Use a basic, normal (sometimes referred to as "upright"), easily-read font in size point 12. The standard has traditionally been Times New Roman, however other fonts like Arial or Calibri are generally acceptable as well. If you're ever in doubt, head straight for the Times! Margins should be the standard one-inch.

QUERY LETTERS should follow the basic principles of a formal business letter.

Date

Your Contact Information

Agent Name, Title (if supplied)

Name of Agency

Salutation,

Body of your letter, separated into two or three short paragraphs. Again, this document should ideally not exceed a single printed page. Mercifully, unlike a manuscript, a query letter should be single-spaced, which gives you a tad more room to say what you need, but still be as concise as you can. A guide to what should be included in your query can be found on Publishing 101.

Closing Sign Off,

Your Name

Including the date may be debatable in this digital age, since electronic communications typically have date and even time stamps for when they are sent. I still include it in this guide for the sake of proper formatting if printing on paper to cover all possible bases.

Synopsis 

A synopsis is a concise description of  the novel's storyline, and the length requested will vary from company to company. For this reason, I highly recommend writing multiple versions of this document to keep on hand. Always check submission guidelines for specific requirements before sending.

• This document should be written in a narrative, third person present tense, using brief, attention-grabbing paragraphs.

• Focus should be on the action and how your protagonist(s) drive the plot.

• No dialogue should be present in a synopsis

• Do NOT use an outline type format, but do use a similar writing style as that which appears in the book itself.

• Main characters should always be introduced using CAPS the first time, then as normal thereafter. Weave character descriptions in as well. Try to refrain from naming too many characters. 5-6 is typically recommended.

• Clearly define the conflicts and motives of your characters.

• Briefly describe the pivotal scenes and avoid discussing side plots or minor characters.

• Make sure conflicts are resolved and answer all questions.

• DO NOT OMIT THE ENDING! It is never a good idea to keep a prospective agent dissatisfied and guessing.

Your synopsis should be single-spaced, using the same typeface as you did for your query letter. At the top of the page you'll center the title of your work in CAPS, space down twice, type "a novel by" space down once, type your name, then double space. Ensure your alignment is to the left and begin the text. Like your query letter, the first paragraph should be used to hook your reader. You want to generate excitement and make them eager to read more. For example:

KINGDOM OF MOONLIGHT

a novel by

E. Rochelle Potter

SASHA CLEARBROOK, an orphaned servant in the royal house of the elves, learns their princess plans on running away with a mysterious stranger. While the princess sees her newfound friend as a dashing young man come to save her from her father’s oppressive rules, an unprecedented second sight reveals to Sasha that he is truly a hideous goblin in disguise. Fearing no one will believe such a wild tale since goblins haven’t been seen for many years, she determines to follow the princess to find out what’s really afoot. Thus begins a journey that will lead not only to a plot to destroy the elves but also revelations of a secret past that has been deliberately hidden from Sasha.

Begin each subsequent paragraph by indenting before continuing with this short narrative. The standard length for a fully-fleshed synopsis is based on total wordcount, in a ratio of 1 page of synopsis per 10,000 words, unless otherwise indicated by the agency or publisher. Some will ask for only a measly two or three pages, which can become tricky with lengthier works. Each page after the first should include a header with Your Last Name/Book Title and the page number. You may choose to put the page number in the right corner with your name and title to the left. For my example it would look something like:

Potter/Kingdom of Moonlight     2 

Sample Chapters & Manuscripts

I can't reiterate enough, how many chapters you send will be based upon a specific agency's guidelines. Some may want the first three while others may ask for just one. Sometimes you may see a set number of pages, like the first one hundred. In cases like those it's okay to send your closest approximation, making sure the last chapter in the grouping is completed, preferably without going over. (For example, if your first three chapters end at page ninety-five and the first one hundred pages are what the agency has requested, send only those first ninety-five.) If a shorter number of pages is requested such as fifteen, make sure to end on a complete sentence, and a logical stopping place, as the length of your chapters may prevent you from sending the first one in its entirety.

If for any reason your submission is going snail mail, or in the case of being sent as an attachment by request instead of pasted into the body of an email, include a cover page. Also include this if sample chapters are requested after you sent your query. The cover page, if needed, should have your contact information in the left margin including your name, address, email and phone number, single-spaced. Then  1/3 down the page in the center, type the title of your work. Double space then type "By Your Name (or pen name)" then double space again and put the approximate word count. Do not include a page number on this.

If you're pasting the sample under your query letter as part of a submissions "package" sent via email, (i.e. an agent you're pitching requests that you send your query letter along with your first three chapters) it should be okay to omit your contact information, as this should already have been included at the top of your query letter.

As with your synopsis, each page should include a header with Your Last Name/Title of Work and the page number.

Type the name of your first chapter or the chapter number 1/3 of the way down the page. Double space twice, then begin the chapter text, left aligning the first paragraph with no indent. Again, like in your synopsis, subsequent paragraphs should be indented.

Each subsequent chapter should begin on a new page with the same formatting as the first.

Unlike your synopsis, your sample chapters should be double spaced.

Pretend that the below example is the top of a printed sheet of copy paper for an idea of what the title page and first page of your manuscript should look like:

Your Name

House number and Street

City, State, Zip

emailaddress@you.com

(123) 456-7890

KINGDOM OF MOONLIGHT

By E. Rochelle Potter

25,000 words

If this is being pasted directly below a query letter in an email, you can double space twice, then continue with the name of the first chapter as outlined above. Email formatting is always going to be a little different from traditional formatting. It just doesn't make sense to send an email with a huge space to scroll through before you reach the rest of the material. If asked for materials to be sent as an attachment, format them like they're going to be printed. In that case, the first page of your sample chapters or manuscript should look something like this:

Potter/Kingdom of Moonlight  1

PROLOGUE

The text of your manuscript's first page would begin here. It would carry on through the first paragraph until its termination. It should be double-spaced to make for easier reading. The paragraph may be longer or shorter, depending on your individual writing

style. Eventually you will reach the end point and begin the next one.

          And here is where you would place your first indent. Notice too that the right hand margin remains a ragged edge. This is okay.

Don't try to justify the text like it would appear in a printed book. The easiest format to work with is the straightforward approach.

When your manuscript reaches the publication stage, the designers will be the ones to worry about changing margins.

          You will continue on through your chapters until you reach the ending point. In the case of a full manuscript, once you reach

the end of your story, remember to indicate this by double spacing twice, center align your text and type

THE END