How To Pitch Your Book

I'm over at the Pikes Peak Writers blog today, talking about resources for pitching your project. Come on over and take a peek! Later this week I'll be doing some pitching of my own. I'll report back next week on how the conference (and my pitches) went.

Free Publishing Teleseminar: get your questions anwered by three professionals

 You've heard their names before. I've blogged about them. Former publishing CEO Michael Hyatt. Uber-agent Chip MacGregor. Up-and-coming agent Amanda Leudeke.

Next Wednesday, April 10th, at 8pm Eastern Time, writers everywhere have an opportunity to participate in a free teleseminar with all three. It's called the Get Published Teleseminar.

The seminar is one hour long, and will answer many publishing questions, including questions on platform (which Michael Hyatt wrote a book about). Even if you can't make the meeting, sign up, and you'll receive an MP3 link replay after it's done.

When you register, you have the chance to ask any question you want--great if there's a few things you really want addressed.

If a writing conference isn't in your future, make sure to take advantage of workshops like these.

What is the publishing question you'd most like the answer to?

Join now! Operation Agent Ink

Fantastic things are going on over at Ink in the Book, and it's not too late for you to join in. It's called Operation Agent Ink, and it's a great way to work on your WIP and possibly nab an agent, too!

The event runs from November 1st through February 8th, with breaks for the holidays. It's a workshop-style event, and culminates in February with a pitch session with some amazing agents. Best of all, you'll know what the agents are looking for.

Check out all the details of what Operation Agent Ink will do for you so you can decide if it's a good fit for your needs. It doesn't matter if you're starting a new novel, in the editing stage, or all finished.

The workshops running through the event include:

Novel Writing From the Beginning
Novel Writing: Wading Through the Middle
Creative Inspiration
Revisions and Edits
The Submission Process
Agent Interviews and Thoughts

Check out the links to workshop downloads and a list of literary agencies already committed to participate.  And here is the first wish list from some of the participating agents.

If you're interested, you can sign up now, until November 7th. Only those who sign up will be able to pitch to the agents in February. This is a great opportunity that goes hand-in-hand with NaNoWriMo, for those participating. Since it's spread over several months, it won't eat all your time.

Are you up for Operation Agent Ink?

21st Century Inspiration from Donald Maass

As promised here are some highlights of Donald Maass' keynote speech from the 2012 Pikes Peak Writers Conference. This is what agent Weronika Janczuk tweeted after his talk:

Maass gave three predicitons for 21st century fiction:

1. Selling books will be harder, but once you have an audience, selling will be easier. Online sales are harder because you can't see the physical product.

Maass believes there are only two main factors in pre-purchase awareness: in-store displays and word of mouth. You're probably saying, "But what about the internet? Social media?" Maass shared the statistics, and part of the least helpful kinds of marketing included social networks, print newspaper ads, publisher emails, book blogs, reviews, and even bestseller lists.

He said if you walk into a bookstore, just strolling one aisle will expose you to far more books than a chunk of time browsing on Amazon.

2. The whole concept of genre is dying. Ignore genre boundaries. Make your own sub-genre. Don't put yourself in a box. He gave examples of novels that do this already and do it successfully. It makes me realize it's up to writers to find the stories that straddle genres and entice readers.

3. There will be novels that change the world. Maass spoke of his recently adopted son, who is just starting to read. He wondered which books (yet to be written) will affect his son's life. Who will write these books for him?

Maass ended with a fantastic line:

Selling books may be harder, but selling great books has always been easy.

What do you think of Maass' predictions?

How would you like to have dinner with Donald Maass?

Making writing contacts is a big part of the publishing process. Attending workshops and conferences can put writers in range of coveted agents, editors, and authors. But here's an opportunity for anyone to sit down for dinner with one of four publishing stars.

Dinner with the Stars is a fundraising event connected to the wonderful Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Guests do not have to attend the conference to have a shot at one of the coveted seats.

Here's how it works. Bidders submit bids on one of eight seats at a banquet table with either agent Donald Maass, mystery author Robert Crais, romance author Susan Wiggs, or crime writer Jeffrey Deaver. Bids start at $50, which covers the gourmet dinner. The two highest bidders at each table sit on either side of the honored guest.

