How much will it cost to publish? Is my book even good enough to be published? How do I find a cover for my book? Where do I find an editor? Is it okay to use pictures from google?
Find practical and straight forward answers to these questions and...
Because so many people want to be trade published,companies that offer such services are usually swamped with submissions. Theythen have to dig through all these submissions to find one or two writers thatthey like. To be selected, you need to stand out from the crowd and the way todo that is to make sure that the materials you submit are as perfect as you canmake them. To do that:
STEP 1: FINISH YOUR NOVEL
If you haven't even finished your book then thereis no point in reading from this point on. You're wasting time you could beusing to finish writing your novel. Do not expect the publisher or your agentto help you finish your book. In fact an incomplete manuscript will give themthe perfect reason to reject you.
STEP 2: EDIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT
Though discussed in previous parts, it bears repeating that you need to clean up your manuscript to the bestof your ability. Many writers get so excited about their new book that theyprematurely submit their manuscripts before they are cleaned up. This is amistake. While some agents are open to editorial work, you'll get a betterresponse if you submit a manuscript that needs little or no work done at all.
Even if you opt not to hire an editor after polishing your book, at least get someone to proofread your book. Most of thepeople who will look at your book in these companies have backgrounds inEnglish or Creative Writing and are therefore more sensitive to spelling, punctuation and grammar errors.
STEP 3: FORMAT YOUR MANUSCRIPT
How your finished book manuscript looks makes a big difference in the way agents andpublishers alike receive your work. Though they are looking for a wonderfulstory above all, how you package that story may be the difference between itbeing read on not being read. Your manuscript is your first impression, and youneed to make it a good one.
Even with the advent of desktop publishing and emailing of scripts,many publishers still require authors to follow standard guidelines whileformatting their manuscripts. These guidelines include:
- The file should be in Microsoft Word format and be a .doc filenot .docx so that everyone can access it regardless of the type of machine and operating system that theyhave
- The file should be named with both your book title and yourauthor name. For instance The GreatGatsby, Scott Fitzgerald.doc.
- The preferred paper size is 8.5' x 11' or A4
- The font should be Courier, Times New Roman or a similar mono-spaced seriffont
- The font size should be between 12 and 14 points. No smaller or larger
- The lines of the text should be double-spaced
- Margins should be between 1.25 and 1.5
- Paragraph indentations are 0.5 inches
- Chapter breaks should be marked by page breaks so eachnew chapter starts on a clean sheet.
- Insert page numbers in the footers
- Include your name and book title as headers for eachpage
- Title page should include the book's title, the seriestitle if the book is part of one, a quick genre specified for instance a crimethriller, your name, word count rounded to the nearest 1,000 words, yourcontact information (Email address and phone number). It would look something like the image below:
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- No unnecessary additional text like dedications, acknowledgement,copyright statement or author notes. All the reader needs is the story.
-No artwork unless it's a children's story
- Don't color the pages. White pages are acceptable.
Most trade-publishers will accept novels that are formatted in theabove manner. However, some have their own set submission formats and you mightneed to tweak your manuscript a bit when submitting to these houses. Always besure to scan their websites for that information. Still, before you even dothat, you should get your book to at least the standard formatting level.
STEP 4: CHOOSE SAMPLE CHAPTERS
Almost no agent or publisher will accept the full manuscript onfirst contact. This is what 'No unsolicited materials' means when you read thesubmission guidelines on many publishers websites. However, no one willcomplain if you send one chapter (perhaps your best) along with your queryletter and synopsis.
Most agents and publishers prefer that you send the first 1-3chapters or 10,000 words or 50 pages. These chapters should be properly edited.Go through them more than twice to make sure they are the best you can make it.
STEP 5: REVIEW YOUR SYNOPSIS
The synopsis is a brief summary of your story from beginning toend, usually no more than 1,000 words. It ensures character actions andmotivations are realistic and make sense. A synopsis will reveal any bigproblems in your story—e.g., "it was just a dream" endings, ridiculous acts ofgod, a category romance ending in divorce. It can reveal plot flaws,serious gaps in character motivation, or a lack of structure. Or it can revealhow fresh your story is; if there's nothing surprising or the plot ishackneyed, your manuscript may not get read.
In Part III, you'll find a chapter on Writing a synopsis. Just check the Table of Contents. Use those guidelines to come up with yoursynopsis if you haven't already done so. However, note that the synopsis you'rewriting in this chapter is an official document, not just something you'regoing to give an editor you're paying to help your structure your novel. Youneed to check it for:
- Length. About 500 - 1,000 words
- Language. Be business-like, clear, to the point and neutral.Your synopsis isn't the place to show off your writing skills and ability tomanipulate language. Think of it as a book report.
- Presentation. No typos or spelling mistakes, normal fonts,normal margins, not more than two pages long.
- Character Names. Put the names of the lead characters in bold or CAPSwhen you first introduce them.
Remember that your synopsis isn't a punchy marketing piece tobuild excitement. It is means to convey the book's entire narrative arc andconvince the editor/agent that you've got an excellent and complete book.
STEP 6: PREPARE YOUR BLURB/DESCRIPTION
In Part III, you'll find a chapter on writing a good blurb. Just check the Table of Contents. Unlike a synopsis, the blurb is supposed to sellyour book and make the person reading it more interested in reading your book.When polishing the blurb for your submission, the key points to remember are:
- It should run less than 200 words. Keep it short andpunchy
- The lead characters need to all be introduced
- Give a teaser about the primary conflict to createintrigue around it but do not give away the ending of the book
- Make the stakes that the lead is up against clear in the blurb
STEP 7: GET A SHIPPING ADDRESS
Some publishers still require that you send yoursubmission via snail-mail. They are rare but they are there. These publishers will also often need you to include a stampedself-addressed envelope for the return of your submitted material and/or theirresponse. You can only do this if you have a shipping address or mail box.
