Here are the general guidelines and process for submitting your FICTION novel to a literary agent or publisher (Guidelines are a bit different for nonfiction books). Please remember, however, that you must make sure to check an agent's/publisher's guidelines as they may be different than what follows here. Some actually want the full manuscript, not many, but some. Others may want a different size or type of synopsis than listed here.

So, the first rule of submission: know what the market you are trying to submit to wants and follow those guidelines. Nothing will get your manuscript in the circular file faster than not paying attention to what your market wants in the proposals sent to them. It's also a very good idea to know the agent's/editor's name. And do not submit material that has been simultaneously submitted to several agents/editors at the same time if the agent/editor you are sending it to does not accept simultaneous submissions.

Second rule of submission: standard submission format!:

» 1" margins on all sides on PLAIN, WHITE, 20# bond paper. Make sure it is not the erasable stuff, and no stationary, perfume sprays, etc. (there's a story from an editor who got a manuscript sprayed with perfume - turned out he was allergic) Oh, and no money (yes, there's another story of an editor who met the author of a particular manuscript and the author asked him about the money - turns out the guy had put in $20 bills every so many pages; by that time the manuscript, and the money, had hit the circular file). JUST, plain, white paper with your novel or proposal elements typed on it. Period.

» Use a 12 point font such as TNR or Courier.

» Include an unnumbered title page. Top left of the title page includes your name and contact info, top right includes an approximate word count, your title is centered and typed all in capitals followed by a double-space then the word 'by' followed by another double-space, and your byline. Agented manuscripts then have the agent's contact info in the lower right corner.

» Inner pages include a slug line with the following: "author's last Name/NOVEL TITLE(top left corner) page # (top right)." You can actually use the header option in your word processing software for a continuous slug line after the title page.

» Body of manuscript is double-spaced, start each chapter 2/3rds the way down on the page, pages should be left justified (do NOT justify the right edge), indents for paragraphs are 5 spaces.

» Submit the novel loose-leaf in an appropriate sized envelope. DO NOT SUBMIT your ONLY copy! Include a self-addressed envelope (a SASE) for a response.

No-nos: using staples; putting manuscript in a binder; putting a copyright on the manuscript; including pictures of yourself clothed or otherwise unless required for the manuscript (yes, another agent story), bribes or gifts; sending the submission in a box that once contained something from the store (sorry, gang, no Pampers boxes); etc. Just your novel and/or proposal materials in a previously unused envelope. Period.

Keep in mind that concise means exactly that. The proposal is NOT a time to wax eloquent and wordy. Get straight to the point and stick to it.

Possible Proposal Elements:
Query Letter
A Cover Letter
A Cover/Title Page
Table of Contents
The Synopsis
Sample Chapters
Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
Author Biography
Endorsements Page
Reply Postcard or SASE
Epigraph
Acknowledgements*
Dedication Page*
Foreword Page*
Preface*

Things with an * are more like to be used only when your proposal is accepted.

Typically, you will contact the agent/publisher with a query letter and wait for a positive response. With a positive response, you will send what the agent wants to "sample" your novel, usually including: a cover letter, a title page, a table of contents (of your PROPOSAL, not the novel), a synopsis, and sample chapters (usually the first 3). Some may also want an outline. It bear repeating: send no more and no less than what the AGENT OR PUBLISHER WANTS. You want this person to accept your novel, you play by his/her rules.

What goes into each of these? Take a look . . .

Query Letter
This letter should be clear, concise, and preferably under 1 page (single-spaced). It should also be polished and exciting. You're trying to convince someone who can get anywhere from dozens to 100s of proposals a day.
» Include the novel's genre; word count (round to nearest 1000); a paragraph or so describing your novel's setting, main characters, and the central conflict; your publishing credits if you have any (if you don't, skip it - don't mention you're unpublished, just move on in the letter); your qualifications/credentials to write the novel if useful (being a lawyer for a legal thriller, for example); a closing that includes what you are ready to submit (or are submitting if an agent/publisher asks for the full manuscript and other materials). And make sure to thank the editor/agent.

