Dear Rejecter,
I've gotten past the query letter stage and now they want a book proposal package. This is my first so when they ask for a projected page count, are they asking for the manuscript page count, or the final, bound book page count which I assume (yikes) will be standard 8x5 paperback?
Also they don't ask for autobiographical information, but most resources on proposal packages say to include this Do most publishers assume this is standard and I'll include one or should I eave it off?
(1) I'm not 100% sure here what they're asking, but I'm going to have to assume that they mean word count, and an estimated page count of the manuscript based on assuming 250 words a page. I wouldn't ask for page count myself, as it varies wildly based on layout, but that's their thing. It's not a huge deal. Guesstimate.
(2) In the standard proposal laid out on tons of websites, it says to include autobiographical information. That's why they didn't ask specifically for it. They expect it to be in the standard proposal.
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The point of a page count is to give the publisher some idea of the size of the book. If a document contains illustrations or pictures then a word count may not be enough. More importantly some genres are page specific. For example it is common for children's books to fit to a standardized size.
Really? Wow, I actually didn't know that. When we get submissions for children's books, we reject them, so it's something I've never noticed. My boss doesn't handle children's books and my previous boss didn't either. Thanks, Bubblecow.
Is this sort of proposal mostly for nonfiction/stuff with pictures?
@Rachel: Yes. If an agent asks for a proposal package for a novel (aka fiction) they don't know what they're doing and you should run a mile.
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