Proposing Information

After wanting to know the ins and outs of book publishing and also to find out if my book could and would be ready for putting into the market, I found out that I need to (according to Micheal Hyatt, an eBook entrepreneur)


'    * Understand the four elements your fiction proposal must include.


    * Write a well-crafted query letter that leaves the agent or editor begging for more.


    * Compose a compelling “hook” that conveys the premise of your novel in nine sentences or less.


    * Identify your target genre in such a way that the publisher can visualize the precise market for your novel.


    * Explain why you are qualified to write this book—even if you are a first-time author.


    * Avoid the three items you should NEVER include in a fiction book proposal.


    * Convey the “story arc” of your novel in one page and avoid the mistakes typically made by amateurs.


    * Include just enough of your novel to prove that you can write but not so much as to make reading it too daunting.

However, not entirely sure this applies to the target audience I identified, literally just as I was browsing some more sites, I found this incredibly helpful site the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia.

This has a specific section aimed towards children's books, first instructing me to know what publishing houses produce what genres, what books that are hot off the presses, not just ones I remember from childhood. 

By knowing my publishing houses, I can be confident that I've given it to someone who has an interest in the work I do, as well as sufficient experience in the area of industry.

Scarily enough, it says that publishers dont like manuscripts with illustrations already there, as they have a stock of illustrators, and will choose one they think is appropriate to your way of writing. In my case, this is something I can ignore, but bare in mind for future reference.

The manuscript itself needs to be error-free, double spaced, and on white paper. Generally I will need to leave a one and a half inch margin on the left and one inch margin on the right. Top and bottom margins should be one and a half inches. The site says to use 8.5" x 11" paper, but I dont want to restrict myself too much on a format, when no real decisions have yet been made. When submitting manuscript, its best to include a self-addressed stamped envelope, or sufficient postage to return my work.

Cover letters need to include autobiographical information, such as past publications, work, qualifications that are relevant to my subject matter.

Picture books tend to be (as 'dictated' by the printing process) between 24 or 36 pages long, this includes space for the cover letters.