submitting to publishers and agents is tougher than writing the actual book

 

So you think you've done all the hard work? - submitting to publishers and agents is tougher than writing the actual book.

I know this is not what you want to hear. It's not what I want to write either. You've worked tirelessly to get a finished manuscript. Honed it as best as you can. Edited and edited it to perfection. 

Now you are ready to send your baby off into the world. 

This should be the easy part, right? This is where I have to be totally honest with you. I find submitting the book to publishers and agents is much tougher than writing the book itself and it can take just as long if not longer.

The reason? The different guidelines that agents and publishers have for submissions.

And when I say different guidelines the very between individual publishers and agents and noticed agents and publishers.

Take the latest book I am submitting to agents and publishers (yes, some do accept manuscripts directly from authors). One publisher, I'm submitting to wanted 5000 words that best show your author's voice. And they don't necessarily have to be the first 5000 words of your book. 

This is an unusual request because submissions usually involve sending your first 3 chapters or 5000-10000 words or similar.

At the moment, I have 7 different publishers and agents on my top list and they all have very different submission guidelines which means some submissions can take a day or even days to prepare. 

What is a synopsis?

The synopsis is a case in point. There seems to be a difference of opinion in what exactly a synopsis is and what it should contain. To some, it's a rundown down of the story, whereas to others, it's more of a pitch for your book mentioning how you think it will stand out who will beat it and what competing books are. 

It's differences in what you have to submit and what interpretations are of what that material should contain that make submitting your novel so difficult.

If like me you are at that stage the best of luck to you. You have entered one of the most frustrating aspects of being a writer - the crazy world of what a proposal should contain.

Please let me know how you get on.

Emergency lockdown pandemic dental kit and DIY dentistry

 

It seems I'm not alone in having problems with my teeth during lockdown. Following my post about a chipped tooth, a few people have asked me how I did the temporary filling and got it to stay in. 

Here's how I did it (after many tries which made me realise dentists do really earn their money) - 

Please be warned, this information is not aimed at replacing your dentist. It's for you if one of your fillings has fallen out and you need a temporary filling until you can visit a dentist which is virtually impossible for many people right now.  

Get yourself an emergency dental kit. The best one I have found to be the best is Dentek and I bought it from Amazon. 

The white material you use to replace a filling (the pic shows just a small piece) comes inside a very small plastic jar think dolls house size. Follow the instructions on the packet. 

Tip - it's easy to over-estimate the amount of dental filling material you need. Aim for as small amount as you can get to replace the filling

When I applied the white filling material one of the first times, I used too much of the filling material and the end result was it caused a protruding bit on the tooth and hurt my mouth. The filling fell out and took part of my tooth with it. Ouch.

Tip - before you put the filling material in the tooth, brush your teeth and use a medicated mouthwash if possible. You want to avoid getting an infection.

If you do get an infection, your dentist may be able to prescribe antibiotics for you over the phone.

Tip - whatever you do, always make sure the filling material is in an airtight container to make sure it can be used again and doesn't dry out. I put the white filling material in the plastic jar that comes with the product and then inside a glass jar I got some herbal medicine in.

Tip - you will need a mirror. One of those small mirrors on a stick is ideal that you get in dental kits, so you can see see you have put the dental putty in correctly.

Good luck😊

      .