Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

by Deborah Halverson

  Letterhead or typed heading: You can put your contact information at the top of the letter (centered at the very top or left aligned under the date) or below your typed name in the sign-off. In either case, include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Also list your website and/or blog if they’re related to your writing (this mostly pertains to previously published authors or journalists) or in some way directly tie into the topic of your book or demonstrate your platform (think “fan base”; see Chapter 15 for extensive coverage of platforms). The site and blog must be professional in look and content.

  You’re not expected to have preprinted letterhead stationery; typed headings are far more common than not in submissions.

  Inside address: Include the editor’s full name, job title, imprint, publisher, and then the street address. For a query letter to an agent, list the agent’s name, the agency, and the street address.

  Salutation: Address your submission to a specific agent or editor, using her last name, as in “Dear Ms. X:” Remember, “Dear Editor” or “To Whom It May Concern” tells the recipient you haven’t done your homework, undermining your professionalism and pretty much guaranteeing your submission a spot in the slush pile or recycle bin.

  Your follow-up letter: Responding to manuscript requests

  When your query letter results in a request for the full manuscript, accompany that manuscript with a cover letter referencing the request and restating your hook. You can’t assume the requestor will remember your project, especially if you’ve taken some extra time to revise it:

  “As you requested, I’m enclosing the full manuscript for Party Girl Goes A.W.O.L., my contemporary YA novel about a spoiled 17-year-old who parties one time too many and gets shipped off to her grandfather’s iron-fisted alma mater: George S. Patton Military Academy. Thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you.”

  Use as much personality as you evidenced in your original query letter. That’s the voice the requestor responded to, after all.

  If there have been updates in your writing career since you originally queried, note those in the cover letter. For example, have you had magazine articles or some other book published? Have you spoken or been invited to speak at conferences or with writers’ groups? Have you started a blog or increased your blog stats considerably, expanding your platform?

  Also, if you’ve taken more than a month to send in the requested material, let the editor or agent know you’ve been polishing; she’d rather you send in your strongest work. If you’re doing a substantial revision for some reason (say you had the manuscript professionally critiqued or got feedback at a writers’ retreat while awaiting the reply to your query), then set a deadline for yourself to get that revision to the requestor within three months of that request. If you wait more than six months, you may miss the boat completely. By then, the market may have shifted or that requestor may have moved on to another position — or to another house or agency entirely.

  Send in only the number of pages requested. Sometimes an agent or editor requests a partial instead of a full manuscript — perhaps 30 or 50 pages. If you discover that a chapter will end at 51 or 52 pages, it’s okay to round up to the end of that chapter, but don’t go further than that.

  Lastly, it’s a good idea to include a copy of the original query letter so that the agent or editor doesn’t have to dig through her files in search of that letter if she wants to review your full pitch.

  Body: You break the main body of your letter into three paragraphs (see the preceding sections for details on these paragraphs). Separate each of those paragraphs with a line space, beginning each new paragraph flush left with no paragraph indent.

  Sign-off: No one’s going to whip you with a wet noodle if you use a personally preferred sign-off, but “Sincerely” will do just fine. Insert a couple of line spaces for your signature and then type your name. If you’re in a writers’ group, list your affiliation under your typed named in this manner: “Member, SCBWI.” If you didn’t list your word count in the body of the letter, include it here under your name (round it off): “Title, MG Fiction manuscript, XX,000 words.”

  Writing an Effective Synopsis

  The purpose of a synopsis is to encapsulate your main plot and main character arc, reporting the following points in just two to three pages:

  What your main character needs or wants to achieve

  What threatens her enough to kick-start the story

  What steps she takes to achieve that goal

  What challenges she overcomes to get there

  That may sound impossible — you just spent several hundred pages doing that, after all. How in the world do you render that much material down to just three pages? You stick to the main events, that’s how, filling in just a few lines for each, using direct statements, eliminating setting details, and telling instead of showing — in short, you do the opposite of everything I tell you in Part II of this book!

  If you’re well short of three pages after you’ve done all this, you can go back and work in the events of a subplot — but only if that subplot is vital to understanding the main storyline as described in the synopsis. If the storyline is clear enough without mentioning the subplot, then resist the urge to include it. You don’t want to make readers of your synopsis sort through nonvital events and characters.

  You send this synopsis with your hardcopy query letter, or you embed it at the bottom of your query e-mail, just below your name. (To protect themselves against computer viruses, agencies and publishers don’t usually accept attachments to e-mail queries.) Some agencies have query contact forms on their websites that only allow you to write a limited number of words; in those cases, fill their limited forms with your query pitch and save your synopsis for when the agency requests your full manuscript.

