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The Brass Ring Or The Bottom Rung
24 million adults in the United States consider themselves creative writers but less than 5% have ever been published anywhere. 172,000 titles were released in 2005. It has been estimated that at any one time there are between 5 to 6 million manuscripts looking for a publishing home. Many writers are turning toward publish-on-demand (POD) houses like iUniverse, AuthorHouse and Publish America to get their books into readersÂ’ hands. About 25,000 titles will be released by POD houses in 2006. Does a publish-on-demand book, sometimes called vanity or subsidy publisher, help a previously unpublished writer get closer to the brass ring of a commercial publishing contract? Or does it bump them down a rung on their climb up the publishing ladder?
Writers often comment that a publish-on-demand book will at least “get their name out there” or that a POD book will show that they are capable of writing a 50,000 to 100,000 word manuscript. But does a POD book really help get a writer commercially published? That question was asked of nearly 60 successful literary agents in the Hill and Power 2006 Survey of Literary Agents.
These agentsÂ’ collective opinion is that a publish-on-demand book seriously hurt an authorÂ’s chance at being commercially published. Agents were asked to rate their response from 1 - significantly hurt, to 5 - significantly helped. The average rating was 2. 28% declared a POD title to be neutral (a rating of 3) but half of those specified that a POD title would only help if the sales reached a significant level, from 5,000 to 10,000 copies. Just a handful of publish-on-demand titles have reached that level of sales. The average number of copies sold for a POD title is around 100.
The book publishing industry has never been easy to break into and these same literary agents see the environment getting a bit more challenging in the next year or so for unpublished writers. Combine that with the significantly increased number of unsolicited submissions agents say theyÂ’re receiving and writers need every boost they can get toward agency representation and the ultimate goal of commercial publication.
Unfortunately, contrary to what quite a few writers think, that boost isnÂ’t going to come from a publish-on-demand book.
BONUS : The Cover Letter Made Easy!
You have completed your ms, and now what?
You may ask yourself:
How can I submit it to publishers?
How can I present it?
Here comes the cover letter. It is not difficult to write one, just follow the instructions below.
Submitting the right cover letter to the editors /publishers will increase your chances of getting your work accepted!
What is a cover letter?
It is a letter that goes with your work. You canÂ’t send your work alone. You need to say something about it and about yourself in the cover letter.
This letter is very important as it is this document that will persuade prospective editors/publishers to read your work.
It is not difficult to write a cover letter, but you should be careful not to omit any essential info. If you donÂ’t do it right, you canÂ’t expect success.
I will help you do it right. If I can write a cover letter, you can do it, too. ItÂ’s easy.
LetÂ’s get started!
• First write your name, address and contact number/e-mail on the right side of an A4 sheet.
• Next, write the editor/publisher’s name and address on the left side, below your personal info.
• Write the date on the right side.
• Start with : Dear Mr/Ms –name of publisher
ItÂ’s better to write the name of the publisher if you know it. If you donÂ’t, start with: Dear Sir/Madam
• Keep in mind that the letter is formal. Don’t use any contractions such as I’m or it’s.
The first paragraph
Now you can add the first paragraph. It goes like this:
‘I enclose the synopsis of my book/article and I wonder if you would be interested in it.’
• Now give the publisher sufficient info about your book/article. Tell him in 1-2 lines the content of your book/article.
e.g. Let us suppose youÂ’ve written a book about Turtles.
You can write:
TURTLES is about keeping and caring for turtle pets indoors.
The main body
You should tell the publisher why the people are going to read such a book, and who is going to buy it.
e.g. TURTLES is a pet book that would interest children from 8-16 years old, and all pet lovers as well. This book is original because it is written with children at that age in mind , and it is practical and easy to read.
• You must convince the publisher that you are qualified to write on the subject.
e.g. ‘ This book is based on my own experience in turtle
breeding. Or ‘ I have worked in a pet shop for two years...’ . You can add any experience you’ve had on this subject. Ask yourself:
Any other experience relevant?
Any studies?
Any research?
More tips
• Be brief and informative. One page of an A4 sheet is enough.
