Plot summary with cover letter for publisher- what does that mean exactly?
The exact wording to me fromt he publisher was "include a plot summary with your cover letter" (they also want the full manuscript)
does that mean WITHIN the cover letter or ALONGSIDE OF the cover letter as a separate document?
if it a seperate document do I just label it with the manuscript title & my last name int he corner or is there a special way to do it?
PLEASE ONLY ANSWER IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT!!!
Bolt2008-11-30T22:20:57Z
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Okay. I'm going to assume you haven't actually been talking TO an editor, just maybe reading their submission guidelines, since they do not already have a cover letter from you yet.
www.absolutewriter.com/forum
Go to this group. There are published writers, even editors and a few agents, who hang out there (only a few of us, that I know of, are on Y!A). They are a large and knowledgable group and very willing to give advice. Plus, there are likely members who have direct experience with the publisher you are dealing with, so they can advise you a lot better on what, specifically, the editor wants and whether or not they are a reputable company.
I usually provide a synopsis in my cover letter, and have only been asked once to provide a summary as a separate document. I have yet to submitt an entire manuscript with a cover letter, as those I have sent work to ask for sample chapters, and when they are interested, then the whole thing.
If I were to submitt to someone who makes a point of wanting the summary, cover letter, and full manuscript (as worded in you question), I'd probably make it a separate document.