  Drafting the synopsis

  Although writers understand the goal and general mission of a synopsis, they still often battle with the actual crafting of it. Here are three tips for getting the words onto the paper:

  Build it from outline form. Write an outline of the story, listing the main character’s goal, the catalyst event, the challenges that escalate the situation (what happens and why the character fails to surmount the challenge), the character’s revelation moment, and then the climax and resolution. (Yes, tell how the story ends. A synopsis is not the place to tease; agents and editors want to know the ending if they’re reading your synopsis.) Use the seven steps in Chapter 6 to build this outline, or bring your original outline up to date.

  After you’ve listed all the events and their impact on the protagonist’s character journey, smooth it all out, turning notes and statements into full sentences and then helping them flow into paragraphs.

  Summarize every chapter, one by one. Starting with Chapter One, write three to four direct statements about what happens to your main character in the chapter, focusing only on the main actions and central characters. Then remove your chapter numbers and merge your stack of summaries into a running account.

  Have a critique partner draft the synopsis first. How’s that for passing the buck? Actually, this helps both of you. You get a first draft of your synopsis from someone who’s not wedded to the details, and your partner gets a valuable exercise in plot- and character-building as she follows the main thread of the story from beginning to end. When she’s done condensing, you go in and massage the language to reflect your voice and style. Just be sure to return the favor!

  Begin your synopsis with a two- or three-sentence version of your hook to set up the overall concept (I cover hooks in Chapter 4). State the main character, her goal and key conflict, and what she stands to lose if she fails. Then launch into the actual summarizing in the second paragraph.

  Tweaking the tone and tense

  Synopsis may call to mind a big old boring summary, but you do hav
e wiggle room in terms of tone. If your manuscript is lighthearted, inject a measure of lightheartedness into your synopsis. If the manuscript is young, keep your sentences in your synopsis simple to suggest a youthful sensibility.

  Do not let the narrator of your story “narrate” your synopsis. This document is an overview of the plot in your words, from your all-knowing, outside-the-story viewpoint. Make the tone accessible and reflective of your storytelling style, but don’t get gimmicky.

  Fiction synopses are written in present tense (the literary present), as though the story’s main action is happening now — even if you wrote your story in past tense. It’s okay, though, to break away for a sentence or two to mention a past event that somehow informs the present happenings. I’ve italicized the description of past events in the following example:

  Sarah hates jocks, who always stop and hassle her, wondering if she’s the girl who almost burned down the gym last year. Luckily, Sarah’s brother saved the gym — and her along with it. He even saved the spirit banner from the flames. Now, on the anniversary of the fire, her brother gets to strut down the hall like some superhero while she has to hide behind her locker door until the bell rings.

  As long as you keep past tense breakaways short, sweet, and rare, no one will be confused or distracted.

  Formatting a synopsis

  As with the query letter, your synopsis should be single-spaced, with a 12-point professional-looking typeface such as Times New Roman or Arial. I don’t recommend dropping down to 11-point font for this piece, though. Three full, single-spaced pages can be imposing when the font is so small. Set your margins at 1 inch all around, with the text blocks being left aligned and right ragged. Stick to white paper and black type.

  The first page contains your name and contact information in the upper left; the title, the genre, and the word count in the upper right; and the word “Synopsis” in the top center. Each subsequent page should have your name, the title, and a page number in the top right corner. This two- to three-page synopsis should be paper-clipped, not stapled. Just tuck it behind the cover or query letter, before the manuscript or sample chapters.

  Packaging Your Submission

  Now comes the grunt work: packing up your manuscript and shipping it out. As with all other parts of the submission process, there are best ways to go about the big send-off. Here I tell you what to include in your submission, what not to include, and what your final submission package should look like.

  What to include

  Some publishers and agencies prefer query-only submissions, meaning you just send the query letter, whereas others want materials such as sample chapters and/or synopses, too. Publishers and agencies post their preferences, called author guidelines, on their websites. This is also where publishers note “no unsolicited manuscripts” if it’s their policy to accept submissions only from agents. Always check for guidelines before querying. Many publishers and agencies require hard copy submissions, although more and more are allowing electronic queries.

  Submitting hard copy

  If you don’t find any submission guidelines, follow these general rules for hard copy submissions (printed and sent via the postal service):

  Send a typed query letter, a 2- to 3-page synopsis, and a sample chapter or two. Don’t waste money sending the full manuscript unless that’s specifically requested in the author guidelines. Editors and agents know within the first few pages whether or not they want to see more — in which case they’ll request it.

  Submit materials for just one title at a time to each agent or editor. If you have manuscripts for several stories, pick your best one and lead with that. When the recipient expresses serious interest in that one, you can discuss your others.

  Make sure all pages have your name and the title in a header or footer (and page numbers if appropriate), with the first page of each document having your full contact info: name, title and genre of the manuscript, word count, address, e-mail address, and phone number.

