The 5-Minute Manscript Assessment

REALITY CHECK

The 5-Minute Manscript Assessment

Rate Yourself: Is your manuscript ready for agents and editors?

1. Can you state what your book is about in one or two sentences?

The Professional Editor Says: "This is my litmus test for new writing clients. It's surprising how many people can write a 250-page manuscript without conveying a clear idea of what it's about."

The Literary Agent Says: "Remember that this is a specific statement of purpose, not a 'hook' designed to grab agents' and editors' attention."

Make it a clear and concise statement of purpose and scope:

Less effective:

"You know how people never think about retirement? Well I wanted to help those people a whole lot of different ways." (Pretty vague. Who are “those people”? What are the “whole lot of different ways”?)
"I'm in really good shape now and I never used to be, so I wanted to share what I've learned with all those other women out there." (Readers will care less about what shape you're in and more about your credentials and ability to cover what they care about.)
"It's about running a business out of your home and all the stuff you need to know about that." (What specific kinds of home businesses? What is "all the stuff" referred to?)

Better:

"My book is about everything you need to know to plan for retirement." (Sounds comprehensive but still general — what specifically will be covered?)
"My book is tells women everything they need to know about how to get in better physical condition." (Women of a certain age? What is involved in "better physical condition"?)
"My book is about how to run a successful business from your home and how to set up a home office." (More precise but we still don't know what it will cover specifically, especially compared to other books.)

Best:

"My book educates men and women from age forty to fifty-five about financial matters, housing, health concerns, potential legal problems, and other issues involved in retirement planning."
"My book tells women in midlife everything they need to know about how to get in better physical condition: what to eat (nutrition for women at different ages); how to exercise (activities that are good for bone health and heart health, joint and bone protection, sports that you enjoy); and what kinds of health problems to be aware of at different ages."
"My book explains the ins and outs of running a successful business from home, including how to outfit and operate a home office, accounting and bookkeeping practices, marketing yourself and your products, and life balance concerns."

Rate yourself: How does your statement of your book idea stack up? Be a little bit hard on yourself — how could you make your statement be clearer, crisper, and more specific?

2. Can you describe your real reader — your target market — in one sentence?

The Professional Editor Says: "Many beginning writers think of their readers in broad terms or unrealistically. The question is not just who, but also why this audience will want to read your book."

The Literary Agent Says: "Keep in mind that editors acquire books in specific subjects (such as health, women's issues, psychology) so they know the market. Once you describe your audience, you'll have to think about demonstrating why the market needs your particular book, given everything else that's out there."

Less Effective: "I think just about any woman would want to read my book." (Magical thinking, not realistic; maybe women should read it, but there's no book that every woman will buy. Women with a particular problem or interest are a more realistic target readership.)
Better: "My book is aimed at women between 30 and 50 who want to get in shape and feel good." (What else can you about these women? What are their interests? Are they exercisers or nonexercisers?)
Best: "My reader is a sedentary middle-aged woman who feels guilty about being out of shape, or has decided she would like guidance in starting to get in better physical condition and wants a relatively easy and fast way to do so."

Rate yourself: How does your description of your target audience measure up in terms of specificity and clear analysis of why they need your book?

3. Can you pinpoint exactly what makes your book stand out from other books on the same subject?

The Freelance Editor Says: I talk to so many authors who believe their book really is "unlike anything else that's out there" when the only real difference is that they wrote it. The trick is to do your research: Read similar books that have already been published to see if your idea is really all that different. If it is — if you honestly don't see your approach anywhere else — strive to polish your hook so that this new twist on the topic really stands out from the pack."

The Literary Agent Says: "Most people think their own book is unique — no one ever thinks his or her book is like others already on the shelf. The problem is that what we think are differences are not (from agents' and editors’ viewpoints) substantial, not significant, or — most important, when it comes to selling your book — not market-driven. Remember that editors and agents are looking for reasons to say 'no' to the hundreds of projects that come across their desks. Sharpen your statement of the book's distinctiveness so that you can avoid those objections before they arise."

Less Effective: "This is the first book to cover housing as an aspect of retirement." (Who says readers care about housing, particularly when they think about retirement?)
Better: "My book will be a comprehensive guide to retirement for people who think it's too far away to think about." (Do you think that people in denial want to read a big long book on the subject?)
Best: "Many baby boomers — my prime audience — think fondly about retirement, but they don't want to read much about it yet. They worry about it in the back of their minds, but they've got kids to get through college and are big procrastinators. My book will target those who are just starting to think about it, identify the most salient issues, integrate spiritual matters, and tie each topic to major midlife concerns and life purpose."

Rate yourself: Have you researched the competition thoroughly? Have you refined your statement of purpose so that your book's contribution is clear and compelling?

4. Be scrupulously honest: Have you taken a good hard look at your manuscript?

The Professional Development Editor Says: "No matter how many books you've written or even published, your book still needs work. Your book may be nearly perfect, but I'm willing to bet that you haven't had the heart to 'kill your darlings' — your favorite parts, the sentences that have been hanging in there since the first draft, the ones that no longer fit with your latest draft. Don't beat yourself up, but do try to look at your work with an objective eye."

The Literary Agent Says: "I receive a lot of manuscripts that were nowhere near ready to send out. People get so excited about the prospect of getting an agent or contacting publishers that they rush to get out their manuscripts out the door. Remember that you have less than a minute to impress agents and editors, so haste on your end usually leads to rejection. Take the time to get your proposal and your manuscript right, have friends and valued colleagues read it, get professional help if you need it. You really only have one chance at all of this, so make sure you give it your best effort."

Rate yourself: Would you be proud to show your project to anyone right now? Have you given it your best shot, gotten feedback, incorporated criticisms, revised, and made sure your proposal and your manuscript are strong? If you have one little doubt in the back of your mind about anything, take care of it before you send anything out.