WRITING THE NOVELLA: PROPOSAL

by Darlene Franklin

Let me begin this post with the sad announcement that alas, Barbour is no longer accepting proposals for novellas in 2012. Let’s pray for success so that they will soon be looking to fill slots for 2013.

Again, as I share these hints, keep in mind that my experience with writing novellas has been with Barbour exclusively. So do your homework and adapt my comments to what your targeted publisher wants.

Of all the proposals a writer must develop, the novella is probably the simplest, pared down to a minimum. That’s not to say it’s easy (is anything about writing?) But the components of a proposal are either shortened or don’t apply. Consider the proposal for Barbour (again, check against your publisher’s requirements):

·         A “blurb” page—paragraph about the concept for the anthology, and paragraphs about each novella.

·         Author bios

·         1-2 page synopses, with Bible verses, for each novella.

·         First chapter only for any unpublished authors (not necessary for authors previously published with Barbour)

That’s it. No planned endorsements, no complete manuscript, no marketing comparison—nothing more than a great idea that is well-executed.

Is there continued interest in this topic? Let the book doctors know.