Target your market
- Target the right publishers or agents for your market (see our ‘How do I choose a publisher?’).
- Produce a well-written and professionally presented proposal that:
- shows you understand your market and how to access it
- identifies gaps in the market and shows that you understand where your book fits in.
Presentation
- Word-process on A4 plain white paper, one side only. Use a reasonable quality paper (eg 80gsm).
- Type sample chapters in double spacing.
- Leave wide enough margins (top, bottom, left and right) for an editor to make notes.
- Number each page (nothing more infuriating than an editor dropping your proposal and having to put it together again).
- Include your contact details on more than one page.
- Before printing out the typescript, check spelling and consistency (eg, use capitals, hyphens, headings in the same way throughout). NB Spell checks are not infallible –
use a dictionary if you’re not sure.
- Avoid staples (an editor may want to photocopy your proposal).
- Do not fold your proposal in half – for the same reason.
- If you would like your proposal returned, enclose a SAE – otherwise it will be filed in the bin.
Keep a copy in any case.
The Fundamentals
Know your market…Know your market…Know your market…
Have confidence in your book and resist the temptation to airbrush competing books out of your proposal. Ignoring your competitors might get you past the slush-pile editor but the issue will be raised later in the acquisition process, at the cost of making your would-be commissioning editor lose face. Being upfront now will show that you know your market.
Before starting your proposal, visit a well-stocked bookshop to get a feel for the way authors in your sector have presented their books. Important things to note are:
- price
- format (eg, hardback or paperback, size and shape)
- extent (number of pages)
- illustrations, diagrams and graphics (for non-fiction).
Ask the bookseller (in a quiet moment – never around lunchtime or at weekends) which are the bestselling books in your sector and check them out – then incorporate into your proposal the reasons why your book is not a 'me-too'.
Proposal Components
If your target publishers do not have their own submission guidelines, here is a checklist.
Covering Letter  return to checklist
Address this to the commissioning editor of the relevant imprint or list. NB Always address the editor by name, never as 'Dear Editor'. Keep it short - one page max.
Summary return to checklist
- Remember the one-second barrier. Your summary must enthuse an overworked/cynical/stale/risk-averse commissioning editor to read on.
- Be clear about what you want to communicate, make each word count and be ruthless about pruning adjectives – 'this fascinating, ground-breaking book' will have editors reaching for the bin.
- Include the 'Who, What, Where, Why, When, How' (WHO the book is aimed at, WHAT it’s about, WHERE it fits into the marketplace, WHY it is different from other books, WHEN would be a good time to publish and HOW it stands out from the rest).
- Address the key question: ‘Does it fit into the publisher's list?'
Contents return to checklist
This is for non-fiction books and is simply a numbered list of chapters and any other material (eg, appendices, index).
About the Author return to checklist
You might assume that you can improve on what you write about yourself later. You’d be wrong. Material written for a proposal has a habit of creeping into all later publicity material so take the time to get your draft right now. Do not include everything you can think of about yourself: tailor your details according to the target audience. Remember to include:
- brief biographical details such as age, education/career, where you live, whether you are married and have children, your hobbies or interests
- writing experience, including any previous books, regular slots in newspapers , magazines and/or websites, and any awards
- any media experience, such as radio, television or speaker events.
- If possible, include a photograph.
Criminal lawyer Steve Smith's website includes an example of an About the Author, as does Timewell Press's website.
Taregt Market return to checklist
Give your assessment of your target market and your thoughts on how to reach it. Include as much ammunition as necessary, eg:
- photocopies of previous reviews
- an endorsement by a well-known figure
- statistics or articles on the growing market for your book.
Sample Chapters return to checklist
A couple of sample chapters will do. If non-fiction, the chapters do not need to be sequential but should include all the elements that are to appear in the book (eg, quotes, tables).
Sample Illustrations return to checklist
Include photocopies of sample illustrations, photographs, diagrams, charts, etc. and if possible, who holds the copyright.
Copyright/Permissions return to checklist
Include a note of any copyright/permission issues
(for both quotes and illustrations). You prospective publisher needs to be aware of potential problems and possible costs.
Wordcount return to checklist
This can be approximate at this stage but try to be realistic. Remember that the wordcount is not only based on how many words you think the subject needs or how many words you can write but also on the research you have done into your target market.
Delivery Date return to checklist
This is the date by which you can deliver the finished manuscript to the publisher. Again, be realistic and build in enough revision time. Late delivery and publication can cause endless problems and may damage the sales of your book.
