Writing Magazine and the perfect submission letter

I don’t know if you’ve seen this month’s copy of Writing Magazine (although it’s January, it’s the one dated February!)  If you do – and it’s on sale all over the UK in big outlets such as WH Smith’s and so on – you’ll see an article by me in it. It’s called, “How I Got Published” and more or less does what it says on the tin, so to speak. The article is the start of what will be a regular series, where AN Author answers the only question any unpublished writer ever wants to ask:  how did you do it? Luck? Magic? Bribery?

The thing is, there’s no one single answer and the various articles charting the path to publication will make interesting and surprisingly varied reading.  However, somewhere along the line, the chances are you’ll need a submission letter.  I mentioned this in the WM piece, because I was lucky enough to attend a workshop given by a leading agent, Simon Trewin, on how to write the perfect submission letter. I didn’t have space in the article to go into the detail, so here it is.  The bits in italics are culled from Simon Trewin.  The example letter is all mine…

How To Write A Submission Letter

Tell them what you're sending and why you're sending it to them.

For example:

Dear Agent X,

The Bible by God.  774,750 words

I enclose the first three chapters, the blurb and the synopsis of my book, The Bible, which is part history, part ethics, part philosophy and a guide to Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Afterlife But Were Afraid To Ask.

I am sending it to you as I can see from your website you represent other historical, philosophical, ethical and religious authors/Your author, Eweshould B. Solucky, recommended you/Insert other reason here.

Brief thumbnail description of the material here.



For example:

The Bible describes the history of the world as seen through the eyes of an ancient Middle-Eastern people, charting their loves, lives, conquests and failures. It ends as we look forward to a new life in a new world.  Or, as Oscar Wilde, one of my readers put it: "It starts with a man and woman in a garden and ends with revelations."

Why you wrote it.  Show the agent you're passionate about your work.

For example:

I wrote The Bible because I wanted the human race (to which so many of my readers belong) to justify my ways to Man, as John Milton might say.

Possible markets - who it will appeal to.

For example:

The Bible will be of interest to historians, philosophers, those interested in a practical guide to Ark-building or has ever wondered what to do when faced with a plague of locusts or frogs, plus domestic tips such as exactly how to remove that troublesome Writing on the Wall and everyone who’s ever Wanted To Know About The Afterlife But Were Afraid To Ask.

Nice things people have said about your work.



For example:

A wide range of people have commented on The Bible. Abraham Lincoln said, “It is the best book which God has given to Man,” the poet Samuel Taylor (“The Ancient Mariner” and Kubla Khan”) Coleridge stated that “For more than a thousand years The Bible has gone hand in hand with civilization, science and law,” and the American comedienne, Elayne Boosler, reflected on how it is a mirror of some very human failings: “My ancestors wandered lost in the wilderness for 40 years because even in biblical times, men would not stop to ask for directions.

Your letter should be on one page only. If you’ve got space, add a brief biographical bit.  If it’s relevant to your book (eg if you’ve written a crime story and you’re a policeman definitely put it in but it’ll probably come in the “Why I wrote it” section.

Otherwise you can leave it out.



For example:

I am the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions and the still, small voice of calm.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours, with all best wishes,

God.