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Submit a query letter and ten sample
pages to info@fbliterary.com
or by snail mail, along with an SASE for our reply, to: 337
W. 76th Street, #E1 New York, NY 10023.
Please do not send queries or submissions via registered or
certified mail, or by FedEx or UPS requiring signature. We will
not return unsolicited submissions weighing more than 16 ounces,
even if an SASE is attached.
Please know that your submissions are very important to us, but that we have limited time to read them. We will be in touch as soon as we possibly can, and in that effort, please keep your letters to the point, include all relevant information, and have a bit of patience with us.
What to put in a query letter:
Always try to keep a query letter to one page. Summarize the story and categorize the genre, and then mention any writing credits you may have (i.e. previous publications, awards). Do your research as well, by reading the acknowledgments page in books you admire or liken to your own, and by contacting that agent. Be sure to include all of your contact information on your letter. We also recommend that you attach a few sample pages (no more than ten), so the agent can get a sense of your writing.
An example of a query letter:
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Dear Faye Bender Literary Agency,
I am writing in the hope that you will be interested in reading my novel, X. It is contemporary women's fiction and tells the story of ____________. With your success with novels like Liane Moriarty's THREE WISHES and Patricia Henley's IN THE RIVER SWEET, I think this might be a good fit for your list.
I have had short stories published in the following literary journals __________, and won honorable mention in _________ award.
I hope this will be of interest to you, and I attach the first ten pages of the novel, along with an SASE for your reply.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
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How to write a book proposal:
Since nonfiction sells on the basis of a proposal, it's best to consult some of the books specifically about writing proposals. We recommend HOW TO WRITE A BOOK PROPOSAL by Michael Larsen, WRITE THE PERFECT BOOK PROPOSAL: 10 THAT SOLD, AND WHY by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman, and NONFICTION BOOK PROPOSALS ANYBODY CAN WRITE: HOW TO GET A CONTRACT AND ADVANCE BEFORE WRITING YOUR BOOK by Elizabeth Lyon.
How to find the right agent for you:
The connection between an author and his/her agent can be a fruitful and long-lasting one, provided both parties communicate openly and honestly. There are several listings of agents, and other than looking in the acknowledgments pages of published books and approaching those agents, we recommend you take a look at JEFF HERMAN'S GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS, EDITORS AND LITERARY AGENTS by Jeff Herman and various online listings.
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