Okay, once again, I'm hoping this is alright for me to submit...the last post was too long, I guess? If this is something you don't want posted here, feel free to delete it webmasters. I just think this is exactly what I was looking for.
Okay:
#6 Just because agents ask for the first fifty pages, doesn't mean that you have to get to the BIG moment in the first fifty pages. What is an agent looking at? An Agent wants to be pulled into the story, see that it's unique, and that the writing is good quality.
A good thing to do is to take the first fifty pages of your story and give it to your target audience (preferably ones who don't fear your wrath or think everything you do is perfect), and then have them mark it with red everytime the story lags or they get bored...and then fix it.
#7 Your query letter is your sale's pitch. Make it good. No matter what they ask for, send this...don't waste your money on sending a whole ms or waste yours and the publisher's time...just send this query package in and you will get results. If they are interested, they will ask for the first fifty pages:
The four things your query package must contain, and it must be in this order, so that it WILL be seen in this order:
A. First page: Submit one page of your book that is the most gripping...put the page numbers beneath...basically make it look like you just jerked it from your manuscript and stuffed it in. It's a writing sample.
B. Second page: Make a blurb (the kind you would read on a jacket cover of a book). Make the book sound unique, exciting.
C. Third page: The actual query letter. Keep it short and to the point. Title, page numbers, why you considered this agent (if necessary), possible marketing plans (especially if it's a smaller publishing company)
D. Fourth page: An 8x10 photograph of yourself. Agents/ publishers want to know if you're presentable. Why? Because if you can hack the marketing process (booksignings, interviews, meeting the public), that's most of the battle for selling a book. Publishers are looking for a product that they can sale and YOU are part of that product. No, you don't have to be a supermodel or anything like that, you just have to look capable, presentable...you get the picture.
#8 Do not send in a SASE. His reasoning?--when you ask a girl out on a date, you ruin your case when you say "Just in case you're not interested, here's an easy way out." He asked all those who had been published before if any of them had gotten an acceptance through a SASE. None of us had.
If the publishers/ agents were interested, they just called us or emailed us or tried to get a hold of us as quickly as possible. THEY DID NOT USE THE SASE! If you don't hear back from these agents, it just means that they're not interested. Who wants to get a rejection letter in an envelope addressed in your own handwriting anyway? Don't betray yourself.
Someone brought up the point, "Yes, but what if they decide to give you some good input?--he said, that unless they read the first fifty pages (which they have to ask for or they won't read it), it's basically useless at this point.
This was actually the tip that he said most of us wouldn't do, and he told us that if we REALLY wanted to put in a SASE we could, but it's just a waste of a stamp and another rejection that we'll get in the mail to spoil our day.
#9 Send out simultaneous submissions. If not, you're wasting your time (this was a BIG surprise to me...and so I asked some of the authors afterwards, 'Yeah, but what if they get mad?'--and they said, 'Well, then you can cross them off your list.'). Hmm?
He said if you know what you're doing, you can send out twenty at a time, but for beginners, maybe just five.
Oh, and this is important. Research these potential agents/ publishers before you send them your ms. Google them and see if anyone has had any complaints against them. Be careful of swindlers.
#10 And then finally, when an agent or a publisher asks for the first fifty pages and THEN they reject it, ask them why and then offer to make those changes and ask if they would THEN be willing to consider it?
If not, make those changes anyway and then try other places...and don't be afraid to try the original place again after you've made even more changes (and cite those who asked you to make those changes).
Just be polite, get a thick skin, do the work and ask the publishers/ agents if they're interested yet...yet...yet?--Be sure to tell them that you've made important changes to the book. And of course, this is ONLY after they've asked to see the first fifty pages.
PS: Don't be in a big rush to get a rejection from the editor (after you've turned in the fifty pages). The longer it takes to get back to you (after they've accepted the fifty pages), the better your chances are. So, just go on to your next project and wait.
PSS: More people are making a living as a professional baseball player than as an author. So go for it! Though you just might have to get a side job.
So, those are the tips. I think I'll try them out. I'm still nervous about that stinking SASE, but I'm going to think of this as an experiment, ya know? I'll tell you how it goes...if I get blacklisted or not, huh?
