How in the world do I outline my query to an editor?

SageMinto · Aug 19, 2009

The publishing company I would love to send my novel to, has submission requirements as any other company.
It states that I send a query to a editor first, and I have no idea about how to begin outlining my query.

I looked up definitions, and detailed directions on what to include in a query to an editor.

But I still have a little difficulty on how I should start it, without trying to sound as if I'm rambling or know what I'm doing.

Before I actually type it up and send it off I would love some advice on outlining my letter.

EDIT: I'm sorry, I made the most reoccurring new member mistake...I made a thread on a sticky that answers my question already. Sorry

CACTUSWENDY · Aug 19, 2009

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=174

At the bottom of the page is a 'forum jump' area. Scroll down to the SYW (share your work) and the third choice down is the query area you are looking for.

There are tons to read through that might give you an idea how the process works. Good luck. When you finally get one you think is pretty good...post it for others to help with.

SageMinto · Aug 20, 2009

Thank you! I shall check it out!

SageMinto · Aug 21, 2009

Also I have a bit of confusion on what this publishing company is asking...

I'm wondering if they are asking for three chapters and synopsis in the manuscript when they request it, or if they are asking that when I send the query?

Here are their guidelines;
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/finditem.cfm?itemid=14298

Parametric · Aug 21, 2009

For fiction, send cover letter, first three chapters, and synopsis (no more than five pages).

You may QUERY ONLY by e-mail. Do not attach manuscripts or proposals to e-mail queries. An editor will respond if he or she is interested in seeing your material based on your query

Translation:

First contact by snail mail = query + first three chapters + synopsis.
First contact by email = query ONLY.

Have you considered approaching agents before publishers?

SageMinto · Aug 21, 2009

Thanks for translating that...whew.

I have thought about that a couple of times, but I was given the impression that an agent wasn't entirely necessary.

Do I really need one?

Parametric · Aug 21, 2009

SageMinto said:
Thanks for translating that...whew.

I have thought about that a couple of times, but I was given the impression that an agent wasn't necessary.

Do I really need one?

It's certainly possible to go it alone, but ...

An agent will help you polish and improve your work using their specialist knowledge.
An agent can submit your work to major publishers who won’t accept your own submissions.
An agent knows who the right editors are for your work and how to target them.
Publishers pay more attention to agented than unagented work.
An agent can, in the best-case scenario, run an auction (= multiple publisher offers).
An agent can negotiate the best deal for you.
SF writer Tobias Buckell did a survey on author advances and calculated that on average, even given that an agent takes 15% of any money you get from book deals they make, you are financially better off with an agent.
An agent also helps after the publication deal, smoothing over any problems, talking to your editor on your behalf, etc.
An agent can sell audio rights, foreign rights, etc for you.
An agent advises you on where to take your career next.
Then your agent takes your next book and does it all over again.

It's not a great idea to seek publishers before agents, because a work you've already shopped to publishers is less attractive to an agent - it can't be resubmitted to the same publishers. So if you're going to seek an agent at all, it needs to be now.

There are also way more agents than publishers, so you can afford to get rejected more often without hitting the panic button.

Most of our professional writers here at AbsoluteWrite are agented, and their advice is to seek an agent first, is my understanding.

(You picked a good time to join AbsoluteWrite - before you start submitting. :tongue

)

SageMinto · Aug 21, 2009

Thank you for all those facts...I needed more education on that..I think an agent is better..

But how do I find an agent for teens for the particular publishing company I'm aiming for?

I know there's this other company(not the one I posted) that specializes in publishing young author's but I do need an agent for that..

Evidently I'm better off roaming the forums right? =P

Parametric · Aug 21, 2009

Yep, you're definitely in the right place.

SageMinto said:
But how do I find an agent for teens for the particular publishing company I'm aiming for?

I know there's this other company(not the one I posted) that specializes in publishing young author's but I do need an agent for that..

Back up a step.

Agents take on the best authors with the best novels and get them the best deal possible. So they don't look specifically for teenage authors - only for the best authors. And they don't submit specifically to a single publishing company - they submit wherever they think they can get the best deal.

Your agent will know better than you whether the publishers you're thinking of are appropriate for your work, and they'll also know about fifteen other publishers (number plucked out of thin air) who are also appropriate. They submit to all of them and get whatever's the best deal.

So the question is not, "How can I find an agent for teenage authors?" All agents will take teenage authors if the work is good enough. And it's not, "How can I find an agent for a particular publishing company?" All agents will submit to a particular publishing company if the deal is good enough.

The question is, "How can I find the best agent who'll get me the best deal?"

Does that make any sense?

SageMinto · Aug 22, 2009

Yes I understand thank you. I appreciate your help =)

How in the world do I outline my query to an editor?

An old, sappy, and happy one.