Marketing Possibilities return to checklist This section is designed to reduce your publisher's perceived risk. The fact that you are an enthusiastic, professional, marketing-orientated author is a good start but you will need something more concrete. Factors that will alleviate the concerns of a commissioning editor faced with the gladiatorial atmosphere of an acquisitions meeting include:
- the size of the market and customer profile/s
- whether there are any non-traditional outlets to add to the usual sales channels
- the existence of distinct consumer groups
- sales figures of previous books, reviews, prizes or awards
- relevant contacts who might endorse the book
- US/translations/book club/serial rights potential – anything to spread the financial risk
- societies that might give grants
- how you could support the book (eg, buying copies to sell at talks or events)
- societies or organisations that might promote the book
- regular slots in newspapers, magazines, radio or internet sites where you could run extracts or give yourself a plug.
And Finally…
After revamping your proposal, go through it a final time to weed out the inevitable errors of repetition, consistency, spelling and grammar that will have crept in. For a quick fix on words and stylistic errors, the Plain English Campaign website offers free advice in fhe form of downloadable pdfs on topics such as 'How to write in plain English', 'A-Z of alternative words' and 'Ten tips for proofreading'. We Recommend includes details of useful short reference books including OUP's 'onestepahead' series, with titles such as Spelling, Punctuation and Editing and Revising Text – all £6.99.
More hefty reference books include:
- Oxford Style Manual (OUP, £25.00, ISBN 0-19-860564-1). This combines in one volume the Oxford Guide to Style (based on the much-loved Hart's Rules) and the Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. The former deals with conventions of setting text (a useful tool for self-publishers) as well as those relating to punctuation, numbers, use of italic, bibliographies and citations. The latter lists in A-Z format the accepted forms of words and phrases and conventions of capitalisation and hyphenation (eg, 'wellingtons not Wellingtons', 'ad nauseam not ad nauseum', phone-in not phone in).
- Cambridge Guide to English Usage (CUP, £25.00, ISBN 0-52-162181-X)
By this stage your eyes will be glazing over so, as a final precaution, ask a couple of friends to give your proposal a read-through. Now you are ready to send it off. DON’T FORGET TO KEEP A COPY.
For Fiction Authors
Much of the advice given above is not relevant to fiction writers. Unless you are a celebrity in your own right, you will have to find other ways of tempting prospective publishers.
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- Don’t put them off right away with self-praise. Avoid adjectives and on no account bill your book as a 'brilliant debut novel' or the like – they hear this all the time and it puts their teeth on edge.
- Find a way of differentiating yourself. For example, if you have written a crime novel, the fact that you are an ex-police commissioner or a reformed criminal would be of interest.
- Do not rule out non-fiction writing for newspapers or magazines, as it all helps to build your profile, as does getting into the elusive festival circuit or entering writing competitions.
- Trawl your contacts for someone who might give you an endorsement. When it comes to finding a publisher, unless you have contacts that can help you gain national exposure, you may find smaller publishers or presses the best way in.
- An editor is far more likely to read your material if it comes via an agent. But to get an agent to read it in the first place, the same rules apply as for publishers.
If you are new to writing, cut your teeth on the many magazine and website outlets: magazines such as The New Writer, Writer’s Forum, Writing Magazine and Myslexia (if you are a woman) are all receptive to new talent. |
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Should you pay to have your manuscript edited?
There is nothing wrong in paying for help with editing, whether this takes the form of paying for editorial services or taking the self-publishing or subsidised publishing route. The proviso is that you need to make sure that you choose the right service for your needs and are not given false expectations. Getting editorial help may improve your proposal but is not a guarantee of a publisher’s or agent’s contract – here the overall package (marketing, marketing, marketing) is key.
If you are thinking of spending money on editorial services in an attempt to secure a publisher:
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- Avoid whole manuscript editing. This is usually a waste of money, as every publisher will have a different take on what needs to be done.
- One option is to contact a reputable professional association such as the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, run by Penny Williams. They produce a free directory that lists editors by speciality as well as geographical area. You should go for an editor who has experience in your target sector and also who does not deal exclusively with self-published books.
- It is beyond the scope of this site to give detailed advice on the many specialist editorial agencies that offer services to would-be authors. Two things to look out for are transparency (Are the costs clearly flagged? Are details of the editors’ credentials given? Do these credentials match your needs?) and realism (Does the site guarantee results?). Two sites which may be worth exploring are Storytracks and Writers Services.
- And do check out Johnathon Clifford’s Vanity Publishing site. Johnathon Clifford is the UK's leading anti-vanity publishing expert and his important site provides much free support and advice.
- The US site Writer Beware also gives a helpful explanation of the differences between vanity, subsidy, commercial and self-publishing, as well as of the danger signs to look out for. If in doubt, the Society of Authors can also help.
- Check out the 'Will I Ever Get Published?' FAQ for further pointers.
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