For ACFW May 2011 Online Course
The Nuts and Bolts of the Submission Process
For Sunday, May 1:
Welcome to this month’s study about the manuscript submission process. Even if you don’t have a manuscript ready to submit, we hope you will learn some of the techniques to prepare your manuscript for submission, and the motivation to take those next steps into the world of publication. Submitting to an agent or a publisher uses many of the same techniques, so we’ll look at both of them simultaneously.
This is not a course that will guarantee that your manuscript will be read once it’s submitted, but will help you prepare the best you can for the process. There are thousands of people who have ideas about how to prepare for submission. Later we’ll go find some of those sources for you. I highly recommend that all authors gather several opinions from those who have successfully submitted for publication or representation, and adapt the advice to suit you. Each of us has our unique voice and style, and bottom line: that individuality, along with excellence, should get you a read. And Terry Burns is absolutely right: It's a survival process. Who is willing to follow the rules yet be a stand out? Who is willing to stay the course and be more than a hobbyist?
All materials will be available on my web site if not as we go along, for sure by the time the course ends. The course will be finished before Memorial Day weekend – the last lesson week is May 23-28.
The best way to get your submission read is by being FAT.
Yes, that’s right. It’s an old Sunday School acronym standing for Faithful, Available, Teachable.
1. People who get their submissions read are persistent, no matter how many denials they rack up, and are continually submitting.
2. People who get their submission read are paying attention to opportunity and constantly looking for submission avenues and know how to follow the guidelines.
3. People who get their submission read are always learning new methods and always perfecting their craft, no matter how many contracts they sign.
These sessions are mostly to benefit beginners who have either never submitted anything because they haven’t learned that part of the process, or those who have submitted but have not received a response, or simply those who want to brush up. We learn well by sharing our experiences, so I want to make sure that we have a place and a time to do that. We’re not going to get into gripe or critique sessions, though: so, the rule for sharing our stories is that for each issue you bring up, you also have to share possible solutions.
There will be suggested assignments but no tests. For those who choose to do assignments, I’ll keep a running score of your achievements on a point system. At the end of the month I have three books to give to the top three achievers. First place gets first pick, etc.
Schedule:
Monday: we’ll chat about a part of the submission process. You are free to ask questions. Assignment either Monday or Tuesday.
Tuesday: I’ll answer what I can and share some more about the topic.
Wednesday: I’ll ask you to share your assignments and ask you to write your own part of the submission lesson.
Thursday and Friday: we’ll continue to share our work and I’ll give feedback and ask you to provide feedback on each other’s lessons. I’ll do this in a digest format so we won’t clog up our inboxes.
By the end of the month, I hope you will be able to find the guidelines for submissions to both publishers and agents and be able to write a query letter as well as a general cover letter for a full proposal. You should understand how to research and/or write other generally asked-for pieces of information in a proposal, such as a synopsis, biography, resume, market analysis, marketing plan. You should also identify target markets for your submissions and know the difference between solicited and unsolicited. Some participants who have a finished manuscript will be able to send a query. I've invited a few guests to share their professional practices during the course, so I hope you'll take advantage of each week.
Here’s an overview of the lessons:
Lesson 1: Writing is like a journey
Your project will be to identify what you want to submit – and at this point it doesn’t have to b a finished project. We’re simply starting to identify what to submit and how to start the process.
Lesson 2: Do I have what it takes
We’ll be writing sample cover/query letters and learning how to follow the directions for the target publisher or agent
Lesson 3: Taking the trip
We’ll put our proposal together and share our sample submission for our target publisher or agent
Lesson 4: Coming home
Your proposal packet - How do you feel about it?
The waiting game – how long, how and when to follow up, what do you do while you're waiting
So! Lesson One will start on Monday, but today, let’s share a little about ourselves.
I’ll go first. My name is Lisa, and I’ve been writing as more than a hobby since 2004. I have worked with a couple of agents, but am not currently represented. I have three novels traditionally published – one mystery with Barbour, and with independent presses, two romantic women's fiction books. Speaking of which, I have a little surprise for you. I’ve been given permission to offer a very informal contest here during this course. I’ll be keeping track of your responses during the month, and whoever has the most at the end can pick one of my books which I’ll sign and send to you.
I’ve written short stories, devotionals, radio theater, love interviewing and book reviewing, am learning how to be a contest judge, am a freelance editor and marketer with a Midwest independent publisher, have some community blog sites one of which is a site dedicated to giving newer authors an opportunity to learn to blog effectively Reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com, and the other is a fun site, thebarndoor.net. I’m also the editor of a literary magazine in Wisconsin
