We writers often bemoan the challenges of traditional publishing -- from landing an agent to promoting a book. But it's interesting to look from the other side. What does it take to capture an editor's eye? As a first reader intern with a literary agency that receives 200-300 submissions each week, I anticipated the daunting task of separating the wheat from the chaff. But it's actually quite shocking how little stands out from the slush pile.
The truth is, simply following basic industry guidelines for a well-written query letter with an original topic will at least get you noticed above the norm. Proper punctuation helps too. Then, of course, the synopsis/proposal/sample chapters showcasing your impeccable writing follows.
I've compiled my own list of DOs and DONTs based on the past few weeks:
