MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Procedures for submitting a manuscript to Waverly Media Group Inc.
First Step: Query Letters
Before an actual book proposal is submitted, we would like to see a query letter for your manuscript, via e-mail submissions@waverlymediagroup.com or via post office mail.
The query letter should be one page in length, no longer. Include the proposed page count of your book.
1. Include a brief description of the book.
2. Include a description of how large the market and/or audience is for your book--be specific.
3. Include why the body of Christ should read your book.
4. Include a few words about yourself, the author why you're expertly qualified to write the book.
We will inform you if your proposed book fits into our current publishing plan. If your query letter indicates a possible fit with Waverly Media Group’s focus, we will then ask you to submit an actual book proposal following the guidelines below:
Please note:
Waverly Media Group’s focus is on books that:
* Help the reader get into the Bible, directly or indirectly.
* Facilitate confrontation and interaction with Scripture toward a positive change in thought or action.
* Give a hunger to studying, understanding, and applying Scripture.
* Encourage and facilitate one's personal growth in such areas as personal devotion and a skillful use of the Bible.
We have a broad interest in biblically oriented books including: Young Adult Books, Bible Books in the Following God series format, Christian Living, Women/Men/Family Issues, Single/Divorce Issues, Contemporary Issues, (unique) Devotionals, Inspirational, Prayer, and Christian Ministry.
Our interests, though, do not include General Fiction, Poetry, Children's books.
Second Step: Guidelines for actual proposal submission?
* Submission proposals are sales brochures. They should show your ideas in the best light. This needs to be your extra effort. It should be between 10-20 pages, plus sample chapters.
* Your manuscript should be clearly typed, double-spaced on white paper. Photocopies are not acceptable.
* Keep in mind that although your book is for a wide audience, this proposal piece is meant to attract only one person--the editor.
1. Cover Letter: This should introduce your book, yourself, and grab the editor immediately.
2. Cover page: This must contain the book title, author name, address, contact information, and word count of the manuscript.
3. Production specifications: Please state the length of the book, if there are illustrations, and the proposed delivery date.
4. Proposal contents: Please provide a table of contents of the proposal with the number of pages.
5. Overview: This should be a one-page overview summarizing your book that generates excitement.
6. The market: Please identify your platform and how to best reach your audience. Who is the intended buyer of the book? Men, women, college-age, pastor, singles, mothers, and so.
7. About the book: Please describe your book in detail including special features and benefits. Clarify the focus, purpose, and argument of the book. What is its thesis? What are you advocating, defending, or otherwise trying to achieve in the book?
8. Competition: Please describe how your book fills a void or provides a new slant on your topic. Provide your rationale for writing this book. Why is this book needed? Will your book be superior to or different from other comparable titles? What will be its unique contribution? Convince our editor that you know what you're doing.
9. About the author: Please provide a detail description about yourself--your present position, educational background, biographical information, and previous publications.
10. Table of contents: Should be only one page, the actual table of contents for your book..
11. Chapter summaries: Please provide asummary each chapter with a two to four sentence paragraph, highlighting important components.
12. Two sample chapters: Please provide a sample of the chapters that will showcase your writing. Include chapter one and one other chapter.
13. Publicity, promotion, and marketing: Please provide an outlined plan for selling your book along with marketing-- ideas. Make a list of the ideas you're planning to promote your book. This is probably ten times more important than the content of the book.
14. Book sales: Please provide us with a plan on how to sale to large groups? I.e. will you be holding seminars?
15. Endorsements: Please provide any so-called celebrities who will endorse your book?
16. Attachments: Please include recent newspaper clippings and magazine articles about you or your topic.
17. Tentative Title: Please provide a tentative title, alternative and provocative titles, and subtitles.
Additional notes: If your manuscript submission has generated interest
* Please allow up to four months for your manuscript to be evaluated by our review committee and editors.
* If your manuscript is accepted for publication, we ask for close adherence to the Chicago Manual of Style and/or the Little Style Guide to Great Christian Writing and Publishing.
* The author is responsible to obtain permission to use any copyrighted material.
* We prefer Microsoft Word when you prepare your electronic file.
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WE DO NOT SEND BACK MANUSCRIPTS UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY POSTAGE. We will e-mail you a response to your submission, however.
Send all query letters (first) and requested manuscripts to:
Attn: Acquisitions Dept.
Waverly Media Group
150 N. Michigan Ave
Chicago IL 60601
Email: submissions@waverlymediagroup.com
Please do not query by phone.