Query letters, synopses, and submission packages (for fiction writers seeking traditional publishing deals)

If you’re a novelist who’s seeking to be traditionally published, you’ll need to approach literary agents with your work. Alternatively, you’ll need to submit your manuscript to publishing houses that don’t require you to submit via a literary agent (these are usually smaller and medium-sized publishing houses). To do this you’ll need to both have written a strong story that will appeal to readers as well as summarising it succinctly in your synopsis, and writing a query letter that draws agents (or publishers) in.

For many writers, crafting an effective query letter and synopsis can be tricky. as they’re so close to the work. This is where an editor can help.

I will look over your query letter and/or synopsis and make suggestions for strengthening it. These suggestions will be in the form of comments on the text and light edits made using MS Word’s track changes function.

If you would also like me to help you prepare your opening chapters for submission (this is usually the first three chapters or 50 pages, depending on the individual agent or publishing house’s requirements), then this is also something I can help with. This could be through a proofread/proof-edit, or if you’d like developmental feedback then this could also be arranged (though, ideally, the story would have already passed this stage).

For this service, I charge an hourly rate of £35.