Query, Synopsis, Proposal, First Pages Editing
Make a flawless first impression with a slam-bang query letter, synopsis or book proposal, and opening pages.
So you’ve written your book and revised, revised, revised till kingdom come. Your manuscript is as good as it’s going to get, and you’re finally ready to throw your hat in the ring and try to get it published.
Whether you’re aiming to land a literary agent or pitching directly to a publishing house, first impressions are paramount. Agents and acquiring editors are perpetually inundated with submissions and have no time to spare for sloppy inquiries. With a polished submissions package, you’ll stand out in a depthless pool of other hopefuls.
Will the gatekeepers of the publishing industry react positively to your submissions package? Get a professional editor’s eyes on your work to make sure it yanks all the right levers before you send it out to your dream agent or publisher.
Laura specializes in editing submissions materials for:
YA & MG fiction
Picture books (fiction and nonfiction)
Speculative fiction (urban fantasy, high fantasy, soft sci-fi)
Romance (contemporary, fantasy)
Memoir & creative nonfiction (identity, relationships, family, health & wellbeing, travel, nature & environment, visual art, dance, music… or hit me with your wackiest topic)
Graphic novels (MG, YA, adult)
Query Letter Editing
A query letter (sometimes called a cover letter, introductory email, pitch letter, or something similar) is a one-page introduction to your book that seeks to seduce the literary agent or acquiring editor into considering your book for their list. You’ll need to craft a compelling query of under 500 words to pitch any genre of book, whether fiction or nonfiction.
In a Query Letter Edit, I’ll assess whether your query letter makes an absolutely irresistible case for taking a chance on your book, and suggest revisions to make it even more persuasive.
A Query Letter Edit includes:
☑ Two rounds of editing
☑ Substantive comments to guide your revisions (e.g., suggesting solutions to fix a confusing hook, a muddled premise, or low stakes; discussing the suitability of your comparative titles; flagging an off-putting tone; omitting extraneous or rambly material from your author bio; requesting missing information…)
☑ Confirmation of whether your revisions have hit the mark, with further recommendations if helpful
☑ Line and copy edits to polish your written expression (e.g., re-ordering paragraphs; tightening wordy sentences; suggesting stronger word choices; revising awkward turns of phrase, correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation…)
Synopsis Editing
For novels, graphic novels, and memoirs, some literary agents and publishers will request a synopsis, usually 1–2 pages (250–500 words), that summarizes the story from beginning to middle to end. A glimpse of the synopsis will reveal whether you have constructed a solid narrative arc that holds itself together without any major gaps in the woodwork.
In a Synopsis Edit, I’ll evaluate how well you have laid out the main turning points in plot and character development. Can I easily follow the events of the story from start to finish? Did you progressively raise the stakes as the plot thickens? Are any essential beats missing? I’ll be asking these sorts of questions and more.
A Synopsis Edit includes:
☑ Two rounds of editing
☑ Substantive comments to guide your revisions (e.g., highlighting confusing plot developments, ambiguous causality, or missing character agency/motivations/reactions; emphasizing the links between plot and the protagonist’s character arc; bringing further emphasis to key narrative beats; trimming out less important details…)
☑ Confirmation of whether your revisions have hit the mark, with further suggestions if helpful
☑ Line and copy edits to polish your written expression (e.g., adding paragraph breaks to improve clarity; eliminating wordiness; proposing synonyms for overused words; enhancing your voice by adjusting syntax; correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation…)
Book Proposal Critique
A book proposal is a comprehensive sales pitch. It introduces your book, your background, and your writing chops to the agent or publisher and demonstrates that your book will attract enough readers to make it worth the cost of publishing it.
A book proposal is par for the course for querying nonfiction, and is often required for memoir—which, despite reading like fiction, is a type of nonfiction. Graphic novels are also often queried on proposal. On the other hand, a proposal isn’t generally necessary if you’re querying a novel, a collection of short stories, or a picture book.
In a Book Proposal Critique, I’ll assess whether you’ve made a compelling case for acquiring your book and recommend revisions to help you pitch your book as convincingly as humanly possible.
A Book Proposal Critique includes:
☑ Custom feedback on each section of your proposal
☐ Does your overview provide a tantalizing introduction to your book?
☐ Does your bio demonstrate that you are well qualified to write this book?
☐ Have you selected relevant comparative titles and effectively analyzed them to show that a significant contemporary audience exists for your book?
☐ Have you clearly and authoritatively described your author platform (i.e., network) and developed a concrete, realistic plan to promote your book?
☐ Does your synopsis, table of contents, or chapter outline provide a satisfying overview of the narrative’s development from beginning to end?
☐ Do your sample pages hook me in, or are there any remaining weak areas that would benefit from further revision?
☐ If you’re also the illustrator of this book, do your sample art and captions effectively introduce me to the story, the main characters, the setting, and mood?
☐ Is the book proposal as a whole logically structured and easy to follow? Are there any missing or underdeveloped sections?
☑ Resources to further support your revisions, if useful
Optional add-ons, à la carte:
☑ A second critique round confirming whether your revisions have hit the mark, with further recommendations to fine-tune your proposal
☑ Line and copy editing (e.g., adding paragraph breaks to improve clarity; eliminating wordiness; proposing synonyms for overused words; enhancing your voice by adjusting syntax; correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation…)
First Pages Critique
Some literary agents and publishers will ask you to send just the first few chapters or first 10–50 pages of your manuscript when you first query them. Only if they’re hooked will they request the full manuscript for consideration.
In a First Pages Critique, I’ll play the role of your dream agent as I review the beginning of your tale. Does it deliver on the promises you’ve made in your query letter? Am I dying to read more? I’ll identify exactly where I am connecting with the story, where any points of disconnection are happening, and how to mend those breaks.
A First Pages Critique includes:
☑ An editorial review of your first 10–50 pages, as desired
☑ Custom substantive feedback
☐ Which parts of your opening pages are especially engaging and why?
☐ Is the tone, mood, and voice spot-on for your chosen genre and audience?
☐ Have you selected an ideal point of view for narrating this story, and is it consistently applied?
☐ Have you effectively introduced the protagonist and established the foundations of their character arc?
☐ Have you portrayed the protagonist’s status quo and hinted at what’s missing?
☐ Does a dramatic event within the first three chapters boot the protagonist out of their ordinary life and into a journey toward the unknown?
☐ Is exposition supplied in manageable doses, or will the reader be overwhelmed with information?
☐ Are your scenes immersive, with lifelike description and dialogue?
☑ Further resources to support your revisions, if helpful
Optional add-ons, à la carte:
☑ A second critique round confirming whether your revisions have hit the mark, with further recommendations to fine-tune your opening pages
☑ Line and copy editing (e.g., adding paragraph breaks to improve clarity; eliminating wordiness; proposing synonyms for overused words; enhancing your voice by adjusting syntax; correcting errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation…)
Looking for something a little different?
If none of the above services quite describe what you’re looking for, I’m happy to provide custom editing for submissions materials. Drop me a line and let me know which parts of your pitch you most want help with, and we’ll come up with a plan to make them sparkle.
“Laura did a phenomenal job helping me craft a powerful opening and a compelling query for my graphic novel. She worked with me to strengthen weaker areas of the story while fully understanding and supporting my creative vision.”
— Meka Karam, Graphic novelist