Written by Sian Ellis-Martin
I have the pleasure of assisting agents Isobel Dixon and Kate Burke with their wonderful authors, but alongside this I am starting to build my own list of books across both fiction and non-fiction. As a new agent, it’s been so interesting to consider submissions that authors have made directly to me.
I’ve also been lucky enough to take part in one-to-one sessions with authors, where I provide feedback on their submission package (i.e., their cover letter/introductory email, synopsis and sample chapters). As well as advising these authors on editorial work for their novel, we’ve also had some interesting conversations about writing a cover letter and synopsis. Here’s some advice on how to do both those things.
Cover Letter
The main goal of your cover letter is to make an agent want to read your sample chapters and to convince them of the marketability of your book. All agents handle their submissions in different ways, but I always read the cover letter/email first. If that convinces me that this book might be what I’m looking for, I’ll turn to the sample chapters. And if I like those, I’ll open the synopsis (or proposal, if it’s non-fiction) and see how the book pans out.
Start your cover letter with your pitch. This is usually one or two lines to grab the reader’s attention. In fiction, you could say who the main character is and what they face. In non-fiction, we want to know what unique perspective you’re bringing to this topic. Throw in some title comparisons at this point too – which books do you see yours sitting alongside? Feel free to branch into television, film, etc. comparisons too! This all helps us place your book into a genre.
Now move on to your blurb. This is a slightly longer summary, like you’d see on the back of a book, which draws the reader into your story. Think about who your main character(s) is (are), what it is they want and how they overcome any obstacles they face. Blurbs usually don’t give too much away, so feel free to end it on a cliff-hanger!
Finish off your letter with a little bit about you as an author. You don’t need to tell us your whole life story, but a small amount of background is great! You don’t need to have previous writing or publishing experience, but it’s always good to know if you do, especially if you’ve been published or a shortlisted for a prize before. If you’re writing non-fiction, tell us why you should be the one to write this book – what’s your level of expertise on the subject? What do you do that relates to what you’re writing about?
Top tips:
Do your research! If an agent’s bio says that they don’t consider YA, historical or fantasy, don’t send them your YA historical fantasy novel.
Read the submission guidelines for each agency carefully and follow them.
Tailor your submission email to each agent – don’t copy/blind copy in lots of people!
Don’t be negative about other books in your submission letter – it’s not a good look.
Don’t overthink it – we don’t mind if you sign off with ‘Best Wishes’ or ‘Kind Regards’, or whether you use Times New Roman or Calibri. As long as your letter is clear and professional, that’s fine!
Tell us how far along you are with writing this book – have you finished the MS? If non-fiction, have you written anything beyond the sample chapters?
Synopsis
The most common mistake I see in synopsis writing is that people treat it as a blurb, designed to entice the reader rather than tell them exactly what happens. As agents, we need to be able to see how the story develops, how you trace that narrative thread through the novel, and the full character journey.
A synopsis should detail the core narrative of the book, introduce us to the main characters, and tell us the setting, from the first chapter to the last, including spoilers. Agents want to know the beginning, middle and end of your story!
Top tips
Ideally your synopsis should fit on one page (although don’t worry if you go slightly over or under).
Start with the basics – who are the characters? What is the inciting incident? How do the characters react to this (i.e., the main action and plot)? How is this resolved?
Ask someone who hasn’t read the book to read the synopsis – do they get a clear idea of the story?
Don’t overcomplicate it – we don’t need to know every tiny detail of what happens and you don’t need to name every character, just the main narrative thread and principle characters.
Focus more on the story itself than the themes/metaphorical meaning of your work.
Now that you know how to draft your cover letter and synopsis – it’s time for you to submit! If you’d like to submit to me, please see below for what I’m looking for.
What I’m looking for
The main thing I want when I start reading fiction sample chapters is to be completely drawn into the world of the novel, to jump into the character’s life and be swept into the narrative as if I’ve been there all along. I love stories that explore big ideas and themes – mental health, sexuality, love, grief, coming-of-age, gender, class and race – through the smaller, everyday moments that define our lives. I’m drawn to complicated and flawed protagonists who you can’t help but root for. I’m not afraid of expressions of darker themes and feelings, but I’m also a sucker for a good love story or a happy ending.
I’m a big television fan too and am often inspired by the things I watch. I’d like to read a sweeping family saga in the style of ‘This is Us’, a heart-warming and heart-breaking story like ‘It’s a Sin’, and a punky portrayal of female fearlessness and friendship à la ‘We Are Lady Parts’. I’d also like to find an upmarket crime series with a female at the forefront, someone like Saga Norén from ‘The Bridge’ or Stella Gibson from ‘The Fall’.
I’m also looking for illustrated and narrative non-fiction and memoir. I’m keen on books that make complicated or niche ideas more accessible. I’d love to find cookery and food books too, and am open to lots of ideas there, and am especially drawn to simple recipes suitable for those on a budget, those who are time starved and those who just can’t be bothered with cooking half the time!
I’m particularly keen to read all kinds of books by authors from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Importantly though, the stories don’t need to be issue-led or connected to the trauma that may be associated with this underrepresentation.
Some fiction books I’ve enjoyed recently:
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
In Every Mirror She’s Black by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Break by Marian Keyes
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Some non-fiction books I’ve enjoyed recently:
Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein
The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla
Group by Christie Tate
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold
I’m not currently taking on projects in these areas: young adult or children’s, science fiction, or historical novels set before WW2.