  Send only copies, no originals. Most agencies and publishers don’t return rejected manuscripts even if you do include a large return envelope, because postal regulations restrict and even prevent certain kinds of mailings. Also, some houses have a policy of simply trashing unsolicited submissions when their website clearly says not to send them.

  Send a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you want to confirm that your submission has reached its target. The postcard should include your name, the addressee’s name, and two blanks in this manner:

  Title received on _______________ by _______________

  Writing this card by hand is common, but creating one with your printer contributes to your professional presentation. Paper clip the postcard to the front of your query letter so the recipient will see it, but clip it at the bottom so as not to block your opening paragraphs. This postcard will be returned before the manuscript is read, most likely by the assistant who sorts the mail.

  Include a reply envelope. Enclose a business-sized SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) for the editor’s “Yes, please send me the full manuscript” reply or for her “Thanks, but it’s not for me” reply if that’s how it’s to be.

  Mark the mailing envelope. If you’re sending a requested manuscript, note that on the outside of the envelope: “Requested Manuscript.” If you’re a member of SCBWI or another writing organization, note that on the envelope, too: “SCBWI member.” This note distinguishes your envelope from the others that come in that day’s mail.

  Use a paper clip for the materials — no staples, report covers, or binders. When it’s time to send the full manuscript, wrap a rubber band around it and put it in a padded envelope instead of in a box. (See, this is why you need your name, title, and the page number on every page.)

  Strive for a professional look. Unprofessional submissions have the potential to prejudice the editor or agent.

  Sending multiple submissions at a time

  Submitting to more than one editor at a time used to be a no-no, but that’s not the case anymore. Just follow these rules for professionalism:

  Be upfront. If you’re sending submissions to multiple recipients, say so in the query letter. Editors and agents won’t hold it against you; multiple submissions are pretty much the norm now. What they will hold against you is time lost in considering a project that they had no real shot at because someone else already made an offer. Which brings me to . . .

  Be respectful: Tell the other editors and agents when a publisher has made an offer. If an agent or editor offers a contract and you accept, immediately alert the other people you’ve submitted to. Publishing is a small world, and you may publish with different houses over the course of your career; don’t sow sour grapes by failing to notify all parties when a deal is struck.

  If your No. 2 choice made the offer but you really want to hold out for No. 1, you can respectfully alert No. 1 that “I’ve received an offer on my manuscript, which I am considering. I’d really love to work with you, so I thought I’d let you know that an offer has been made.” I’m not telling you to run your own auction (something agents do with multiple editors and which requires precise rules and management skills) or to play one person against another. Be completely aboveboard and communicative; the editors already know you submitted to multiple editors because you told them so in your query letter, and now you’re giving the other editor a heads-up that the manuscript is almost off the table. That’s fair.

  Give limited exclusives. If you have a favorite editor, give her three weeks with the manuscript first as an exclusive, during which time you’ll show it to no one else. At the end of that time period, you’ll be free to send out the manuscript to others. State in your query letter, “I really want to work with you. You’ll have a three-week exclusive. I hope you like my book.” Stop there. Editors and agents know how a limited exclusive works, and they understand
why you’ve put a limit on it. Keep the time frame reasonably long, three to four weeks.

  If an editor previously read your manuscript and offered revision suggestions, saying, “I’d like to see this if you revise along these lines,” unwritten industry expectations dictate that you show that revision to that editor or agent as a short-term exclusive. Time is limited, so editors and agents don’t spend time making suggestions to projects they aren’t interested in seeing again. That said, if you didn’t agree with an editor’s recommendations and realized she wasn’t the agent/editor for you, you’re under no obligation to send any revised versions her way in the future.

  Personalize each query letter. Even if you’re submitting to many agents/editors simultaneously, you should still tailor the opening paragraph of each letter to let the recipient know why you think she’s the right person for this project.

  Follow their rules. Be sure to look at the agency or house’s submission guidelines. If multiple submissions are unacceptable, the guidelines will state so.

  Submitting queries electronically

  E-mail queries are becoming more common these days, with agents leading the trend. Check everyone’s author guidelines because they get very specific about what to send electronically. Often, agents have an automatic contact window that pops open on your screen when you click “Submit a Query” or something similar, and then you simply type the content of your query letter into that window. Few agents allow attachments of synopses or chapters (to protect against computer viruses that often lurk in attachments), although sometimes agents invite you to insert that material in the body of the e-mail, below your sign-off. Most often the agents or editors base their decisions on the query only.

  If the author guidelines don’t specify that e-mail queries are accepted, don’t assume that an editor or agent will be okay with a receiving a query directly to his or her e-mail address, even if you can hunt that down. E-mail contact is usually reserved for agents and for writers who’ve been referred by a mutual colleague so as not to overwhelm inboxes. Unless you’ve met that editor or agent and received specific instructions to use her direct e-mail address, send only hard copy submissions via the postal service.