Please help the ignorant! As a new writer, i'm in the process of contacting agents / publishers for the first time and feel a little overwhelmed about the advice out there as to how to go about it.
Beyond a cover letter, I am a little confused regarding the book synopsis or book proposal:
Do I just send a 1-2 page synopsis (including a brief summary, a chapter outline and a bit of info on myself) plus the first three chapters
OR
Do I send an entire book proposal, including information on the potential market, sales, my own credentials.
I think I am a little confused as to whether the synopsis is part of the book proposal (a section of the whole) or whether it IS the book proposal and is a single piece of writing with several sections.
Any help so gratefully received! (I have written a non-fiction text btw).
Thank you!
Rachel, I'm afraid the only answer is that you need to follow the guidelines/requirements stipulated by each agent and publisher that you are contacting.
My other advice would be:
- Only submit if you have actually completed a manuscript.
- Keep your submissions/queries personalised. Try and use their name, if possible, and be careful of names like "Sam" which could be of either sex.
- Make sure your work fits what the agent/publisher is looking for. If you check the social media accounts of the person you are submitting to, you might find that they are "not currently seeking manuscripts" or "not currently seeking ", etc.
- Double check the email address/postal address that you are sending your work to.
Also, to answer your question, a synopsis is part of a book proposal. The other parts are your cover letter and actual manuscript (usually the first chapter, first three chapters, or first stipulated length of words ie. 10,000). Again, your book proposal will need to be tailored for every person you submit it to.