Writing A Book Synopsis
Monday, January 10th, 2011 at
11:43 am
For some writers, the synopsis is even more difficult than writing the book! Try these tips to simplify that daunting task and tell your story — briefly.
When you have completed your book and ready to submit it to a publisher or agent, your synopsis will become the most important part of your submission package. Along with your cover letter, your synopsis will actually be what sells your manuscript to a book editor. If your synopsis is not convincing and polished, most editors will not even glance at your sample chapters.Â
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Sorry that I can’t be of much help, BUT, I’ve seen some publishers/literary agencies refer to the query letter as the cover letter. So, they might mean query letter. I guess it won’t hurt to email them and ask for clarification.
See if anyone at http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums has any experience submitting to or working with this publisher and they can tell you what you need on the cover letter.
ADDED: It sounds like they want a query letter. Queries usually follow this format (3 short paragraphs of what your story is about and 1 small paragraphs about your story’s stats and yourself; one page total). It’s best to get feeback for your query, and you can do so at the forum I liked. Queries can be harder than writing the novel itself, because you can easily find other things to focus on rather than what your novel is about. A good, efficient query, according to one literary agent whose blog I visit, is about 350-400 words. You need to also make sure within your query that you focus on what’s unique about your novel (how it’s different than every other novel in the genre). If you make your novel sound like a run-of-the-mill romance, fantasy, or what have you, then you can be rejected. You can find examples of successful query letters on AbsoluteWrite and you can get help with writing yours. Query letter can make or break you with a publisher or agent, so make sure it’s a perfect as it can be. Don’t worry about not having experience. Unless the publisher explicitly states that they want people with publishing experience then in the paragraph were you talk about yourself, just say something like “[title of novel] is a 40,000-word YA sci-fi novel and is the debut novel by [your name].” That’s not perfect of course, but you get the gist of it. The word Debut will let them know that it’s your first novel and that you don’t have any publishing experience.
A query letter goes out alone. Its sole purpose is to get an agent or publisher to ask to see the manuscript. It should not be sent until the novel is complete and polished, rewritten and revised until it cannot be improved. It should include the title, genre, word count, a paragraph about the plot, a paragraph about your qualifications to write it (including any writing awards or experiences used in your plot), and your thanks for their time. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for a reply. If and only if their submission guidelines ask for more would you enclose anything else, such as a bio, or the first 50 pages.
If your query letter worked and they ask to see the manuscript, congratulations. Now you send the manuscript with a cover letter. Its purpose is to remind the agent or publisher that this is material s/he asked to see, not something being sent unsolicited by someone hopeful but unprofessional.
(Don’t you feel smarter for asking before committing a faux pas?)
A cover letter can be as simple as “Enclosed you will find my novel, TIMEPIECE, as requested in your letter of April 15, and my SASE for your reply. I hope you enjoy it.”
What do I put on my cover letter for a manuscript submission?
This is my first time writing a children’s book. I intend to send it to a publisher. I have found a publisher that is accepting unsolicited manuscripts but they require a cover letter. I have no idea what or how to write one of these. I don’t have any prior experience, so that even makes it more difficult to write this cover letter. Any help or samples would be great! Thanks for the help.
This is what they require: A cover letter introducing myself and experience, a summary of the story, and three chapters.
Also, the submission has to be made via email and I have searched on there website and I don’t see the editors name. Is including their name a must on cover letters?
First of all, Harper Collins and all major publishers will reject you unread. They do not accept unsolicited queries. You should know that if you have read their listing in Writers Market. They only deal with agents.
I would never submit to more than two publishers at a time. Sending to five is just unprofessional and amateur and all five will just reject you. You should just say I have simultaneously submitted this query to another publisher.
You mention sending a cover letter with your manuscript. That is absolutely NOT how it is done. Your manuscript will become lunch for somebody’s papershredder. You must check each publisher’s submission requirements and send them EXACTLY what they request. That doenst mean a manuscript. Usually it means a query letter along with a summary. Sending a manuscript is a sure sign of an unprofessional amateur author and a guaranteed form rejection letter.
You say you have a bunch of books, but it doesnt seem like you have read them. Do you have a copy of Writers Market? That is really the only book you need. All the information you require is right there. Not following guidelines will get you rejected. So will sending your letter on cutsey stationary, including “presents” and using cute stamps on the envelope. Your letter should be professional – on matching stationary with simple flag stamps. Trust me, people get rejected just for their choice of stamps on the envelope.
The only publishers you can query are small publishers who deal directly with authors. The A List publishers dont. DEFINITELY cross Harper Collins off your list.
I had a chance recently to sit down and talk with an exec at Harper Collins. We discussed the children’s market. 40% of all childrens’ books today are written by celebs – Madonna, Jamie Lee Curtis, Billy Joel etc. Another 40% is already established children’s authors – Eric Carle etc. 15-20% is reprints of children’s classics – Curious George, Dr Seuss, etc. That leaves approximately 5% for new authors. Publishers like Harper Collins have large backlogs of previously purchased children’s books that are getting printed a few at a time. And to make matters worse, adult fiction authors like Carl Hiaasen and several others are now entering the children’s market too — eating into that 5% of new authors. That is why you have been burned by agents. Most agents dont read children’s anymore – there just isnt any profit in it for them. They cannot sell the books and it’s a waste of their time.