The date for the event is April 19th at 6:30pm. Each guest receives a gift from the VIP (like a signed book), and a photo with the VIP. Guests also enjoy priority placement for the book signing following the dinner. Bidding opened only a few days ago, and there are plenty of slots left. Check out the bidding action at the Dinner with the Stars page.

So if you're in the Colorado area (or can get there), you've got a guaranteed way to meet four amazing people. Would you do it if you could?

Guest Post: Marketing: Beginning With The End in Mind, by Randy Ingermanson

Today's guest post details the journey to publication from the end to the beginning. Randy Ingermanson has a way of explaining things so they stick with you. If you haven't signed up for his free monthly newsletter, click the link at the bottom of the post. It's worth your time.

Marketing: Beginning With The End in Mind, by Randy Ingermanson

In Stephen Covey's classic book, THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, he recommends that you "begin with the end in mind."

He's talking about living your life in a way that you'll be proud of it when you die. The "end" he has in mind here is death.

But beginning with the end in mind makes sense, no matter what path you're taking, and the path we writers care about is the road to publication.

The "end" of that path is the happy day when an editor calls you to say, "We voted today and we've decided to offer you a contract on your book."

That's a good end to a long, long path. Getting published by a traditional, royalty-paying publisher is validation for your work. (You may also consider it validation for you, but it's really just validation for the novel you wrote.)

It's important to know the "end" you're trying to reach, because then it's not hard to work backward from that "end."

Let's do that now. Let's work backward several steps.

What comes before you get the contract?

That's easy. The last thing that happens before your editor calls to offer you a contract is that the publishing committee meets and your editor pitches your book to them and they vote on it.

What happens before the committee meets?

That's also easy. The editor reads your manuscript (and probably also your proposal) and decides that this is a manuscript she wants to champion.

What happens before your editor reads your manuscript and proposal?

There are two normal ways to get a manuscript in front of an editor. Either you or your agent sends the editor the manuscript. It doesn't matter who sends the manuscript. The only thing that matters is that the editor recognizes the name of the sender.

If your agent sends the manuscript, the editor accepts it because she knows your agent. If you send the manuscript, the editor accepts it because she knows you.

If the editor doesn't know either of you, then she doesn't even look at your manuscript. She's too busy dealing with professionals to be bothered with amateurs.

And how in the world would the editor know you? What has to happen in order for the editor to know you?

That's extremely simple. The editor will only know you if you have met her. The usual way that happens is that you meet her at a writing conference and pitch her your story and she says, "Wow! Sounds interesting. Send me your manuscript and/or your proposal."

If meeting an editor at a writing conference sounds scary, you might think that it's better to just get an agent and let him do it. OK, fine. Let's say your agent sends the editor the manuscript.

What happens before the agent sends the editor your manuscript?

Again, very easy. Your agent first has to offer to represent you and you have to accept that offer of representation.

Why does an agent offer to represent you? What has to happen first?

That's also easy. You send that agent a copy of your manuscript and/or proposal, and he recognizes your name on the cover, reads it, and decides that you are a
talent worth spending time on.

Uh-oh. How would the agent recognize your name?

The agent will only recognize your name if he's met you. The usual way that happens is at a writing conference. You make an appointment and pitch your
story to the agent, and he says, "Wow! Sounds interesting. Send me your manuscript and/or your proposal."

You may be wondering why you have to meet people in person. Can't you just mail in your manuscript? Or e-mail it? Are agents and editors too snooty to read their mail or their e-mail?

No, they're not snooty. They're busy. They're overwhelmed with the zillions of other writers sending in stuff by mail and e-mail. Your mail or e-mail is lost in the flood. Unless they know you.

A writing conference is your best chance to capture the undivided attention of an editor or agent – for fifteen minutes. You make an appointment. You've got a
quarter of an hour to show what you've got. No interruptions. Nobody else.

Sure that's scary. Sure that's hard. So was getting your driver's license. So was getting your first kiss.

Lots of things are scary and hard, and you do them because the rewards are worth the risk. Life is about doing the scary and hard things you need to do to get what you want.

If you want to meet an editor or agent and have a more-than-fair shot at making an impression, then a writing conference is an excellent place to do it. In my 20+ years as a writer, I haven't seen a better way to make that connection.

