HELP!
I've just prepared my synopsis, and would appreciate peoples views and comments on my approach.
At the start I have put all the usual details of word count, overview, right availability etc. However, I wondered if I should put a box for "Target Audience" and if so... do publishers have their own particular "Publishing speak" for their target audiences...
ie... ABC1, Executive, B2 etc?

If anyone could give me comments on this I would appreciate it.
Kind regards

Hi, Ladybird.
If it's a non-fiction book, then you would be writing a proposal and pitching it to publishers before writing the book, and then, yes, 'target audience' would be one category to include in it. I see from your past post that yours is a memoir, I don't think its pitched in the same way as a non-fiction book - it's already been written, for a start.
If it covers a specific subject, then maybe it would have a different target audience from the standard memoir, in which case it might be worth mentioning it. Otherwise, I don't think it matters.

Why not strip out the personal details and bung it up on the Synopsis and Outlook group so we can take a look.


- NaomiM

<Added>

- I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "right availability". If you mean foreign rights, etc, I don't think it is usual for that to be included in a covering letter.

<Added>

...I believe that would be more for magazine articles.

No, I wouldn't put anything about this. Keep it simple. They'll be able to get an idea of who it's aimed at as soon as they read the synopsis - or should do.

I'm also confused about 'right availability'.

Yes, if it's memoir then I think you go about selling it more as you would fiction, unless you're someone in the public eye in a particular field, when it might count as that field of non-fiction. The assumption would be that no rights have been sold, and that you wouldn't be withholding any from the agent/editor you're approaching, so I don't think you need to mention it.

I think anything about the audience is probably best suited to the cover letter, when you might say something about the kind of reader it might appeal to. But on the whole, if you've said roughly what it's about, and something about the tone - humorous, heart-wrenching, off-beat- then as Jess says the synopsis will do the rest. You could always go for the 'A House in Provence crossed with A Million Little Pieces' line, to suggest the kind of thing it is, but if you do you need to explain how it's nonetheless not a clone of either.

Emma

Thank you all for your comments
RE Right availability - sorry - it's the French - I meant availability of rights, as we have been approached by production companies for media rights to this.
I have finally uploaded the start of my piece and would really appreciate ANYONES feedback on the first part of it, please be gentle with me, but honest too as it's my first attempt and all feedback is great!

http://www.writewords.org.uk/archive/21687.asp

Many thanks for your time

Hi Ladybird
Just to say I too have recently written my synopsis for a memoir - and found it incredibly difficult. I spent days on it and after sending it (as part of my submission) to four agents, who all rejected, I re-wrote it completely. I have since had a publisher request the full manuscript. But it could be nothing to do with the synopsis! Good luck with yours. I also live in France! A great place to write. Are you in the Dordogne by any chance?
Best wishes
Jude

OOOOPS! Slipped up there and signed off with my real name!

I meant - Best wishes

Franci!