Your only hope is to go to Writers Market and look through the small presses for ones still publishing children’s books. And trust me – there are not many. There are a lot of frauds and scams among smaller presses so make sure you go through Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks and research any company you intend to query. If there have been problems in the past, both sites will have details.
As for your bio, if you are an unpublished inexperienced author, you should say so. Dont artifically pump up your bio – it will be discovered. Ask James ‘Frey.
I do not mean to be so negative, but these are the facts in the children’s book world. It is tough – very tough. .I have a close friend who recently published a children’s book that went all the way to #1 on the NY Times children’s list. But it was an exceptional book, on an exceptional subject and he had some very important people backing him – namely the NY Yankees. If the book isnt exceptional, it wont go anywhere. And if it is a holiday book, Christmas, Chaunakah, Halloween etc – forget it – they get thousands a week and reject them all. The market is glutted.
Reread Writers Market. You need to review how to send in a submission before you do it. Good luck. Pax – C
I need help understanding publishing terms?
I wrote a childerns picture. I know i well get rejections. I want to be rejected because of content not because i wrote up the cover letter wrong.I have a bunch of books on how to get it published. my problem is how to write up some of the terms.. and what it means. I am going straight to the publisher first.i tried the agent path and got burned a few times. some require a cover letter with your manuscript.
1) how do i write up simultaneous submissions of a cover letter. they ask for you to include that you have done it. ( i have not been able to find a sample letter to see.) which of the following is correct.
A) I have submitted my book to many other publishers
B) I have submitted my book to 5 other Publishers
C) i have submitted my book to the following Publishers: Harper Collins, Walden Books, Greenbrook Publishing and Tenspeed Publishing.
2) What is Biographical material ? ( i am thinking it is a basic Bio about me). Any tips on how to write it would help.
the publishers i used where just exsamples…some publishers incourage you to submitt to more then one publisher but would like you to mention it in your cover letter with your manuscirpt or qurrie letter ( each publisher wants it different).. and for following guidelines i have.. i have gone to some web sites and what they want for childern picture books.certain amount of words, cover letters or qurrie letters.. that is why i have a few questions about it..and some big publishers according to there web sites still want unagented submissions..there where a few things they wanted done a certain way and that is why i am asking….the 2 above questions……
the few agents i have dealt with where just crook.. they wanted me to pay and some of the contracts made my lawyer fall over laughing.. that is why i am tring to do it without an agent…if it dont workout then all i lost was a few months and a couple of hundred dollars…the book is not about holidays or cute bunnys.
It does cover the basics, including how to format a manuscript and write a querry letter. Each book has articles on the publishing industry, submission process, and some author interviews.
consider joining absolutewrite.com/forum (the watercooler) for more assistance. It’s a large and knowledgable group with a wealth of information to share.
Writer’s Market: What else do I need?
I’m purchasing the 2009 version of WM, but having never submitted any of my writing as a freelancer before, what else do I need to know that’s not included in this book? For example, will it tell me how to write a query letter, the dos and don’ts of my manuscript, and so on? At this point I have no idea if I should be sticking to a certain number of pages, what the format of my manuscript should be, and so on.
Basically, I’m trying to find out if the WM only gives listings, or if it will guide me step-by-step through the submission process.I would appreciate any guidance regarding websites or other publications for the first time writer, if you feel that WM does not cover some of the things I need to know.
Thanks in advance!
The numbered requirements which you posted tell you exactly what the company wants you do. Generally the type preferred is Times New Roman. You should be able to format your word processor to create the book’s pages as the company is asking. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to determine how many pages you’ll have, and, if your manuscript is completed, you can just print it. The paper which you use in your printer would naturally be good quality and the proper size. The normal font size is 10 point, but you can control that, too, in your word processor.
When presenting a manuscript submission for the first time, do you need to send a query and cover letter?
I’m writing a book for the first time and I’m confused between writing a cover letter and a query. Do I need to send both? If so, what are the main things I should have in each? I’d really appreciate it if someone could answer my questions.
How do i correctly send my story to these publishers?
How do i make my novel in this format? For example, what does it mean by typewritten pages?
How should I write my story, the font size, are the pages supposed to be back and front written or what?
How do i write it in this structure they gave me?
This is what they said to me…
FORMAT FOR SUBMISSIONS
1. Submissions should consist of a book-length manuscript with a contemporary setting that will be suitable for readers ages 12 to 18.
2. Manuscripts should be no shorter than 100 typewritten pages and no longer than 224 typewritten pages. Include a brief plot summary with your covering letter.
3. Each manuscript should have a cover page listing the title of the novel; the author’s name, address, and telephone number.
4. Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced on 8-1/2″ x 11″ good quality white paper, and pages should be numbered consecutively. The type should be at least 10 point. The author should retain a copy of any manuscript submitted.