Though some writers do submit a query before their novel is complete, I would not recommend this as an unpublished writer. I will post steps and then try to give my experiences and the processes and pitfalls I faced along the way.

First step
Novel should be complete and polished. In other words, check grammar, sentence structures, POV, etc..Basically it needs to be "ready to go". Because it is hard as a writer to edit your own work, I highly recommend you have someone review it for you. Some of the silliest mistakes we never see simply because we are too close to our own work.

Second step
Prepare a summary. Trust me, I hate this part, but you will need it. A summary should be an outline of your book from beginning to end devoid of extraneous details. Basically, what the agent is going to want to see is the story from beginning to end with no surprises in as short and concise a manner as possible.

Third Step
Prepare a short summary that looks like the back jacket descriptor on a book. Not all writers do this but I have had a lot of success with this in my query letters. In General a query letter should be short, sweet and to the point, generating enough interest from the agent that he ultimately requests that you send him more :D

Fourth Step
Prepare a short bio of your writing credentials. If you have none, then so be it. If this is the case, then simply mention your personal details and include a small snippet of what qualifies you to write the story you wrote. For example, though I am not published, the story I wrote was based on my experiences in Panama during Operation Just Cause. Basically, it let the agent know that I knew what I was writing about.

Fifth Step
Prepare a short query. This is the sum of your writing career, the one page that will sell you or shame you. it will get your foot in the door or slam it in your face. My queries are always simple and include the following:

An introduction:
Dear Agent,
I am submitting this query for my novel 'Panama Rain' for your review blah blah blah..dont make this part long..introduce yourself and tell him what you are sending him..

A summary
This should look like the back of a novel. The little blurb you read that makes you decide whether or not you want to read a particular story. Mine looks like this:

"Registered Nurse Emily Richardson, newly divorced and depressed, eagerly accepts an invitation from an old friend to work at Gorgas Army Hospital in Panama City, Panama. Leaping at the opportunity for change, she leaves behind her job and her old life in Seattle. As she rebuilds her lost confidence and finds a new love interest in attractive Blackhawk pilot Pat Jenkins, violence and rumors of war threaten to bring Panama crumbling to its knees. Soon, tragedy strikes close to her heart, threatening not only her own life and the lives of those closest to her, but Panama's very existence as the US declares war on General Manuel Noriega and his Panamanian Empire. As victims of the war flood into the hospital, it tests not only the limits of her ability as a nurse, but her heart as well. As she struggles to confront one man's crimes, she discovers that hidden within the mortar blasts and bullets there is an evil far more dangerous than that of the war "

Biography
Here is where you list your qualifications and personal info. Again dont go into too much detail..see my section above on writing your bio.

NOTE:
Not every writer does their queries the same way. This way works for me. I constantly get replies wanting to see more of my work. My query works, my problem is that my work needs work LOL..at any rate I hope this helps someone out there!

If you want help with this, please feel free to ask me. Id be happy to review your work or help you put a query together!

Thank you very much for the info. It's good to know how to approach the industry.

Yeah, I wish I had started sooner. It's one heck of a learning process! If I can help anyone avoid all the mistakes I made..I have done my good deed for the day! heh

I hear ya. I think the hardest part is breaking into the industry. Once you break in, its gravy after that (as long as the ideas are still there, lol).

This is wonderful information, thank you so much for posting it. :)

Hows about poetry?

Hows about poetry?

Heh I wish I knew!!! I will try to find out about submitting it for you though Frost :)

Thanks, I appreciate it :)

Originally Posted by Frost
Hows about poetry?

what do you want to know?... i'm a fairly full time poet with some paid/respectable publishing credits and i mentor many aspiring/beginning ones...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com

A summary

This should look like the back of a novel. The little blurb you read that makes you decide whether or not you want to read a particular story. Mine looks like this:

I'm a little bit confused about synopsis.

Should writers summarise all their written work from beginning to end, revealing the denouement of the story in the process, or should we just give a taste of what the story is about?

I'm a little bit confused about synopsis.

Should writers summarise all their written work from beginning to end, revealing the denouement of the story in the process, or should we just give a taste of what the story is about?

Of course check the individual publisher's guidelines for any specifics (not always but often they include some details).

In any case, in general if a separate synopsis is requested (many publishers ask for the first 3 chapters and a synopsis), the synopsis should cover the entire story, beginning to end (yes, no cliff hanger--tell how the story ends). Most publishers prefer present tense. Try to keep it as short as possible.

Inside a query letter, at most you get a paragraph to give the flavor and setting/action, but cannot include all, even the ending.

I recently ran across a few links that may help, and I'll try to post them later.

Terry

Many thanks, Terry. :)

Here is one link:

Marge Parker - Writing Hints/Tips (http://www.mkdesigner.com/synop.html)

Just google or yahoo seach synopsis writing, and you'll find many examples and bits of advice. Try to stick to those who are professionals in the field, but also remember that each editor, agent, or even house has individual preferences--what one likes or looks for another may not.

Yep, makes it a frustrating process at times and anything but easy. Hang in there and don't let this hurdle stop you from moving forward and submitting!

Terry

terry's right on target, as usual!... all i can do is ditto his posts here in toto...

Oh this is so helpful! Thanks everyone!

cogito just asked me to add a list of what to look for in a publisher, if one is submitting directly, without an agent... so, here goes [disclaimer: this is admittedly just my own opinion, but based on study, common sense, and feedback... and, although i don't claim to be an expert or to have vast first hand experience, i have been following the industry and dealing with/helping writers of all levels, for decades]...

before approaching a publisher:

1. check them out at preditors & editors [ http://www.invirtuo.cc/prededitors/ ], to see if there are any warnings posted... if there are, cross them off your list...