About once a year, I write a column in this e-zine about the enormous benefits of going to writing conferences. I believe in conferences.

I sold my first book (and my second, and my third) on my own, without an agent, as a direct result of the contacts I made at writing conferences. I met my first agent (and my second and my third) at conferences. Most of my published novelist friends did the same.

No need to belabor this point. Either you're ready to go to a conference and make some connections, or you aren't. If you are, then what are you waiting for? The year is early. Make it happen.

If you aren't, then now might be a good time for me to mention that writing conferences are a great way to learn more about the craft of writing fiction.

I joined my first critique group as a result of going to my first conference. I met my first writing buddy at another conference. I first heard the phrase "you're going to get published soon" from a novelist at a conference.

I don't usually make a sales pitch for my products in this column, but I will now, because it would be wrong not to mention it.

I've got an e-book available, the WRITER'S CONFERENCE SURVIVAL GUIDE, that tells you all about how to pick the right conference for you and how to get the most out of it.

You can find out all about the WRITER'S CONFERENCE SURVIVAL GUIDE here:
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/links/wcsg.php

If the "end" you have in mind is to get published with a traditional, royalty-paying publisher, then a writing conference is very likely to be one of the last steps you take before you reach that "end."

Nothing happens unless you take action. Go to it.

This article is reprinted by permission of the author.

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the free monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 30,000 readers. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

Where are you on Ingermanson's list? 

What Defines a Bestseller?

While researching literary agents, I've come across something similar on many of their websites. When describing what they're looking for, quite a few mention they would like to find books "at the intersection of literary and commercial". 

What does that mean? It sounds like a vague description of a book that reads like literary fiction, but enjoys commercial success. But how does an agent identify which manuscripts will sell well? I guess they guess.

Recently, agent Rachelle Gardner asked readers for questions she could answer on her blog. So I asked, "What are some examples of books that fall into the mysterious literary/commercial intersection?"

Today she answered.

Head over to Gardner's blog to see how she responded. The comments are interesting, with a lively discussion of what some consider to be good examples of this hard-to-define kind of book.

What do you think? Have you read books that seem like good examples of literary and commercial success? And do you think your manuscript would qualify?

Do Publishers Bully Authors Through Contracts?

Yesterday's post on the free Writer's Digest ebooks raised some interesting questions. It seems that at least in the case of author Les Edgerton (who wrote Hooked) the publisher did not even let the authors know they planned to offer their work for free.

You might want to hear what Edgerton thought of his treatment. Make sure to read the comments to grasp more of the discussion. While the freebie has raised his book's stats on Amazon, there are some disturbing implications for authors at the mercy of a contract's fine print. Likely, it's only after things like this happen that authors realize the possibilities spawned by difficult-to-understand contract language.

When publishers treat authors with little regard (and word gets out about it in our socially-connected world) it drives more and more writers towards self-publishing. Writers spend huge amounts of time on their books, and it can take years for them to see any profit from their work. It's frustrating for them to have their work given away, especially if they're not part of the decision process.

I faithfully read agent Kristin Nelson's blog, Pub Rants. Many of her posts are connected to the deciphering of contract language, and how even little things can end up being painful elements in an author's life. This post, titled Scarier than Halloween, is a great example of details I would never have thought of. I can't imagine how an author without representation would end up with a fair deal.

I'm not saying that publishers are bad. They're in this business to make money. But so are authors. I believe that authors need a well-informed agent on their side to wade through contract language. And authors need to research all their options--both for traditional publishing and self-publishing--before they make a decision.

Which way are you leaning right now?

Eyes Wide Open: Protecting yourself in the publishing world.

This morning I came upon troubling news. Someone is impersonating a well-known literary agent, and contacting writers regarding book deals (read more on the story at GalleyCat).

Writers looking for agents ought to be aware of a few important things. 

Be suspicious of an agent who charges a fee for reading. Agents get paid when they help you make money. Steer clear of agents who ask for an upfront fee.

Watch out for other fees. Some agents charge for postage and office supplies, but a legitimate agent will not charge 'submission fees' or fees for marketing.

