Friends of the Fairfield Library Present

Manuscript Review
Adult Book | Children's Book | Preparation for Consultation
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A limited number of manuscripts will be accepted on a first come first served basis. Manuscripts and full payment must be received by Nov. 25 ($50 for registration and $30 for editorial review and meeting = $80 payable to the Friends of the Fairfield Public Library). Send checks and manuscripts to: Karen Ronald, Deputy Town Librarian, Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Writers must be flexible in terms of the time they will be assigned to meet with the editor.

Guidelines for Editorial Review of Adult Book

Along with payment, writers should submit no more than ten double-spaced pages of a manuscript plus a one page synopsis to the Fairfield Public Library. Writers should be instructed not to submit poetry or children’s books. In addition, writers must include their name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address on the first page of their writing sample.

Editor:

Marcela Landres is an Editorial Consultant who edits manuscripts, critiques proposals, and advises on how to launch and manage a writing career. She was formerly an editor at Simon & Schuster and is the creator of Latinidad, one of Writer’s Digest magazine’s 101 Best Web Sites for Writers. A member of the Women’s Media Group, she has acted as a judge for the PEN/Beyond Margins Award and speaks frequently for organizations such as The Learning Annex. For more information, please visit http://www.marcelalandres.com/.

Guidelines for Editorial Review of Children’s Book
(Sorry! All review slots are taken for children's materials)

Writers must include their name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address on the first page of their writing sample. Editor will accept: picture books, middle grade, young adult novels and nonfiction (K-3 only and need complete manuscript).

• For Picture Books - complete manuscript, (2000 words or less)
• Middle Grade Novel - first chapter only or can be more than one chapter but no more than ten pages double-spaced manuscript
• Young Adult Novel - first chapter only or can be more than one chapter but no more than ten pages double-spaced manuscript
• Nonfiction - will only accept Kindergarten to Third grade.

Editor:

Attaining the success of J.K. Rowling is a great feat! Today's writer needs to have a combination of skills. Coming from Scholastic and Harcourt, Eileen Robinson has published children's books for over 10 years with a focus on mentoring and publishing newcomers. Working with both published and unpublished authors, Eileen created F1rst Pages.com where she gives writers the tools they need to get published. In addition, Eileen has been an editorial consultant to Wisdom Publications, National Geographic, Santillana USA and others.

Please prepare for the one-on-one consultation:

1. Bring a list of questions. The consultation will go by faster than you think, and organizing your thoughts beforehand will help make the most of your time.

2. There is no criticism, only feedback. The editors who are attending the conference are here to give you an honest assessment of your manuscript and its potential given the realities of the marketplace. While it is possible that you may be told your writing is perfect and your book idea will garner a million dollar advance, be prepared for the possibility that you may have some work to do before you can reasonably expect publication.

3. Do your homework. Read the bios of the agents and editors, visit their individual web sites, even google their names to get a sense of what their areas of expertise are and if they meet your needs. For example, if you have written a children’s book you may want to avoid meeting with an agent/editor who handles only books for adults.

11/25/2008