind, use a standard 12pt. font like Times New Roman or perhaps Courier. As with a manuscript, don't play with the typography. Don't use bolded text. Don't use all-caps. And don't use any colours. Just use black text on a white background.

If the synopsis is short enough to fit on a one page single-spaced, then you can single-space it. Put an extra return between paragraphs. I would also indent the first line of each paragraph five spaces.

If the synopsis is longer (again, check the person's guidelines regarding their preferred length), then you would format it more like a manuscript -- double-spaced with no extra return between paragraphs. Put the page number in the upper right hand corner and a short version of the book title and your name to the left of that. One-inch margins are fairly standard.

I would also title the synopsis "Synopsis for" followed by the book title just to be clear what it is.

And, of course, proofread the synopsis carefully. You don't want typos to undermine your credibility.

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