Read your contract carefully. Know whether you're partnering with an agent for a particular book, or for subsequent books.

There are two main resources where writers can check potential agents against a list of agents on a watch list. These sites contain huge amounts of information on publishing in general. They're good to have bookmarked.

WriterBeware

Preditors & Editors

Any other ideas about protecting yourself?

Traditional vs. Self-Publishing: An Agent's Point of View

Is there a future for traditional publishing? Or is the behemoth dying a slow death? Literary Agent Steve Laube tackles the question. As a long-time agent and a founder of a press for self-published authors, he is in a unique position to speak on the topic.

I highlighted Steve Laube in an Agent Friday post not too long ago. He's got a great blog.

Recently, Laube has posted a "Defense of Traditional Publishing" in five parts. I've been waiting for the entire series to be complete before I linked to it here.

So here are the five parts:

A Defense of Traditional Publishing, Part 1- Introduction

A Defense of Traditional Publishing, Part 2 - Curation

A Defense of Traditional Publishing, Part 3 - Editorial

A Defense of Traditional Publishing, Part 4 - Design

A Defense of Traditional Publishing, Part 5 - Infrastructure 

Take a few minutes to read Laube's thoughtful analysis. You'll be better able to offer your own opinions on the subject. It will be a hot topic for a long time to come.

Do you think traditional publishing has a future?

Love at First Sight: Finding the Agent Match That's Perfect for You

Just like couples who are attracted by outward, physical traits, you don't want to pick an agent just for their glamor (or who they represent), but dig deep to see if this is a relationship that can last. On a dating site, you wouldn't go out with someone just because they have a profile on the site. You'll check to see if your interests are compatible, and get to know more about them first. 

In the same way, don't query an agent just because they're an agent. This is a long-term relationship, and you want it to last. But lacking a "dating site" for agents, how do you narrow down your search? There are thousands of agents to choose from.

Be aware of your genre. You don't want to send an agent a manuscript that's not right for their interests. And within your genre, figure out what themes you tend to bring out. Are you humorous, or dark? Do your characters tend to be feminists or orphans? The better you know what ideas lurk within, the more targeted will be your agent search. 

Read, read, read. Check out sites like Goodreads and LibraryThing for recommendations of books in your genre. When you read them, take note of the acknowledgments section. Authors usually make mention of their agent. Search the internet for interviews with these agents. They often make note of the kinds of books they're drawn to, even if those authors are not their clients. Find more ideas for this at the Falling Leaflets blog. Highly recommended.

Ask for a recommendation. If you've gathered the names of some agents, but you want to find out more about how they interact with authors, try emailing a few of their clients. Honor their time constraints by being brief, and ask a couple of questions. The benefit of this approach is that you might begin a relationship with an author.

Of course, it goes without saying that you must have a finished and polished manuscript. And a killer query letter. And a plan for which agents to query first. 

If all this seems daunting, remember it's like joining the army. Boot camp toughens up new soldiers so they're ready for the battles ahead. Think of the query process as your "boot camp" for becoming an author. Down the road, you'll be thankful for your rhino skin, your work ethic, and your professionalism. Ready to march?

Writing Rules are Just Tools, by Rachelle Gardner

Of the many blogs in my reader, agent Rachelle Gardner's is one I read every day. If you are a writer on the path to publication, her blog Rants and Ramblings is one you should consider keeping  up with. Gardner educates writers on the publishing industry in an easy-to-understand way, and she encourages writers on what seems like the never-ending road to publication.


Last week, in the Show, Don't Tell post, the question was asked: Why can published authors get away with breaking the "rules" of fiction. This post from Gardner answers the question far better than I can.


Writing Rules are Just Tools by Rachelle Gardner

If you’ve been studying the craft of writing for long, you’ve heard all the “rules.” You know that you’re supposed to show not tell, use active not passive verbs, eschew adverbs, maintain consistent POVs, avoid repetition, and all the rest.

But it’s easy to get too caught up in the rules and get frustrated at trying so hard to follow them that you find your creativity stunted. In addition, some writers are actively resentful about the rules, feeling like the Writing Establishment is trying to keep everyone in a little box and not allow writers’ artistic visions to shine through.

