I've just received a very short, badly written book. I was about to write a scathing critique saying ‘don’t take on this project’ when I did my preliminary Google check, just to see if the author was in the public eye, or if there was anything else I needed to know. The vital bit of info proved to be [...] that my client had already commissioned the work.
There's always an element of subjectivity when judging manuscripts. I hastily penned a report with plenty of constructive ‘suggestions for improvement’. Most published fiction books are between 70,000 and 100,000 words long and as this project was short, the author could expand it into a well-rounded book and not lose any of the work she had done already.
If you're writing a manuscript you'd do well to aim for about 80,000 words as it'll be instantly more commercial that way. Of course there are several other things to bear in mind for a professional submission.
My top five are:
- If you address your submission by name, check that the agency actually has an agent of that name. Some are named after a long-dead agent. It is – of course – even worse to send a letter addressed to an agent, but at another agency’s address!
- Submit your work in accordance with the guidelines an agency has set out in the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook – so don’t send children’s fiction to an agent that doesn’t handle it – or five chapters to an agency that has asked for three
- Use a standard font and word processing programme. Please don’t send in a submission in a handwriting-style font – it makes it much more difficult to read. Likewise, use a programme that most people can access, such as Word or Adobe.
- Mention your relevant writing experience, such as prizes won, publications you have had, or courses you have gone on.
- Keep your submission short and to the point. It’s great to see an author who has really thought about the marketing of their work, or potential illustrations, but that is the work a publisher will do after taking it on – so it’s not necessary at this stage.
Yours, Cressida
(Editorial consultant)
Yes, don't forget to look at our Writers' Zone and the Know How in particular.
Hi Cressida,
Foreign language words are often used in a work of fiction to add credibility and ambience etc to the setting. French and Spanish words have been used by various authors. Similarly, would Hindi (key Indian language) words be acceptable in a work of fiction? If yes, how would a reader who doesn't know Hindi understand? Would a glossary be the solution?
Thanks.
Sudeep
Err, hi guys,
Just signed up here in the hope of getting some tips. i'm writing a collection of short stories... i know that bit...but what comes after? once it's written?
Hope you're all having a lovely evening,
Mic