Addressed to the appropriate agent with title/genre/word count and appropriate contact information in the letter, this letter should interest us in reading your proposal. In an email the attached file name should be descriptive - author name / fiction or nonfiction proposal / logline.

A one page overview that summarizes your novel.

List your writing experience, your education, your achievements, and your prior publishing history.

Prepare a one to three page synopsis of your story.

Identify your novel's audience (the specific categories of readers your book is aimed at)

Identify novels published within the past five years that are similar to your proposed work. Tell us why your book should be published, and explain how your book is superior and/or provides a new slant on your topic.

Increasingly, fiction and non-fiction authors are encouraged to promote their novels themselves through writers' conferences, book signings, and web sites. We suggest you establish a web site, and you'll need to create promotional giveaways, arrange your own book signings, or attend writers' conferences. Think outside of the box.

Please tell us if the manuscript has been submitted to editors and/or publishers by yourself or another agent.

For fiction send the first three chapters. Non-fiction can be your choice of the first three or what you feel best showcases your book.