I just want to share a few thoughts about writing rules. First, they’re not meant to be slavishly followed. They’re meant to be thoughtfully considered and used when appropriate.

Second, the time to apply “writing rules” is usually not in your first draft. That’s when creativity reigns. Only think about the rules in your revision process. Writing is more a creative, right-brain process. Editing and applying rules is more a left-brain process. Try not to get your brain too confused by doing both at once.

Third and most important, writing is not ABOUT the rules. The rules are just TOOLS to help you write effectively. The goal in writing is to engage your reader, draw them in, make them want to keep turning the pages, whether you’re telling them a story or giving them information. So writing rules are simply the means of helping you do that.

The only time “rules” ever come into play is when you or your editor recognizes that something’s not working. Maybe the book is getting boring, the characters don’t feel believable, the arguments in your nonfiction work are falling flat, the reader isn’t engaged. It’s pretty easy to identify what’s wrong. However, figuring out how to fix it—that’s where the rules come in. Rules are a means of identifying how to fix a problem so that the reader remains engaged.

The only reason to maintain consistent and strong POVs is to keep your reader deeply involved with your characters. The reason to show not tell is to keep your reader’s imagination active, keep your story alive and visual in their mind. Each of the rules serves a purpose – it’s a tool to help you create a written work that others want to read.

So whenever you get frustrated by the rules, or can’t figure out why or ifyou should follow a rule or break it, go back to the reasons behind the rules and ask yourself: Does following this rule strengthen my work? Can adhering to a rule make my manuscript more readable and enjoyable? Do I know enough about the reasons for the rules to effectively break them?

By going back to the purpose of writing rules, you can save yourself frustration, and focus instead on the goal: powerful and engaging writing that people want to read.

Q4U: What’s your opinion of “writing rules”? Do you find them challenging, helpful, frustrating? How do you decide when to break them?

Writer's Groups: AgentQuery.com

Thanks to my writing friend Anna L. Walls, I've discovered a great writer's group. It's called AgentQuery.com, and whether you write fiction or non-fiction, online or in print, there's something for everyone. The site has been recognized as one of Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers six years in a row.

I like it best because it's free.

Why should you consider joining AgentQuery? Let me count the ways.

Agents. Literary agents are encouraged to create their own profile. Consider the site one-stop shopping for agents. Often in the forums, if the subject turns to a particular agent, the agent will chime in on the discussion.

Browse the searchable database of agents to find the individuals who may be interested in your work. Subscribe to Agent Updates to keep track of new agents, and agents who open or close submissions.

Writers. Learn about finding the agent who fits what you write. How to submit to an agent, including the specifics of writing a query. What to do if an agent makes an offer, and how to recognize a scammer.

Network. AgentQuery's AQ Connect is a social networking site for writers. The forum has a unique visual way to show writers who have similar interests to yours, making it easier to connect.

Publishing. AgentQuery provides information on all aspects of publishing, from major publishers to small presses, from literary journals to ezines.

Resources. In addition to all the other content on the site, you'll find links to websites for writers, lists of contests and conferences, literary organizations, and grants for writers.

AgentQuery is touted as a writer's "one-stop shop" for information. Check it out for yourself.

And if you want your own copy of the Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers, it's free when you sign up for the informative Writer's Digest Newsletter.

Love at First Sight?: Agents Look at the First Page

Yesterday, we looked at how your first page is like a handshake. Today we're going to watch some of those handshakes in action.

First up is Agent Kathleen Ortiz, who ran a workshop called The First Five Pages for the amazing WriteOnCon (a free online conference earlier this month--if you missed it, you can read the archives).

On each of the three conference days, Kathleen read first pages sent in by conference attendees. She marks the point at which she stops reading and begins skimming, and gives a few comments at the end of each entry as to why she would or would not keep reading. 

The fun part of these is to read the first few paragraphs without scrolling down, and try to give your own evaluation. Did the characters intrigue you? Is the voice original? Do you care what happens next?

After you identify your opinion, check out what Kathleen thought. Sometimes, the two of you might agree, sometimes not. And that gives you a clue as to how subjective this process is. What one agent dislikes, another one loves. So don't give up early in the query process. Learn from what agents comment on, and apply it to your own manuscript.

