Whether they work on fiction or nonfiction books, editors must create what
are called "fact sheets" or "tip sheets" for every manuscript they acquire.
These are quick guides to both the book and the author that go from the
editor’s desk to every department in the publishing house. They are a key
reference tool for sales representatives during sales conference—and the
reps’ primary source of information for selling the book into stores. The
advertising department uses fact sheets as the basis for writing catalog
copy and advertisements. Publicists rely on them to create accurate press
releases and letters that accompany advance galleys.
Your manuscript’s selling points will help every step of the way toward
getting your book into the stores. But most important, a list of strong
selling points helps an editor obtain the OK to buy your manuscript. So the
more you can present to an editor, the better your chances of making that
sale.
Not every selling point listed here will apply to every author. For example,
an author’s sales history on his or her previous titles is the most
important selling point on any fact sheet—but naturally a first novelist or
beginning nonfiction writer has no previous sales. If that’s your situation,
then concentrate on making the most of your other qualifications.
Here
are the most important selling points, with explanations of each:
Best-selling
track record
Give the latest sales figures for your previous titles; sell-thru
percentage (the number of copies sold out of the total shipped—but mention
only if this is 65 percent or better); copies in print and average monthly
reorder; any appearances on best-seller lists.
First-timers naturally will have no previous sales history—but
remember, every author was at this point once in his or her career. If
that’s your situation, list several “comparative titles” to what you’ve
written: successful books already in print that have similar appeal to yours
in terms of audience and author qualification. For example, a female mystery
novelist offering a quirky new character who might do well as the
centerpiece of a long-running series can say that she is hoping to click
with fans of Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky. Or a pediatrician writing about
his theory of child-rearing could list his qualifications as a doctor and
compare his approach to that of Penelope Leach or T. Berry Brazelton.
Upward sales trend
If each of your books is selling better than the last, that proves
your audience of readers is growing.
Awards received
Awards for your writing come first. Awards in other fields, if they
are pertinent to the manuscript you’re offering, should be mentioned. For
example, if you’re a prize dog breeder writing an exposé on puppy farms,
tell how many ribbons and titles your dogs have received.
