First Three Chapters
Expert Literary Submission Review
Minneapolis , MN
kmiketic
General Advice
When you work with us, you'll recive not only excellent editorial and substantive advice,but also a wealth of industry experience. Read some general tips below. Questions? Drop a line to readme@firstthreechapters.com.
Common Submission Package Mistakes
- Go wild. Don't send out a "Dear Agent" lette to random agents just because you found the address of the agency.
- Assembly line approach. A flimsy white number 10 self-sealing envelope with a free return address label from the World Wildlife Fund makes it look like you sent out about 100 submissions.
- Paranoia. Writing copyright all over your pages makes it look like you're paranoid. No one wants to steal your manuscript, no matter how great you think it is. You're sending it out to people who want to help you, not fleece you. If you're that scared about it getting stolen, hire a literary attorney and consult.
- Scary love. Don't go overboard in your protestations of how much you love each book this editor has worked on. Don't enthuse too much about her blog, or friend her on facebook, or stalk her online. This is going to be a professional relationship.
- Arrogance. Don't say that this is the best book every written by the incredible genius that you are. Yes, it is so amazing that you actually wrote a book, and you should be proud! But be humble for now. Wait until you win that Booker Prize before you start getting cosmetic dentistry to celebrate your genius.
- Rushing. Don't send out a letter full of dumb typos because you grit your teeth and wrote your cover letter in one terrified burst. I've done it, so I know how it can happen, but just imagine how bad you would feel to get a rejection letter from someone because you misspelled her name! Better wait a day, edit, print, and repeat until perfect.
- Go wild. Don't send out a "Dear Agent" lette to random agents just because you found the address of the agency.
How to Stand Out
- Neat and tidy. Print out a clean manuscript with a nice, normal font and page numbers. (You'd be surprised).
- Nice paper. Print out your cover letter on resume stock, not flimsy paper out of the office xerox machine.
- Nice bright envelope. Send your materials in an attractive, flat envelope in a non-beige color.
- No stealing. Use stamps, not pre-printed postage labels. (The less you look like you used your office's supplies, the better).
- Research your agent. If she represented a book that is similar to yours, explain why you think she might want to represent another, similar book. Be clear and thorough.
- No typos. Have someone proofread your manuscript. You might not notice all the typos. At worst, spellcheck it.
- Network. Ask, ask, ask. Tell everyone that you wrote a book. Someone might know someone! Go to conferences and make friends with other unpublished writers. Make friends with published writers. Just do it!
Copyright 2012 First Three Chapters. All rights reserved.
Minneapolis , MN
kmiketic