Here are the links to Kathleen Ortiz' three workshop sessions:

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Agent Nathan Bransford does this weekly. You can look at the page critique archives on his blog, or follow the new critiques every Friday on his forums (you don't need to register to read the forums, only if you'd like to comment). Bransford gives the details about how you can submit your first page for review, as well. 

If you missed yesterday's post, check out How Your First Page is Like a Handshake and find ways to make your first page even better.

How Do You Write a Book Proposal, by Rachelle Gardner

There are several great books available on writing book proposals. My favorites for non-fiction are:

a Book Proposals That Sell by W. Terry Whalin

a Write the Perfect Book Proposal by Jeff Herman. I like this one because it contains ten real-life proposals that sold.

A good book for fiction proposals is:

a Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook

If you send us a query and we request a proposal from you, we’ll send you the WordServe Literary book proposal template. Meanwhile, here are bare-bones outlines of what a book proposal looks like.

For Non-Fiction

Title page: Title, authors’ names, phone numbers, email addresses.

One sentence summary: It captures your book. It should be morehook than description.

Brief overview: This should read similar to back-cover copy. It should be exciting, informative, and make someone want to read your book. It tells the publisher in a succinct form what the book is about and who the market is. Three to four paragraphs.

Felt need: What needs will your book fulfill that your audience isalready aware of? What questions are they asking that your book will answer? What do they want that you can give them?

About the authors: Half page to a full page on each author. Why are you qualified to write this book? List any previously published books or articles along with sales figures. Make a good case for YOU as the best possible author for a book on this topic.

The market: Whom do you see as the audience for the book? Why would somebody buy this book? How is this audience reached? Do youhave any special relationships to the market? What books and magazines does this audience already read? What radio and TV programs do they tune into? Demonstrate an understanding of exactly who will buy your book and why.

Author marketing: This is where you'll talk about your platform. How are YOU able to reach your target audience to market your book? This is NOT the place for expressing your "willingness" to participate in marketing, or your "great ideas" for marketing. This is the place to tell what you've already done, what contacts you already have, and what plans you've already made to help market your book. A list of speaking engagements already booked is great; radio or television programs you're scheduled to appear on or have in the past; a newsletter you're already sending out regularly; a blog that gets an impressive number of daily hits. This is NOT the place to say that your book would be terrific on Oprah, unless you have documented proof that Oprah's people havealready contacted you.

The competition: What other books are in print on the same subject? How is your book different and better? (There is always competition.) First, give a general discussion of the state of the marketplace as regards books of this topic. Then do a list of 4 to 8 books that could be considered most comparable to yours. List the title, author, year of publication. (Only books in the last five years are relevant, unless they’re still bestsellers.) Then write a couple of sentences explaining what that book is about, and how yours is different, better, and/or a good complement to it.

Details: How many words will your book be? (Words, not pages.) How long after the signing of a contract will it take you to complete the book? (This is usually 2 to 6 months.)

Chapter outline: This is where it becomes crucial that your book is well organized and completely thought-through. You will need chapter titles, and a couple of sentences capturing each chapter’s theme.

Sample chapters: This is usually the Introduction, plus one or two chapters. Make sure they’re polished and perfect!

Those are the basics, but I highly recommend you get a good book on proposals before writing yours. Mary DeMuth has a 50-page book proposal tutorial available for $10. Click here to go to her website and order it. (Mary writes incredible book proposals and she knows what she's talking about.)


What about fiction?
If you've written a novel, you still need a book proposal but it will look slightly different. The most important thing with fiction is the writing itself, so your sample chapters must truly shine to capture an agent or editor's attention.

However, just like with non-fiction, the author's involvement in marketing is of utmost importance. So, much of your proposal will look similar to a non-fiction proposal because it's about YOU and how you can help market your own book.

In a fiction proposal, you'll be most successful at capturing attention if your first page includes a killer "hook" and a concise synopsis that doesn't necessarily tell the whole story, but intrigues the reader enough that they feel they MUST read your book.

(Jeff Gerke has a great post on writing a fiction proposal HERE.)

Here's a rundown of a great fiction proposal:
Title page: Title, authors’ names, phone numbers, email addresses.

One sentence hook: This is more of a tagline, one sentence that creates interest in the book.

