Here is a submission letter I'm getting ready to send out. As I work for a publishing company, I was lucky enough to have the help of one or two other editors -both of whom receive hundreds of book proposals and query letters a year. Thought it might help those of you preparing for this step.

All the best

Luke


Dear Submissions Editor,

I am writing to you regarding my crime novel Passengers, which you might wish to consider for possible publication. Passengers was picked from over a thousand entries to be short-listed for the 2005 Lit Idol competition and the novel came third overall. Passengers received favourable comments from literary agent Ali Gunn who described it as ‘absolutely top quality’ and compared my writing style to Mark Billingham and Jimmy McGovern. The writer Val McDermid described it as ‘gritty British noir’. I have included a short two-page synopsis of the novel as well as the opening three chapters.

I feel that Passengers would definitely enhance the current Hodder crime list and could comfortably sit alongside works from Margaret Murphy or Jake Arnott.

As for myself, I work as a Project Editor for a long running and well respected reference publisher and have had several pieces of writing published including short stories, poems and essays.

If you would like to see any further chapters or discuss this book further please feel free to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

That's really helpful, Luke. Thanks for that and very best of luck with it!!

Sue
x

Wow. Impressive. It would have my attention. The fact that it got so far in Lit Idol has got to help, but if an agent thought is was so good, why didn't he take it on? Or was he on the Lit Idol judging panel?

I was considering sending my last novel direct to publishers.

Dear Sir,

I've recently completed a novel of 93,000 for young adults. I have no doubt of its popularity as it has already been read by thirty six literary agents. Caroline Sheldon said, "sorry, not for us", Curtis Brown told me "our list is currently full" and Watson Little came back with, "Not known at this address"

I'd be very grateful if you would consider looking at the sample chapters as I've run out of agents to send it to.

Love, colin.

I think you've got it spot on there, Colin! I'll look out for it on the bestseller lists. Obviously won't be long before you're up there with the best of them!
S
xxx

A novel of 93,000 for young adults

Wow, that's a lot of young adult novels you're planning to write...

Aye, haha, reads like I managed to complete one of the 93,000 I started.

Colin M
(just one of a million monkeys!)

The one thing I always remembered from eth meagre career lessons at school was never to start a letter beginning with I am writing - cos frankly it's obvious that you are! maybe this a lessoN i've learnt too well and are rather prissy about as many business people do it. but I personally hate seeing it. funny how these small things affect you over the years!

otherwise a very good letter.

Luke,

That's a very good letter. I've only a couple of minor points: put Passengers in either inverted commas or bold; and - I'm sure you're aware of this but it's worth saying in case anyone isn't - always try to find an actual relevant name to address a letter to.

Colin,

It might just work!

Terry

I'm by no means an expert but doesn't 'which you might wish to consider for possible publication' seem a little wishy washy. 'Might' and 'possible'sounds sort of like a double hurdle. You might want to put me on the possible list? You sound like you have some good revues of the book so why come accross so weak. Would not 'I would like you to consider for publication'. Sounds sort of like a very unsure, insecure guy asking for a date with the most beautiful, popular girl in the school; 'might you consider to possibly go out with me?'

What do the experts think?

Don't get me wrong, your credentials sound impressive, all I'm saying is this comes accross as more than polite, verging on insecure.

Brian.

I would get rid of the "possible".

"...consider for publication" - publishers
or "...consider me as a client" - agents

Colin M

Brian, welcome to England where this is what passes for seduction:

" Ehm, look. Sorry, sorry. I just, ehm, well, this is a very stupid question and... , particularly in view of our recent shopping excursion, but I just wondered, by any chance, ehm, eh, I mean obviously not because I guess I've only slept with 9 people, but-but I-I just wondered... ehh. I really feel, ehh, in short, to recap it slightly in a clearer version, eh, the words of David Cassidy in fact, eh, while he was still with the Partridge family, eh, "I think I love you," and eh, I-I just wondered by any chance you wouldn't like to... Eh... Eh... No, no, no of course not... I'm an idiot, he's not... Excellent, excellent, fantastic, eh, I was gonna say lovely to see you, sorry to disturb... Better get on..."

Luke, good luck!

Adele.

I've always wondered if that was scripted or they just asked Hugh to babble in his normal way.

There is an advert on the box at the moment: Hugh Laurie is going to appear in some drama and (get ready for the shock) he's NOT playing an upper-class idiot.

(I better have a lie down)

Colin M

Colin, if it was H in his own words, it might have been something like, "I, er, don't suppose you'd consider some, er, idiot, er, who's only had one blowjob (that you can prove)with a hooker on Hollywood Boulevard?"

Or am I being too harsh

Adele.

I often wonder if that's how he got caught. He'd have invited her into his car, she'd have been quite forward...

Devine: "hey, honey, whaddya want"
Hugh: "Ah, well, er, the thing is... and you're going to think this is so silly, but... well, if you wouldn't consider... no, no, I can see that... what I'm trying to get at, is, is..."

Devine: "Oh, for fuck's sake, come here."

Shame really. There was a Swallow Hotel just round the corner.

Sorry Brian, don't agree. Submission letters are scanned and some agents don't even consider them important (I have one wanting to see the MS and he doesn't even want to see the synopsis.) I think what you're talking about is minor detail that no Editor in the world will pick up on (trust me, I've worked on the slush pile at Picador.)
So while this letter might prove useful, it's best to let the work speak for itself. I certainly don't consider myself a weak or insecure writer, after all I had to get up onstage and listen to the likes of Val McDermid and Ali Gunn criticise my work.

Luke