Transatlantic query etiquette

[UrsusMinor]

I'm not sure which forum this question should be posted to, but most of the agent/publisher questions seem to be here...

I am about to query some UK publishers and agents. Many of them ask for the first three chapters/first fifty pages of a novel.

Many of them also give some formatting instructions (margins, etc). My question is, to what extent should attempt to comply with UK publishing conventions? Do I need to print it out on A4 paper? Do I need to change all of my dialogue quotes from double curlies to singles? Do I need to change "color" to "colour"? Do I risk being sent to gaol if I skip these things?

[I've had nonfiction published in the UK (by The Economist), and they didn't seem to care about any of this; but, on the other hand, those were monographs they solicited me to write, so putting my best foot forward wasn't an issue.]

Any advice? And, if the answer on the A4 paper is "yes, you must," any suggestions on how the heck I can manage to print it? My HP LaserJet printer tray doesn't accept A4...

[arrowqueen]

If it's a good enough story, I'm sure you'll get away with a multitude of sins. You can always apologise in advance in your cover letter. Mind you, if it's got a British setting, it might be an idea to conform to our spelling.

[arrowqueen]

(Though I'm sure James will pop in any minute and kick me.)

[UrsusMinor]

Thanks, Arrowqueen...

No, it's not a British setting (mostly US, with some scenes set in Baja, Vienna, and Damascus). Just something no US press will touch in the current political climate.

[Cathy C]

My HP LaserJet printer tray doesn't accept A4.

Don't you have an adjustable envelope guide on your model? Mine does, and it handles A4 just fine. You might ask this part of the question over in Tech Help. I'll bet someone over there knows how to do it. :)

But in answer to the rest of the question, if the publisher has stated guidelines, you're cutting down your chances with each rule you break. You might skim past, but every OTHER tiny mistake will thereafter be made more noticeable. Your goal in querying is to be certain that you leap through all of the hoops possible so your WORDS are all they notice.

JMHO, of course.

[L M Ashton]

Ursus, does your laser printer have paper trays that only fit letter-sized paper and are not adjustable? If that's the case (I've seen some laser printers like that), then it should have a manual feed slot as well. You might want to check your instruction manual for that. I've printed up long reports that way using specialty paper and it worked fine.

[Sassenach]

It doesn't matter. UK agents know that the US uses 8.5x11; US agents know UK writers will submit on A4. No one is going to disregard a promising submission because of paper size.

I've judged a number of RWA contests, and that's their policy.

[UrsusMinor]

Thanks to all for their replies.

My laserjet tray is not adjustable, but there is a page-by-page manual feed option...

I'd much prefer to adopt Sassenach's POV, though!

[James D. Macdonald]

I'd much prefer to adopt Sassenach's POV, though!

Sassenach is correct. I'm sure you have better things to do than special-order off-size paper then spend the afternoon hand-feeding it through your printer a sheet at a time.

[HapiSofi]

...Just something no US press will touch in the current political climate. Are you sure? Fortunate Son and various books about L. Ron Hubbard have gotten published. The Anarchist's Cookbook has been continuously in print since grandma wore hotpants. And so forth and so on: we needn't multiply entities any further to make the point.

If you're talking about general-readership trade publishing, the British industry is harder to break into, and it sells to a significantly smaller audience. Why wish that on yourself if you don't have to?

[mistri]

Don't worry about paper size. As for spelling, as long as you're consistent you should be fine :)

[Roger J Carlson]

Just something no US press will touch in the current political climate.Seems to me you ought to let the US publishers decide that, rather than presupposing it yourself.

[UrsusMinor]

Seems to me you ought to let the US publishers decide that, rather than presupposing it yourself.

Good advice in principle, Roger, but in this case I'm not presupposing. I've already had rejections from the big kids in the US.

"Page-turner," "great characters, "wonderful premise," but "the fact that the bad guys are Americans makes it an impossible sell for us in the present climate."

I'm not talking one or two presses here. I'm talking senior editors at the half-dozen major houses, all saying roughly the same thing. My agent says it clearly isn't the writing, but the subject matter. Maybe everyone is just being nice to me, but it's kind of odd that they all say the same thing.

My agent has given up on the book; she doesn't want to go with anything smaller or more distant than a major US house.

I am looking overseas based on the advice of published novelists who have read the book. And a half-dozen major American novels have had to be published in the UK first, so there is plenty of precedent. I'm just trying to keep from shooting myself in the foot while I seek representation over there

[UrsusMinor]

Sassenach is correct. I'm sure you have better things to do than special-order off-size paper then spend the afternoon hand-feeding it through your printer a sheet at a time.

I'll take that as conclusive, Uncle Jim...

[JanW]

Am I correct to assume that it works the other way round? I'm in Australia and print on A4. It's narrower, so my laser printer wouldn't even handle the wider letterhead (I think it's the same as foolscap paper size here).

add: Is there any danger of not fitting some magic file cabinet size? A4 is longer than letterhead.

Someone also mentioned word usage differences in American and British English. We use British English mostly, but I've edited our manuscript to US English in hopes of publication there.

Question: does one mention the form of English used in the query letter or on the cover sheet, or just assume the staffer will figure it out?

[James D. Macdonald]

I expect that when they see your return address mentioning New South Wales that the nice folks at the publisher will figure it out. Leave your spelling as it is -- if the story is compelling enough for them to buy, it'll be compelling enough for them to hire someone to change the spelling (if they choose to do so). And folks in America know that folks elsewhere use A4 paper. They aren't going to hold it against you.

What you need is a first page that demands that the second page be read, and a second page that demands the third be read as well....

[Popeyesays]

I'd start with agents who accept e-mail submissions first. The cost is going to be unGodly for many manuscripts to be sent at once. Lots of British agents will accept e-mail queries and samples.

Regards,
Scott

[Carmy]

You'll find a list of UK agents here: http://www.bloomsbury.com/WritersArea/AgentsUK.asp?Page=2


Popeye's right, it's going to cost to airmail manuscripts. This is one time when you ask them to destroy the manuscript rather than return it.

Good luck.

[roach]

I think changing the spelling and grammar from American to British English adds just another chance for mistakes. Better to stick with the usage with which you are already familiar.

If you're sending a submission package overseas spend a little time with your local PO clerk to figure out the most economical way to ship. Part of me wants to suggest flat rate global priority (the rate is $9 IIRC) but it's been a few years since I've had to ship anything substantial overseas.

Good luck

[JanW]

Thanks all. I'm in Victoria, actually. NSW is Sydney ;)

Yes, I've been going the email route for agents, mostly in the US, but got nowhere. I often wonder if that is too limiting, but the expense is not something I want to pursue until it's a fair dinkum interest. (And no, I don't use Aussie speak in my novels unless they are set here! :D )

I'll pursue the UK ones next. Cheers

[scarletpeaches]

I use " as quote marks and ' as an apostrophe.

And I'm British! I've never thought it mattered...

[JanW]

This is one of my quandaries, peaches. I use single quotes for dialogue and double quote for embedded quotes. It can get quite silly looking when there are possessives within dialogue and embedded quotes as well!

The other thing I do is leave out the full stops (periods) on Mr and Mrs etc. My critter often points that out, but it's Australian style.

England and America are two countries separated by a common language. --George Bernard Shaw

[James D. Macdonald]

What it all boils down to is use your national standard paper size, and use your national standard spelling.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is trying to get a local agent (local to you, that is) who has a business relationship with an agent in your target country.

Best of luck to everyone.