Chattanooga Writers Guild
Chattanooga Writers Guild
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Book Doctor Archive August 1, 2003 Ask the Book Doctor:On Greeting Cards and TransomsBy Bobbie Christmas Q: I wrote a romantic love poem that my writers circle thought was good enough for Hallmark cards. Could you tell me how to contact them and other greeting card companies? A: One poem may not be enough. Most card companies want you to submit several ideas at once, but most have a limit, as well. Before you submit any card ideas anywhere, study the greeting card market. Learn what each company wants and how it wants to receive submissions. A book on the subject will show you what format to use, as well. I found a good but self-serving resource on the Web at http://www.greetingcardwriting.com/ and a more general one that lists more books about greeting-card writing at http://f.about.com/z/js/spr07sm.htm I use Writersmarket.com to do all my market searches, and Hallmark isn't listed, so it may not be open to freelance submissions. Don't give up, though. I found four pages of other greeting card publishers on the Writersmarket.com Web site. Don’t waste your time and efforts submitting anything, until you know exactly what the company wants and needs and how it wants to receive it. --- Q: Some book publishers will accept one-chapter submissions and accept them over the transom. Do you know anything about them? Has anyone ever bothered to publish a list of such publishers? Likewise, some literary agents must be well enough organized to respond--timely and honestly--to author submissions. Is there maybe some list of preferred agents--those who go forth and do something for their prospective clients? A: First, let me explain the term “over the transom.” A transom is a crosspiece over a door. In the days before air conditioning, many large office buildings featured windows over the transoms. Often the windows stayed open, to keep the air circulating through the building. Getting in to see publisher has always been difficult, and at one time, folks sneaked into the office building at night, trudged to the publisher’s suite and slipped manuscripts through that little window over the door—over the transom—when they didn’t have an agent. The term “over the transom” came to refer to material that did not have an agent. Now we more often say that we are submitting unagented material, rather than submitting over the transom, but I’m pleased and impressed that someone remembers the older terminology. Do I know anything about unagented material? Boy, do I. When my agent gave up on me (after getting a good bite from Writers Digest Books that fell apart in the wake of September 11), I took over and submitted my book directly to 15 publishers who accepted unagented simultaneous submissions and wanted my type of book (reference or hobbies). I have received several rejections—some of them quite nice—and three nibbles. One publisher called with a strong interest will make a decision soon. The direct-to-the-publisher (over the transom) system works if you have a great book, but the wheels grind slowly. Some of the publishers have not responded, many months later.
Follow guidelinesEach publisher is different, so if it accepts material that does not have an agent, follow its guidelines. Yes, several places have bothered to list these publishers as well as many of the guidelines or the addresses where you can get the guidelines: Writers Market (Writers Digest Books), Literary Marketplace (R.R. Bowker) (use the one in the library; the cost is prohibitive) and www.writersmarket.com. Here are some sample guidelines from one of the publishers listed:
Submission method: Query with SASE Synopsis 2 sample chapters
SASE
The last line does not mean it won’t accept material. It means do not send the whole manuscript. Send only what it asks for—in this case a query letter; self-addressed, stamped envelope; synopsis; and two sample chapters. If the publisher wants more, it will contact you. Don’t forget to put your contact information, including phone number and e-mail address on your query letter. Some people forget! Never forget the self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE), either. It’s rude to contact a publisher or agent without sending the SASE for a reply.
Writersmarket.com charges $2.99 a month, or you can pay by the year. Writers Market and Literary Market Place are published annually. For the price, the updated material and the easily researched database, I like the Web site best.
A word about agents
My search for agents on Writersmarket.com netted 551 names, but only a human being can tell you if an agent is hardworking, honest, and responsive. One Web site has done some of the footwork. It’s called “Predators and Editors.” Look it up at http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/peala.htm. It lists many agents and tells you if they are not recommended. Another way to find a good agent is to ask someone who has one, and ask for a recommendation from that author to his or her agent. Recommendations are the best way to find an agent, although they are not always possible.
Bobbie Christmas is the owner of Zebra Communications, a literary services firm in Metro Atlanta that provides editing and submissions services. Do you have questions for the book doctor? Send them to Bobbie at bzebra@aol.com or visit the Web site at www.zebraeditor.com.
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