2. google them to see if there are any warnings posted elsewhere... if so, check them out to see if they sound legit... it sometimes takes a while before dave gets the info and adds a bad one to his p&e listings...

3. if no warnings, check out their website for...

-- appearance... does it have a clean, professional look?... is it easy to navigate?... does it contain all the info you expect to see on a publisher's site?... do they have a real address, or a drop box one?... is there a phone number?

-- books they've published... check out a few at amazon and see what they're priced at and if they've been heavily discounted, which indicates poor sales... check the reviews and see if they're clearly just by the author and friends, or by reputable reviewing entities... are they all paperbacks?... are the prices within acceptable limits, or are they selling pb's for the inflated price of a hard cover?... click on the authors' names and see if they're well-published, or one-trick-ponies... are their other books published by paying houses, or vanity publishers/pod's?...

-- submission guidelines... if a fee is charged for anything, run!... if paid editing services are even mentioned, run!...

-- faq's... look for info on advance/royalties paid... are they within going-rate norms? ... what is their policy on promotion and marketing?... do you have to do it all yourself?...

[I]when approaching publishers:

1. be sure your query/submission meets each one's guidelines...

2. have someone knowledgeable check out your query letter to make sure it's as perfect and compelling as possible...

3. tailor each query letter to the individual recipient... and address it to the appropriate editor [look it up in their current writer's market and other listings, or call, if you can't find a name]... if it looks/reads like a form letter, it'll be dumped or be put at the bottom of the pile...

4. be patient!... it can take months to get a reply... their website should give some indication of their normal response time... don't bug them till a month beyond the max time given... if you don't hear back by then, a follow-up letter or call to see if they got it, is acceptable...

5. you can query as many publishers at the same time as you want... send out as many as you can afford the postage for, but first make sure they publish the type of book you have to offer...

6. enclose nothing with the letter, unless their guidelines say to send it... offer to send sample chapters or full ms at their request... if you hook them with the query, they will...

when you are asked to submit sample chapters or full ms:

1. send only what they ask for... don't risk ticking off the editor by adding more than what was requested...

2. be sure the work is formatted correctly [see here for format guide: William Shunn : Manuscript Format (http://www.shunn.net/format/) ]...

2. send loose pages... do not use staples or any kind of binder... you can put the loose pages in a file folder inside the mailer, or a ms box, if sending the full ms... you can get free boxes from your local stationers, if you ask nicely... the ones that letter-sized file folders come in are perfect for a full ms... if that fails, you can buy ms boxes online or at an office supply store...

3. enclose an sase, if you want the material returned...

4. enclose a brief cover letter that only refers to the request, the date it was made, and editor's name...

when your work is accepted...

1. if acceptance is dependent on your making changes they require, you have to decide if it's worth your time to do that, knowing it's still no guarantee they'll take it on after you comply...

2. when a contract is offered, do not sign anything till you've had it looked over by a literary attorney, or have aquired an agent who'll negotiate the terms for you...

3. have the attorney/agent explain the terms re an advance [if any] and royalties, and provide you with reasonable alternatives you can request, if any of them don't meet with your approval for any reason... reputable publishers will expect you to negotiate and not just sign what they send you... if they balk at that, it's time to look deeper into their reputation and practices and see if you missed anything in your preliminary search that makes them a bad risk...

4. get a firm estimate of time expected from contract signing to book's release, so you won't be waiting on tenterhooks, thinking they forgot about you... this should be included in the contract...

5. find out what will be expected of you in the way of editing, changes, promotion, marketing, sales...

6. if all is well and you're happy/satisfied with all the details, sign the darn thing and go celebrate!

...hope this helps... love and hugs, maia

I have a question concerning the qualifications part of your query. What if you've never been published? I raise this question because I live nearby Springfield, Missouri, and all it is filled with is business things and not much to really submit to, especially when it concerns fantasy. Nobody really cares about fantasy around here.

Thanks very much. Being a new novelist, this is going to help me a lot. :D

if you've never been published, and/or have no 'qualifications' just don't mention it... if your material is good enough, no one will care...

you're welcome, paladen... glad you found it helpful...

hugs, m

I just skimmed this post since I am nowhere near this stage in my writing, but I do have one question.

Should your work be copy written before sending it to any publisher. I am living in a foreign country now and have often wondered how I would manage that. Could I just take it to my brother in law, who is a judge, and have him sign and date it or something like that? Would that be enough protection?

Should your work be copy written before sending it to any publisher.

btw, it's 'copyright' and 'copyrighted'... copywriting is writing copy for sites, flyers, ads and such... and in the us and many first world countries [signatories to the berne convention], your work is automatically copyrighted as soon as it's completed and exists in any reproducable form... after that, all you do is 'register' the existing copyright... in the us, that's done either at the gov't site [ www.copyright.gov ] or with the writer's union [www.wgae.org or www.wga.org ]... it's not necessary to go to that expense and trouble before submitting your work, since you already have protection under the law... for the additional benefits of registration, check the info sections of those sites...

I am living in a foreign country now and have often wondered how I would manage that. Could I just take it to my brother in law, who is a judge, and have him sign and date it or something like that? Would that be enough protection?

that would have no standing in court, so is no protection at all... same goes for what is called 'the poor man's copyright' which is mailing the work to yourself... the best way to protect your work in addition to the existing copyright and/or registration, is to save all your earliest notes on the idea and a couple of early drafts, to show how you developed the work from the original concept... no one else will have such a paper trail...

and it doesn't matter where you live... you can register and archive your work in the us from anywhere, as long as you pay the fee...

hope this helps... love and hugs, maia

Great information. It is really helpful.