For non-fiction, platform and qualifications are very important (if your book is about surviving in the Himalayas, your adventures are relevant and important). Your Himilayan adventures can go into the author profile if you need to add one. For a fiction submission, ensure the letter is more about the book than you.When you find yourself standing next to a legendary agent at a book launch, stun them with your brilliant pitch and they’ll remember you when you send in your manuscript! You will need to practice this to get it right but these will be lines you will use continuously. Try and summarise your book in a pitch paragraph – and open your letter with it.If you have significant writing accolades or are a TV star, include this information in a separate author profile. The word count will immediately tell an editor whether your book is of a commercial length and whether you understand your genre. Ensure you include your book’s title, genre and word count.If you saw them speak on a panel, mention that. Noone wants to feel part of a herd – show why you want to approach this person with your (precious) work, show you know who they represent and that you know who they are. When you are emailing, NEVER blanket cc OR bcc agents.Make sure this is the right person within the organization to handle your genre – and make sure they are currently open to submissions! Mistakes here show you haven’t done your research, which in turn throws a question over how serious you are about getting into the publishing business – why should an editor spend time reading your submission if you haven’t spent time finding out how they spell their surname or you are ignoring their guidelines?.Find out if the agent or editor you are approaching is a Mr. Curtis Brown) Google them to get the spelling right. PERSONALLY address your email to the right person – use the agent or publisher’s name (NOT Dear Mr.Or they may never get past the covering letter. Don’t spend months on your book and five minutes on your cover letter, take time to get it right! Show you can write – no typos, tangled sentences or waffle. Beautifully presented, spell checked and coherent – think of your letter as a job application.Submitting under a pen name can be confusing for everyone and you need to speak to your agent to discuss why/what that name will be – it’s often a marketing tool and needs to be thought through. If you plan to or are considering using a pen name, save that for a conversation with the agent when they take you on. The whole industry works on email so ensure your own email address is sensible and easy to find – ideally with your name in it, and check it regularly. This is your first point of contact with someone who, potentially, has your future in their hand, so make the right impression the first time. What is the first thing an agent or publisher sees when they open your submission email? National Emerging Writer Programme Overview.
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