Traditional Publishing Support

Expert guidance on query letters, synopses, book proposals, and submissions outreach to literary agents and publishers

Overview of Services

One thing that separates The Editorial Department from others in the field is our commitment to helping writers find literary representation at the conclusion of the writing and revision process. We have assisted hundreds of authors with this over the years (you’ll find a list of agents and publishers handling our clients’ work here ), and many fine books have been traditionally published as a result—including several national bestsellers.

What to Expect

Our traditional publishing support program gives you feedback and guidance from experienced literary agents, editors, and pitch writing specialists who understand the demands of the market and specialize in crafting pitch materials that get results.

The exact process and consultant you work may vary based on your own specific needs, but the process can include:

  • A candid, professional assessment of your work’s readiness for submission. (With guided improvement where appropriate.)

  • Feedback, editing, and/or hands-on ghostwriting for all submission materials needed to present your project to agents and publishers.

  • Carefully vetted recommendations for specific literary agents appropriate for your work, with personalized talking points for each.

  • Feedback and suggestions to help you position your work and properly identify its genre, age group, and target audience.  Also suggestions for comparable books and authors, if needed.

  • General guidance and education for those new to the submission process (recommended tools, best practices and resources).

  • Strategic advice and guidance on navigating your submission process and preparing for conferences, pitch sessions, and other opportunities to present your work directly to agents and publishers.


The caveat, of course, is that the support we offer here is intended for works that realize a suitably high standard of quality and attention to authorial craft. The best query letter in the world won’t get you very far if your manuscript doesn’t deliver on the promises of its pitch. This is why anyone working with us at this stage can expect our utmost candor in assessing a work’s readiness for publication and constructive guidance if needed in addressing any challenges or shortcomings.

While we can’t guarantee that working with The Editorial Department will land you an agent or publisher, we can significantly improve your odds of success.

Further information about pricing, turnaround time, and coverage is available via links at right (desktop) or below (on mobile devices) or by contacting our author services director Ross Browne at the Tucson office.

Quicklinks

In-depth critique and revision guidance on your query letter, synopsis, and first fifty pages.

$250

Professional ghostwriting and collaboration services for loglines, query letters, synopses, and more.

$75 and up

Critique, revision guidance, writing assistance, and hands-on editing of nonfiction book proposals.

$75 per hour, with flat rate options starting at $325

Advice, strategic guidance, agent research and suggestions with knowledgeable industry insiders to help prepare for your submission effort and maximize your odds of success. Contact Ross Browne in the Tucson office for more information.

$75 per hour 

Recommended Reading

Query Do, Query Don’t No need to ask. Here are ten tips literary agent Kate Johnson wants you to remember.

|Comments Off on Query Do, Query Don’t No need to ask. Here are ten tips literary agent Kate Johnson wants you to remember.

I’ve recently worked through a post-holiday backlog of submissions, and stumbled on some recurring themes and – naturally – some recurring pet peeves. Agents are as diverse in their taste for query letters as they [...]

Hook, Line, and Sinkers: Writing the Great Pitch Tips from our staff on the all-important art of pitch-writing

|Comments Off on Hook, Line, and Sinkers: Writing the Great Pitch Tips from our staff on the all-important art of pitch-writing

Querying literary agents...looking for beta readers...entering writing contests...wooing potential book reviewers... These are just a few of the reasons you might need an effective pitch to entice someone to take an interest in your book [...]

“I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners. The architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they’re going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there’s going to be. They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up. The gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of know what seed it is, they know if planted a fantasy seed or mystery seed or whatever. But as the plant comes up and they water it, they don’t know how many branches it’s going to have, they find out as it grows. And I’m much more a gardener than an architect.”

George R.R. Martin