Perfect Submission - part 1 York Festival of Writing 2014

THE PERFECT SUBMISSIONA mini-course with Nicola Morgan

General points

• What is the point?• What is a “perfect” submission?• Perfect in details• Always follow guidelines• Agent/publisher the same

Elements of your submission

Fiction (novel must be complete):1. Covering letter2. Synopsis3. Sample

Non-fiction (better incomplete):4. Covering letter5. Proposal (including chapter outline)6. Sample

Picture books / collections

Picture books• As for fiction, but provide whole text, not

sample. Only provide pics if you are professional illustrator.

Short story / poetry collections• As for fiction, but provide varied/representative

samples• Pray hard

The Sample Chapters

• How much? 3 chapters or <10k words approx• Which? ALWAYS THE FIRST!• How?– Double line spaced– Black print– Easy on the eye – no fancy font/colours– Standard speech punctuation rules– Paginated

Covering letter elements

• Include contact info; address properly• Para 1 – short intro; title, genre, length• Para 2 – pitch your book• Para 3 – pitch yourself• Para 4 – round off politely

Para 1 - examples

“I attach the first three chapters and synopsis of my historical romance, SHE RIDES AGAIN, which is complete at just over 100k words.”

“I attach the complete 400 word text for I AM SO NOT, my 12-spread picture book designed to be read to children of 3-5, and the synopsis for two other picture book texts which I have been working on.”

“I attach the introduction, proposal (including chapter outline) and first two chapters of a proposed non-fiction book, iPARENTING, which aims to help parents and grandparents negotiate the fast-moving world of modern children.”

To inspire you as you work….

Para 2 – Pitch your book

• Deal with this later!

Para 3 – Pitch yourself

• Any writing experience/credits?• Anything RELEVANT and interesting about you?• Show (but don’t tell) that you are professional,

hard-working, serious about your career. • Something to show how

passionate/knowledgeable you are about the genre?

• Something to show that you’ll be able/willing to take part in publicity/marketing?

Para 2 – Pitch your book

Let’s create a 25-word hookFICTION• Must have “must-read” factor • Should be concrete not abstract • Must suit the genre• Focus on MC – epithet + goal/problem/stakes • Should contains high emotional tugs

NON-FICTION• Clear and concrete• Distinguishing features• Who will read it and why?• What is the scope of the book?

Example 1

LIZZY INVISIBLE:

“Lizzy is overshadowed by her seriously-ill brother and super-talented sister. She is becoming invisible – literally. If she doesn’t solve her problems she will disappear completely.”

Example 2

THEN (Julie Myerson):

“A physically & mentally injured mother in a cataclysmic solar winter struggles to reconstruct her memories & find her children among the ghosts.”

Example 3

FLORENCE AND GILES (John Harding):

“A hyper-imaginative orphan believes her second governess is the evil reincarnation of her first. She must protect her brother, even if it drives her mad.”

Example from blog

1. A young orphan must face the unknown to protect her infant brother with only her faith in a forbidden moon goddess to help her. 2. Pursued by soldiers, a young orphan fights to protect her infant brother, guided only by her faith in the now-forbidden goddess of her ancestors. 3. Pursued by soldiers, a young orphan's fight to protect her infant brother leads her to wolves, moon magic and an ancient goddess.

Create your own 25-word pitch

• Focus on your book• Choose epithet for your MC• Jot down words/themes/events that come to

mind – one minute• Underline the 10 most important• Circle the 5 most important• Use them in your sentence

Build up to full paragraph

• Must-read factor• Aim at your intended readers – genre specific• Objective• Specific not general• Omit all but main chars, main plot, main point• Avoid rhetorical questions• Provide ending

BREAK!

Presentation Copyright ©Nicola Morgan 2014