A Cover Letter
» If you've sent, and received a positive response to, a query letter, your cover letter will be a brief paragraph or two letting the agent know you're sending the materials s/he requested and who else is considering the manuscript. And make sure to thank the editor/agent.
» If you're sending in a proposal package without a previous query letter, the cover letter reads like a tightened version of the query letter.
» Don't use "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madame"; bring up advances or royalties payments or how much time you've spent on the novel.

From this point on, unless otherwise noted, every page should include a slug line with the following: Last Name/Novel Title/Proposal Content (example: Author Biography, Dedication, etc) left aligned. Some slug lines will include a page number, right aligned. The page number will refer to its position in the proposal.

Table of Contents
Use the table of contents to let the agent/publisher know exactly what's in your proposal package (even though you're sending only what s/he wants) and to organize your proposal in such a way that it makes it easy to any one particular item. List every item in the order it is presented and the page number on which it can be found.
» Include the slug line without a page number, drop 4 lines and type Proposal Contents left aligned; a listing of the contents of the proposal and the page number (according to the proposal, not the manuscript, pages). It's a good idea to organize it according to content and use subheadings (example, after the synopsis, include the sample chapters and the page numbers like 4-75, followed by each chapter listed separately with the page it starts on).

A Title Page
The title page of a proposal package is exactly same as the title page that goes in with the completed manuscript.

Novel Table of Contents
No page number in the slug line, extra wide margins on the sides (1 1/2 - 2"), Table of Contents centered and 1/3rd the way down; Include all front-materials such as preface, foreword, prologue, and epilogue in the chapter listings, but do not include acknowledgments and dedications; at the very least include chapter titles.

The Synopsis
The synopsis is most likely going to be the hardest to prepare as some want it to be 1 page, some want 2, some want 5-7 pages, etc . . . .
» Advice: Prepare one that's 3 - 5 double-spaced pages and adjust it down if an editor/agent wants less.
» The goal is to tell what the novel is about without making the agents/editor read the novel in its entirety, and still keep all the excitement of your novel. A synopsis is a brief, concise summary of your novel. You'll need to include the primary elements - plot, theme, characters, setting, etc; and how these elements work together to make the novel worthy of publication.
» Write your synopsis in third person regardless of the pov of the novel; write in present tense (regardless of tense used in the novel); focus only on the essentials of your story; do not include dialogue unless absolutely necessary; keep events in the same order as in the novel; and make the story seem complete; and make sure the synopsis has a beginning, middle, and end. Do NOT withhold the ending of your novel in an effort to surprise the agent/editor, s/he needs to know everything about the story from beginning to end. Be concise, compelling, and complete.

Sample Chapters
Most editors/agents ask only for the FIRST 3 CONSECUTIVE chapters. Some may ask for 5. Do NOT send 3 later chapters or 3 nonconsecutive chapters (ex: chapters 3, 10, and 32).

Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
The outline describes each chapter separately in 2 pages or less (preferably less, 1 paragraph if possible) and expands and specifies what's been written in the synopsis. ONLY SUBMIT THE OUTLINE IF ASKED. Most agents/editors will only want the synopsis.
» Write in the same format as the synopsis: present tense, third person, highlighting pivotal plot points, reveal how each chapter begins and ends, make sure each succeeding chapter picks up where the previous chapter left off, don't include dialogue unless absolutely necessary.
» Use a slug line with the page number as it occurs in the proposal, drop 4 lines and type Chapter-by-chapter Outline centered and in bold, drop another 4 lines and type the chapter number, drop 2 lines and type in the chapter title (right justified) and the number of pages the chapter takes in the novel (left justified), drop 2 more lines and begin the text of the outline using manuscript formatting. Use all caps when you FIRST introduce a character and use a separate page for each chapter.

Author Biography
» Goal: To sell yourself in ways that directly help the proposal. If it doesn't directly relate to the book and the pitch, don't include it. Beginning writers with no previous publications generally do not need to include an author's bio. Collaborating authors send separate bios, but they must fit on the same page.
» Tell about your profession, especially if it's pertinent of the book, highlight your more significant publishing credits (don't mention minor stuff), and try to keep it to one page. Include education info only if you have an advanced degree (B.A. or higher). You may indicate who you are married to and where you live, but no other family info is necessary, mention only the memberships that will help promote your novel, and stick to the facts. Write in third person, present tense where possible (take a look at author bios in the backs of books for ideas).
» The proposal page number is included in the slug line, drop 4 lines and put About the author left aligned, drop 4 lines and write the bio in manuscript format.

