Your First Novel by Ann Rittenberg

Author:Ann Rittenberg [Rittenberg, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2011-04-20T07:00:00+00:00

INSTANT TURNDOWN: FOUR STEPS TO THE FASTEST REJECTION POSSIBLE

1. Send in a complete manuscript without being asked.

2. Make sure it's a first draft.

3. And single-spaced.

4. And bound with steel rivets.

DON'T PHONE IT IN ...

Some people don't bother doing any research or following any submission guidelines at all—they call instead of writing. We get a couple of varieties of this call, such as:

"Is this a literary agency?" "Yes, it is."

"I've written a book and I don't know how to get it published. Can you tell me what to do?"

We usually direct them to the library with the suggestion that they look for directories and guides to getting published. Then there are the callers who know what a literary agent is but haven't done any research to determine whether our agency is likely to be interested in the kind of book they've written. These conversations are not very comfortable for either party:

"What kind of book is it?" "It's a fiction novel."

Or:

"It's a novel about extraterrestrials in the White House." Or:

"It's a five-hundred-page poem."

Or worse, they launch into along—if not endless—plot description. I will never know if these descriptions have an end because in almost every case I conclude the conversation quickly by saying, "I'm sorry, but it doesn't sound like the kind of book I represent."

... BUT IF YOU DO, MEMORIZE YOUR LINES

Although I don't recommend making a query call, you may have decided that's the most comfortable or efficient approach for you. If so, try not to be an "almost." These are callers who have researched the agency they're calling, yet when they get the agent they've targeted on the phone, they're so surprised they become tongue-tied. They stumble around, saying things like, "Wow, I didn't expect to get you on the phone," and "I forgot what I was going to say." This is perfectly understandable, but they had one shot, and they just blew it.

There is something they could have done to save themselves: They could have written a script of their pitch and rehearsed it before calling. The pitch should cover a few points:

• State whether or not you've been referred to the agency you're calling.

• Be specific about what you have written. "I've written a book" just isn't specific enough. Neither is "I've written a novel." Name the category. Don't force the agent to drag it out of you.

• Ask if the agent would like to read the manuscript.

• If the agent says yes, say thank you. If you're speaking to an agent who is somewhat senior, do not at this point ask for the agency's mailing address. If you have to say anything, just say you'll send it soon. Don't get overexcited and say you'll overnight it for morning delivery, unless the agent has asked you to.

• Have a little something in reserve about your writing background in case the agent asks. Don't try to squeeze it in if the agent sounds busy. If the agent says yes to your request to read the manuscript,

he's not asking for anything else at that moment.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.