Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract : The Complete Guide to Writing Query Letters, Synopses and Proposals for Agents and Editors (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Marshall J. Cook (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

And you thought writing your novel was difficult! Now you have to wade your way through query letters, synopses, outlines, agents, cover letters, proposals, and, with any luck, editors and publishers. There is an etiquette to gaining representation for your novel, and you'd be a fool not to follow it after all the hard work you've put in. Stellar agents are not exactly twiddling their thumbs waiting for the phone to ring or the mail to bring in the next batch of writers' queries; one wrong sentence or mistimed phone call (but you wouldn't really wake a sleeping agent, would you?) can foil your chances completely. Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook, authors and teachers both, have enlisted published writers (Elmore Leonard, Dick Francis, Stephen King), agents, and editors to help them teach us everything there is to know about turning that manuscript into a published novel. "Getting your novel published," they warn, "will take the same sort of creative problem solving, the same determination and persistence, the same refusal to quit that you brought to writing the book." True. Except this time, you have their help. What qualifications should you include in your query letter? How do you portray a whole novel in a one-page synopsis? How long should you expect to wait for a response? Camenson and Cook cover it all. The keyword to success here is professionalism, and, if you follow the advice put forth in this book, you'll learn how to be a professional in this business, from the very first query to the "firing the agent who isn't working out" missive. --Jane Steinberg

Product Description

The only guide of its kind created just for fiction writers. Drawing upon the insights of experienced authors, editors and agents, it provides writers with crucial information needed to get published in today's rapidly-changing fiction industry.

Using examples from real novel proposals, this guide illustrates all the do's and don't of pitching a manuscript, including how to:

-target the right publishers
-find a great agent
-network and make important industry contacts
-send a query letter that gets attention
-avoid editors' and agents' "Top 10 submission pet peeves"
-master the elements of a strong synopsis and killer cover letter

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books; 1st edition (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898798752
• ISBN-13: 978-0898798753
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #130,940 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for aspiring writers, December 2, 1999

By	[e-mail] - See all my reviews

From the very first sentence in the introduction--A quote by Tom Clancy: "If you don't believe in yourself, who the hell will?"--to the appendix filled with resources for writers, authors Blythe and Marshall supply all the information needed to submit a novel proposal that works. In part one, The Approach, the authors show readers the many publishing options and make sense of the multifaceted world of imprints and publishing house ownership. Part one teaches readers how to find the correct agent or editor, how to properly format the query letter, and how to pitch the project. In part two, The Package, chapter five is titled, Give 'em What They Want--advises writers how to respond to editors' or agents' requests. Synopses are discussed in chapter six and cover letters in chapter seven. Unlike other writing books, Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract discusses what to do after you have submitted--handling the wait, preparing for the possibility of rejection, and working with agents and editors. The book includes many checklists, samples and numbered lists to help the reader assimilate the information. If you're writing a novel, you need this book. Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract makes a terrific addition to any writer's personal library...

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new writer's best friend, March 22, 2000

By	Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Wow! Your Novel Proposal from Creation to Contract will hold the new writer by the hand; the thoroughness of the topics covered in the book helps to make sense of the scary and uncertain world of publishing. I appreciated and learned much from items such as (1) the sample cover letters and how to format (2) query letter tips (3) sample synopses with a final checklist of what to do when submitting (4) what to do when you're rejected (5) the practical information that more than likely you're going to be rejected, etc. The more information you receive, the better prepared you will be to submit your package when attempting to sell your novel. Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook have done future authors a superb service in creating such a practical and informative book on novel proposals. Great job!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Novel Proposal Review, January 14, 2000

By A Customer

A nicely organized and readable guide that answers many "how to" questions for new writers. For me, showing examples of query letters and synopsis proposals, along with a checklist of what to include was very helpful. Also, I found the web site guide in the appendix useful. Overall, it's well worth the price.