Endorsements Page
Few authors include an endorsements page and new authors usually don't have endorsements to include. Formatted in much the same manner as the author bio, endorsements are only included from noteworthy people, particularly the stars in publishing or newspaper critics. The title of the page should be something similar to Advance praise for Novel title. Single space the quotes being included, double space after the quote and note the both the source and his/her profession and position, and triple space between quotes. Each quote should be short: 50 words or less.

Reply Postcard or SASE
The reply postcard or SASE at this point is so that the editor/agent can let you know that s/he received your manuscript. It does not mean the manuscript has been accepted or even read, or that it will be read in the next few days or even months. On average, you will not get a response to the actual manuscript for 3 - 4 months. Larger agencies often don-t get back to authors for 5 - 6 months. Know your market's response time, give an extra month - 2 if there's a holiday in there somewhere, before sending another polite note asking if they are still considering the proposal. If they still do not reply within another month or two, you may send another letter pulling it from consideration and move on to send it to other markets that might be more responsive. ALWAYS BE POLITE. You don't want to burn any bridges. You never know if you'll end having to work with someone you've been rude to down the line. (Along the same lines, be nice to all the "little people" in your agent's/editor's office when you meet them. this industry is very volatile and people's fortunes change quickly - you never know when you'll meet one of them going up as you're on your way down.)

Epigraph
An epigraph is a short quotations used at the beginning or a novel or the beginning of each chapter, and its content is usually relevant to the novel or chapter in some way. For epigraphs at the beginning o the novel, use a separate, unnumbered page and center it about 1/3rd the way down the page. Do not use a label or title for the page, the slug line will be enough to identify it. At the beginning of a chapter, type it on the same page as the chapter begins.

Acknowledgments
The acknowledgments page is where you thank everyone who has helped you through the process of completing your novel. Do not include the page number in the slug line, drop 1/3rd down the page and type Acknowledgments - centered and underlined, then use double-spaced text. At the end you may sign or initial and date the page.

Dedication Page
When dedicating your book to someone special, use a slug line with no page number, drop 1/3rd down the page, center and type your dedication. No label or heading beyond the slug line is needed.

Foreword Page
Written by the author or another person to comment on the novel's contents, the foreword has a slug line without a page number, the word Foreword is centered and underlined about 1/3rd the way down the page. The foreword's author's name goes flush right, with the place and date it was written.

Preface
A preface is the author's place to explain why s/he wrote the book and is formatted in the same manner as the Foreword.

ALL MATERIALS MUST BE ON PLAIN WHITE 20# BOND PAPER.

Now, even following all the rules to the letter doesn't guarantee acceptance. If you've sent your manuscript to every possible editor/agent that takes the genre it is written for, you have several options:

» Set it aside for awhile, get some space from it, pick it back up in a few months, see if you can do anything to make it better.

» Drop it in a drawer somewhere to never see the light of day again. Move on and hope the next novel project gets a better reception.

» Look into self-publishing and vanity presses if you can afford it. Just make sure to research your pod (print on demand) options thoroughly and read every last word of the contract - have it interpreted for you by a lawyer who is versed in publication law.

» Set it aside and watch the market to see if your themes, style, and/or topic comes back in. When it does, dust off your novel, polish it up a bit, and resubmit.

What you do from this point is up to you, but some things to keep in mind:

» Louis L'Amour received 350 rejections before his first sale and now has over 100 novels with more than 200 million copies in print
» Dr Seuss's first children's book was rejected by 27 publishers
» John Creasy received 774 rejections and now has 564 novels out under 14 name
» John Grisham's first book was rejected by 15 publishers and 30 agents before making it to print

The most rejections I've ever heard of for an author is close to 1300. If she could keep persevering, so can you. If you don't have any idea how to deal with rejection, read Rebuilding After Rejection (no longer available online) and pick up this

Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul

and read "Consider This" in Section 9.

Good luck one and all!

Sources:
» The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing
» Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript
and the lesson book from
» The Novel Writing Workshop by Writer's Digest