If you write (or if you enjoy reading!), you might be asked at some point to look over someone else’s work. You might be asked what you think of it, and – if it’s unpublished – to give some feedback. This is usually known as alpha or beta reading, or critique. So if you’ve agreed to read someone else’s work – whether a short story, a section, a chapter or a full novel – what should you be thinking about? There are three main parts; expectations, critique, and feedback. Check the author’s expectations First thing – before you even look at the manuscript – is to check what the author actually wants. Checking at this stage can save a lot of work and heartache later on! What do they want from you? Writers might not necessarily tell you directly, so ask a few questions; there’s no point wasting time and energy on something that won’t be useful to the writer. What is their major concern with the piece? Do they want every flaw pointed out, or just major plot issues highlighted? Or do they consider the manuscript finished, and want you to do a final read before sending it to a publisher? What’s their time frame? Do they need it back in a week, several months, a year? Do they have an aim in mind – for example, an open submission period? Have they got other work to be getting on with, or are they likely to get impatient and bug you about the work even if they’ve said several months is ok? And, most importantly, can you do what they’re asking (ie. read a novel) in that timeframe? Are you sure you want to take this on? It’s not a nice point to have to put in, but every editor has come… read more →
Cover letters are usually sent with submissions, either to publishers or agents. They’re intended to say something about the item you’re submitting and about you as a writer and person. However, for something that sounds simple, they can be surprisingly annoying to get right. Here’s some advice from Joanne Hall, who is submissions editor for Grimbold Books and sees a lot of cover letters. Take it away, Jo! First of all, I should say that there’s a difference between the standard “cover letter” (UK format), and the US-standard “query letter” (examples and advice behind the link). The US letter usually asks for more information. As with everything – look to see if there are any guidelines on the publisher’s website before you start. Some publishers want 3-4 paragraphs about the book, some don’t. Usually if you’re including a synopsis with your query, you won’t need to include as much information. I find the American-style query letter works best if all you’re doing is sending out a query to see whether and agent or publisher might be interested in seeing your opening chapters and a synopsis. In that case, your query letter needs to do the work of your synopsis and opening chapters, to draw the reader in and make them want to ask for more. From a personal standpoint, I prefer a shorter query letter. The longer you make your query letter, the more chance there is that you might write something that would put me off? But let’s break it down, paragraph by paragraph. Use a clearly readable font, and don’t include any pictures unless requested. In fact, don’t include anything that hasn’t been requested! INTRODUCTION Include your mailing address and email address at the top of the letter. You don’t need to include a phone number, but you can if… read more →
When you send a submission, different publishers ask for different things. However, it will usually be at least the first 10,000 words, which should be your first 3-5 chapters. This is what the editor will read and what they will use to decide if your book is any good, and then decide if they want to read the rest of it. And it’s not just the editor; later on, the reader will do exactly the same thing. Ever flicked through the first chapter in a bookshop or read it on Amazon? What made you want to continue and buy the book? What made you put it down and move on? It’d be your impression from the first chapter or two. Basically, the start of your book is pretty freakin’ important for giving a first impression. Have a think about the first five chapters of your book. Have a think about any critique you’ve received. And if you’ve ever uttered any of these phrases or you think they might apply to you, please take a long, hard look at your work… “It gets better later…” I can and will stop reading. If you haven’t hooked my attention in the first five chapters, then you’ve lost me. The same goes with the longer view; if you don’t grab me with the first book, why am I going to read until Book 5 of your series when the ‘real’ action starts? You need to get me interested now. “This is just the prologue…” So why are you starting here? Start with the action! Start with the story! Tell me the parts you find fascinating! When you become a millionaire best-seller you can always do a “pre-story” novel or novella or something, but for now – get to the interesting bits. “Oh, you’ve got… read more →
I’ll start with a disclaimer and some credentials; I’m involved in the submissions and editing process for Grimbold Books, my publisher. It’s a small indie press, which in many ways is wonderful – anyone involved get to do a bit of everything! But it’s really made me realise that when I first started submitting writing to publishers, I had absolutely no idea of the process that goes on once your writing has hit the submissions inbox. Surely they just…read it? And then publish it? Well, yes…sort of. But it’s a bit more complicated than that. So, before you do any of this, go and read 5 Questions to Ask Before Submitting a Short Story. It applies to novels, too! Stage 1: Submission Read the subs guidelines! I know they’re annoying and it’s a pain to have to format (I submit too, so I have a lot of sympathy for the never-ending task of re-formatting things) but it really does make reading easier. And on the same note, please send the amount asked. If the guidelines wants 10,000 words, a little under or over is fine…but don’t send your entire manuscript. Having a synopsis is nice; it gives us some idea of how the story unfolds. We often won’t have time to read the entire thing, so the first 30 pages and a synopsis is excellent. Tell us something about you; you don’t have to seem quirky, but just some insight into who you are is nice. However, your work will speak for itself, so if (like me) you’re fairly self-conscious when it comes to showing off, you won’t miss out by not giving a huge bio. And lastly (again) – read the guidelines! You want to make the publisher’s job as easy as possible – and that means sending what… read more →
