Submission Guidelines

General information

First submissions are to be sent the agent's UFWLA email address.

UFWLA accepts manuscripts only on flash drives. If the agency does not accept the manuscript for representation, the flash drive will be returned to the author. If a contract is signed, the flash drive becomes your file at the agency.

The reading time for your manuscript will vary with the priority assigned to your work and the length of the work. This can be from days to several months. Please understand that it took you a long time to write and the agency wishes to take the time to give you all due consideration.

Every manuscript accepted is read. Every submission is acknowledged and the author informed as soon as any decision has been

Please remember that the agency does not get paid until your work is published. It is in our best interest to do the best work for you we can.

Below are the requirements for a submission of your work.

Fiction

            Each writer will craft a submission package unique to them; however, every submission needs to have certain key elements.  Further, every agency prefers them a bit differently.  At UFLA flexibility is a value.  That said, the better your submission package, the more hope there is that the agent will be able to determine if you are ready for an agent or publisher.  Please be aware that fiction projects should be complete before a query is made.  Below are the elements UFLA recommends.

1. A 1-2 page query letter.  The letter should include

• Title, genre, and word count
• Short professional introductory paragraph (why this agency or agent for this book,  the great plot idea etc)
• Credentials for writing the book and why the world needs you to write this book (Include other publications in print, date of publication, publisher, sales figures)
• One paragraph summary of the project (think of this as the back page description on the book cover)
• Short biosketch of yourself focusing on connections between you and your work as an author (Indicate if full vitae is available)
• One paragraph of platform possibilities (who knows you, what media experience you have, readers aware of your work who might buy the book, ways you can help promote the book such as website, email lists, blogs, contacts in the bookseller market, opportunities to speak, do book readings and book signings)
• One optional paragraph of anything else you think I must know now.
• Full contact information

2. Synopsis, 2-10 page maximum) Enclose as separate document or within the body of the email. (DO NOT SEND AS AN ATTACHMENT PLEASE)
3. List of other materials that are available. 

Here are a few “do nots” that will improve your query: 

• Mention other manuscripts sitting in your drawer, asking the agent to choose which one to see. Discuss only the best, strongest, most saleable manuscript you have.
• Send it until it's the best-written, tightest prose you can possibly write. [Suggestion: when you are sure it is ready, please read it one more time, thinking as a reader and especially watching for grammar and typos. You will always find something.].
• This is an email query, don't include attachments or force the editor to link to your Website to read sample materials - make it as easy for them as possible.  Besides you could pass us a virus.

Note: Please note once more this agency accepts only electronic initial queries.  We like to save trees.   The agent will ask for a reading sample if she thinks she could represent your book as well as other helpful information. 

Non-fiction

1. See number 1 above for query letter.
2. Proposal:  Since you may not have the complete book written a proposal is necessary. Even if you have written the book, what the publisher wants first for non-fiction is a proposal. Proposals include the following:
• Title page (title and any subtitle, author or authors, contact information
• Table of contents with page numbers
• The Author information (who you are, publications, 2-3 paragraph bio sketch demonstrating your experience and expertise to write this book, your known audience)
• Overview of the proposed work (why the book needs to be written, the focus of the book, the genre of the book [self-help, how-too, memoir, autobiography or biography, inspirational], the impact you expect the book to have.)
• Marketing and promotion (readership including any ‘built-in readers’ connected to you as an author, any media contacts, suggested promotional contacts including if you already have a contact person, any newsletters, blogs, journals, or periodic mailings you can supply, your own ability to cooperate with book signings, speaking tours, direct selling [example at conferences or keynote events], any marketing unique to you or your book genre. Please note that unfortunately most publishers expect the author to do much of the ‘selling’ of the book.]
• Competitive title analyses (Four or five books that are similar to yours) Indicate how your book is different but don’t ‘trash’ the other books or authors.
• Book Outline (One or two page list of chapters and names. Indicate if the book is sub-divided into parts.)
• Chapter summaries (Chapter by chapter summary of two or three sentences)
• Previous published works including number of copies sold and sales information.  UFLA recommends you do not report vantage publications in the proposal but please tell the agency in a separate note everything you have self-published, e-published, vantage published, POD published along with if they are still in print, who sells them and who has all the rights to them.  We do not like to be surprised and the more we know about you as an author the more likely we are to be able to sell your work for you.

3. Do nots: see fiction section

UFWLA looks forward to seeing your submission.