Brief overview: This should read similar to back-cover copy. It should be exciting and make someone want to read your book. It tells the publisher in a succinct form what the book is about. Two to four paragraphs.

The market: Whom do you see as the audience for the book? Why would somebody buy this book? How is this audience reached? Do you have any special relationships to the market? What books and magazines does this audience already read? What radio and TV programs do they tune into? Demonstrate an understanding of exactly who will buy your book and why.

About the authors: Half page to a full page on yourself. Why are you qualified to write this book? List any previously published books or articles along with sales figures. Any awards or special degrees or certificates in creative writing? Anything that helps establish you as a novelist goes in this section.

Author marketing: This is where you'll talk about your platform. How are YOU able to reach your target audience to market your book? This is NOT the place for expressing your "willingness" to participate in marketing, or your "great ideas" for marketing. This is the place to tell what you've already done, what contacts you already have, and what plans you've already made to help market your book. A list of speaking engagements already booked is great; radio or television programs you're scheduled to appear on or have in the past; a newsletter you're already sending out regularly; a blog that gets an impressive number of daily hits. This is NOT the place to say that your book would be terrific on Oprah, unless you have documented proof that Oprah's people havealready contacted you.

Comparable books: Instead of a "competition" section, you'll want to include four to five novels that you see as similar to yours in some way. It helps the editor develop a big-picture understanding of your book. It's best not to include blockbuster bestsellers (The DaVinci Code, Left Behind) but do include well-known books with solid sales. Include title, author, release year, and a couple of sentences about the book and how yours is similar and would appeal to the same audience.

Details: How many words will your book be? (Words, not pages.) How many chapters? Have you included book club discussion questions? Is your manuscript complete? (Note: Unless you're a multi-published novelist, you must have a completed novel before approaching agents and editors.)

Longer synopsis: In several pages (2 to 6 is a good guideline) describe the story. In this part, don't worry about preserving the "surprise" factor. This is where you have to explain the story, start to finish.

Sample chapters: Include the first 40 to 50 pages of your manuscript (ending at a natural chapter break). Don't include random chapters - you need the FIRST few chapters. Make sure they’re polished and perfect! THIS is what will determine whether you get a request for a full manuscript or not.

For other posts I've written about book proposals, CLICK HERE.

*Please note that you normally only send a full proposal if requestedby an agent or editor based on your written query or a face-to-face meeting at a conference.

This guest post comes courtesy of Wordserve Literary agent, Rachelle Gardner. If you're not reading her blog daily, you might want to consider adding Rants & Ramblings to your reader. 

A Day in the Life of a Literary Agent

What in the world do agents do all day long? Is it worth a cut of your book proceeds? You might picture an agent having lunch with editors, or reading submissions with a "rejection" rubber stamp in one hand.

When I decided to find out a little more about what agents do, I discovered incredibly hard-working people, who love the written word. A literary agent's best day is when they discover a new author (yes, a debut author), and get excited about helping to bring another book into the world.

Literary agents do not get paid unless you, the author make money. That is a definite motivator to work! In other words, an agent needs to help your book sell, and encourage a successful career for you in order to keep their office lights on. And their percentage is not that large, considering all the work they do.

As agent Rachelle Gardner points out, agents' tasks can be divided up into four general categories: keeping track of contracts and payments, submitting projects to publishers, other client-related work, and finding new clients. Rachelle explains each of these in her blog post.

An agent needs to be a person comfortable with multitasking. They jump from phone calls to emails to face-to-face meetings. They comb through the indecipherable legal language of contracts, making sure it is favorable to the author. And with all the added complications of e-rights, this is a formidable task!

The different jobs agents do consume more than the average workday. But there is little time for agents to read the dozens-to-hundreds of queries they get each day. An agent often reads some on the way home (if they commute), and may spend a few hours on queries in the evenings, as well. And this doesn't even include the time and money they spend attending writing conferences.

Each agent handles the multitude of tasks differently.  Here are a few other agents who share a little of what their day is like:

The Rejectionist (a hysterical glimpse into the life of an agent)

Two agents at Bookends share what it takes to be an agent.

The ins and outs of negotiating contracts with Rachel Zurakowski.

