Advice on cover letters and synopsis

miec

Hi

I have finished and edited my book, woo hoo, and whilst I am letting it sit for the next six weeks before I give it another polish, I want to write a draft cover letter and synopsis but I am not sure what to put in the cover letter. Has anyone any experience of this? I have researched some information on this and so far I have learned that most agents only want a page but what do I putin it, I have not been published, I do have a degree and an M.A, but what else can I tell them?

Also has anyone written a synopsis and have they any tips they could pass on or websites that show the format of a synopsis, I know that agents do not want a blurb of the book nor do they want to plough through another half novel so I know I need to keep it brief. Any advice or information would be gratefully received.

EileenG

"Passionate Ink" by Angela Knight has the best example of a synopsis I've ever seen. Basically, it's a full description of the story, with all plot twist explained, all characters illuminated, and their motivations and conflicts examined. The synopsis is where you tell all. Don't leave any threads dangling, or leave any surprises waiting to explode.

I would start with looking at publishers, not agents. Once you have interest from a publisher, you'll have agents extremely willing to represent you, and you can choose the one you think will get you the best deal.

In a cover letter, you put a short catchy description of the book, specific details like how long it is, what the target market is, what other books it is most like (don't get silly here, your book is probably not a cross between John Steinbeck and J K Rowlings) and what makes it different to similar books on the market.

Mention anything about yourself which is relevant, like experience in writing, or experience that might be relevant to the book (if you've been a firefighter, and it's a book about fire fighting, then say so). Also, if you are in a position to generate publicity yourself, perhaps because you are a local personality, that's worth mentioning.

If the synopsis is to an agent, you can keep it shorter, but make sure she knows exactly what she is getting. No surprises.

miec

Thank you so much EileenG for the brilliant advice.