• Now, if you wish, mention in your letter that you also enclose a sample chapter of your book.
e.g ‘I also enclose a list of chapters and a sample
chapter for you to read.Â’
The cover letter usually goes with a synopsis, a sample
chapter and a list of chapters.
This is the complete proposal package and I always do so myself. However, you can send a cover letter and a synopsis only, but be prepared to have a sample chapter ready whenever you are asked to by a publisher to submit it.
It usually takes a lot of time before you get a reply, so you may as well send the whole package to save time.
• State that you enclose a s.a.e ( a second envelope that is stamped and addressed to yourself). They are not going to reply if you don’t enclose this.
• Close the letter. Be polite.
e.g. ‘ Thank you for your time.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest
convenience.
Yours sincerely
Your full name
Your e-mail address
• If you wish to use the internet to submit your work, follow the same procedure-of course there’s no need for a s.a.e.
Last notice
Before you submit any work, read the regulations thoroughly . Some publishers do not accept sample work via e-mail!
Now, you are ready to write your own cover letter.
GOOD LUCK!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
748
You have completed your ms, and now what?
You may ask yourself:
How can I submit it to publishers?
How can I present it?
Here comes the cover letter. It is not difficult to write one, just follow the instructions below.
Submitting the right cover letter to the editors /publishers will increase your chances of getting your work accepted!
What is a cover letter?
It is a letter that goes with your work. You canÂ’t send your work alone. You need to say something about it and about yourself in the cover letter.
This letter is very important as it is this document that will persuade prospective editors/publishers to read your work.
It is not difficult to write a cover letter, but you should be careful not to omit any essential info. If you donÂ’t do it right, you canÂ’t expect success.
I will help you do it right. If I can write a cover letter, you can do it, too. ItÂ’s easy.
LetÂ’s get started!
• First write your name, address and contact number/e-mail on the right side of an A4 sheet.
• Next, write the editor/publisher’s name and address on the left side, below your personal info.
• Write the date on the right side.
• Start with : Dear Mr/Ms –name of publisher
ItÂ’s better to write the name of the publisher if you know it. If you donÂ’t, start with: Dear Sir/Madam
• Keep in mind that the letter is formal. Don’t use any contractions such as I’m or it’s.
The first paragraph
Now you can add the first paragraph. It goes like this:
‘I enclose the synopsis of my book/article and I wonder if you would be interested in it.’
• Now give the publisher sufficient info about your book/article. Tell him in 1-2 lines the content of your book/article.
e.g. Let us suppose youÂ’ve written a book about Turtles.
You can write:
TURTLES is about keeping and caring for turtle pets indoors.
The main body
You should tell the publisher why the people are going to read such a book, and who is going to buy it.
e.g. TURTLES is a pet book that would interest children from 8-16 years old, and all pet lovers as well. This book is original because it is written with children at that age in mind , and it is practical and easy to read.
• You must convince the publisher that you are qualified to write on the subject.
e.g. ‘ This book is based on my own experience in turtle
breeding. Or ‘ I have worked in a pet shop for two years...’ . You can add any experience you’ve had on this subject. Ask yourself:
Any other experience relevant?
Any studies?
Any research?
More tips
• Be brief and informative. One page of an A4 sheet is enough.
• Now, if you wish, mention in your letter that you also enclose a sample chapter of your book.
e.g ‘I also enclose a list of chapters and a sample
chapter for you to read.Â’
The cover letter usually goes with a synopsis, a sample
chapter and a list of chapters.
This is the complete proposal package and I always do so myself. However, you can send a cover letter and a synopsis only, but be prepared to have a sample chapter ready whenever you are asked to by a publisher to submit it.
It usually takes a lot of time before you get a reply, so you may as well send the whole package to save time.
• State that you enclose a s.a.e ( a second envelope that is stamped and addressed to yourself). They are not going to reply if you don’t enclose this.
• Close the letter. Be polite.
e.g. ‘ Thank you for your time.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest
convenience.
Yours sincerely
Your full name
Your e-mail address
• If you wish to use the internet to submit your work, follow the same procedure-of course there’s no need for a s.a.e.
Last notice
Before you submit any work, read the regulations thoroughly . Some publishers do not accept sample work via e-mail!
Now, you are ready to write your own cover letter.
GOOD LUCK!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
748