Two very different days described by Annette Green and Lucienne Diver.

Agent Friday: Bookends LLC

This week, I'm highlighting the Bookends Literary Agency.  The team of Jessica Faust, Kim Lionetti, and Katelynn Lacopo work together as agents, and as blogging partners.

The Bookends blog is a great place to spend some time if you want to learn more about publishing and the submission process.

For instance, they keep a new and updated publishing dictionary. Are there terms you read about on agent blogs, but you're afraid to ask what they mean? This is the place to find the answers.

If you check the right side of the blog, you'll find the team's most popular posts. Things like The Way I Read, Why I Reject, and I Stop Reading When. These kinds of articles are important for writers crafting a query letter. There are also sample query letters to read.

Did you ever wonder about the differences between a synopsis and a proposal? The Bookends blog gives you the answers. There's a post about synopsis, and separate articles for fiction proposals and nonfiction proposals.

I could go on and list their posts on book contracts, word counts, and many articles on craft that I'm planning to read, but this post would get too long. You'll find lots more information about Bookends on their website, with lists of recent deals and a page of frequently asked questions.

To read about the other agents I've highlighted, go here.

Agent Friday: Noah Lukeman

Noah Lukeman, of Lukeman Literary Agency, is an agent in such demand, that he no longer accepts unsolicited queries. However, busy as he is, Lukeman maintains a blog where he answers questions from writers, and he has written several books for writers polishing their manuscripts. On top of all that, he writes a monthly newsletter.

If I were that busy, I wonder if I'd take the time to write a blog, or work hard at giving away my ideas. Lukeman states on his website that he wants to give back to writers. Any takers?

Some gems from Noah Lukeman:

Lukeman's free 80 page ebook on how to write a query letter.

Must reading: How to Land (and keep) a Literary Agent (free 20pp. excerpt of the ebook)

The link to free excerpts of Lukeman's other writing books. You can read reviews of his books here.

What to put in your bio, if you've got nothing to brag about.

Lukeman explains how many pages an agent really reads.

Must authors really finish a manuscript before submitting to an agent?

An excellent interview with Noah Lukeman.

Do you have a question for Lukeman? Post it in the comments on his blog.

Agent Friday: Betsy Lerner

Our blogging agent of the week is Betsy Lerner of the Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Agency, which happens to be the agency that represents Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. Lerner spent sixteen years working as an editor before moving into agenting, and from what I've read about her, she was legendary as an editor.

Thankfully, Betsy Lerner passes on a huge amount of information through her blog, and in her book The Forest for the Trees. In the book, Lerner shares the perspective of editors in the publication process, and gives tips on making your queries and submissions stronger.

She also offers advice on handling rejection, dealing with ediors, and what to do if you experience writer's block. The book was published ten years ago, but Lerner is working on revising the information for the current world of publishing, and the new version will be released in fall 2010.

Lerner's blog is a humorous peek into the life of a literary agent, with its associated victories and travails. Her irreverent blog sometimes reads like a memoir, but because of that, it's fascinating. A selection of blog posts I like:

The ups and downs of publishing.

What happens when an author really revises.

Lerner's own query letter for a new project.

The importance of a good title.

Links:

The website of the Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Agency.

Lerner's other book, Food and Loathing: A Life Measured Out in Calories.

Agent Friday: Upstart Crow Literary

Upstart Crow Literary is a group of four agents who work together and share a blog. Have I mentioned lately how much I like agents who blog? Once you regularly read an agent blog, that agent is no longer a "mystery" to you, and you can more easily decide if they might be a good fit for you and your writing. And the side benefit is that you learn more about publishing in the process.

What things might you learn from Upstart Crow Literary?

Why a writer, even a contracted writer, needs to develop a lot of patience.

Whether or not to pitch your project as a series.

Does posting personal information on Facebook hurt a writing career?

Will an MFA help you or hurt your chances of securing an agent?

Simple instructions for how to write a book.

And how to write a one-sentence summary. (If you're motivated, work on your one-sentence summary, and enter it in agent Rachelle Gardner's contest today or tomorrow. Mine will be there.)

If you'd like to know more about Upstart Crow Literary, check out their frequently asked questions. They also have a nice Writer's Toolbox page, with links to good resources.