How to make your manuscript submission standout
Querying your book can be extremely stressful but as an editor for more than ten years, I often see messy submission packages more than I receive strong, engaging ones. These are a few tips to make you shine and standout:
Address your query letter with a first name. Mine is Ariell, so you can just put that. No need to sweat it with honorifics or anything, but make sure you spell my name correctly.
Follow the guidelines! This is probably the most important first step. If the guidelines say to include your letter, synopsis and first X amount of pages, don’t send anything else. The idea is to provide a complete package to the editor (one she has requested, not one you think she might like instead). I receive so many queries, that if you decide to send something I’m not looking for or something unintelligible, you’ll be swiftly move to the ‘no’ pile and that’s not a good use of your time.
The first thing I read is the query letter, which tells me if this writer and their manuscript might be right for our list. Please send a single page that puts your important info first: word count, title, genre and comp titles. There is so much advice online for writing query letters but I don’t think it has to be too complicated. I wrote about this previously with an easy-to-follow template: How to write and standout with a sparkling query letter.
If the query letter piques my interest, I move on to your opening pages and synopsis. I have no set rule about whether I read one before the other. Usually, if I like your opening pages, I’ll read the synopsis to give me a general idea of the story and hopefully, the synopsis will make me even more excited for your manuscript. Make sure your sample pages are edited and capture me from sentence one. I know this is tough, but you would be surprised how unengaging many opening pages can be. Throw me into it, give me the narrator’s voice, ask a question. Look at your favourite published authors and evaluate how they start their novels. And please don’t have your character start the book by waking up or looking in a mirror. The synopsis should include the big plot beats and payoffs. If you have a twist, TELL ME! Try to keep the synopsis to one single-space page: How to Write the Best One-Page Synopsis
What really gets me is concise and confident writing. Make sure all of your writing is clear and pertains to what you’re sending me. Don’t hide information. If you’ve read about me online - for example, a specific book or author I like and this is relevant to your own submission - include that. It’s not an ego stroke (well, maybe a little) but it does show that you’re keen on Wild Hunt Books and have researched the type of work we publish. Don’t be the guy who sends me his golf memoir.
So, tl;dr:
Follow the guidelines
Address your letter correctly
Keep your letter and synopsis to one page each
Strong opening pages
Clear and concise writing
Don’t add superfluous details that are irrelevant to this query package
P.S. Thankfully it’s gone out of fashion, but gimmicky, jokey letters are gag. It makes you standout in the wrong way.