All Submissions: A stamped, self-addressed letter size envelope OR an email address is required to receive a response. We do not return proposals or manuscripts. Note that I do not respond to all unsolicited e-mail queries (though I try to), do not open unsolicited e-mail attachments, and do not click on links. Submissions that don't comply with our guidelines are automatically rejected. E-mail submissions MUST include QUERY in the subject and, if fiction or memoir, include the first 10 pages of the manuscript embedded in the email to receive a response. In addition to reading these guidelines read the guidelines on the Delbourgo website at www.delbourgo.com before querying.

For nonfiction: Please submit a complete, professional proposal that includes an overview, table of contents, marketing plan, author bio, and audience for the proposed work, along with the first chapter or two of actual text.

For memoir: Please submit a query letter, along with the first 10 pages, a brief Author bio, and a synopsis that clearly explains your story arc. Your arc must have all the qualities of an excellent novel and your writing has to be exquisite for your memoir to be marketable. Your memoir must be complete and polished prior to querying the agency. If I like your first pages, I will ask to see the entire manuscript.

For fiction: Please submit a query letter, along with the FIRST ten pages of actual text and your author bio. Your query letter should include a one-line description of your book that explains your premise and makes your book sound incredibly compelling. The query should describe your book in 2-3 paragraphs with a brief description of your bio and any important marketing information. If I like your first pages, I will ask to see your synopsis and the entire manuscript.

Some Fiction tips:
- Don't query your manuscript until it is perfect. Don't use agents as beta readers or editors.
- A unique and compelling premise that can be captured in one sentence is essential for pitching a successful novel. Read your one-line description to many people to make sure they all say "ooh I want to read that book."
- If I send you editorial feedback, I've taken extra time to give you an idea about why I can't sell your Work as is. I only do this if I see potential in the Work and Author. However, as an agent I am not giving you a full editorial assessment of your manuscript. Take the comments and go deeper. Run with them. Consider hiring a professional editor or work-shopping your book. Don't rush your edit and only re-query me after your manuscript is beyond perfect.

Some non-fiction tips
- You need a narrative arc or process that carries through the entire manuscript. Books in which each chapter is a separate story or about a separate person are very difficult to sell.
- An author platform is essential for selling a non-fiction book to a commercial publisher. Your platform must already be in place before your submit your proposal to the agency as it can take years of hard work to build up a platform that will sell books.
- Your competitive book analysis is important. Don't tell me there are no books exactly like yours, so there is no competition. Use your analysis to show that books in this space have been successful, but that you have a hook that will make your book especially appealing to potential readers.
- Research proposal do's and dont's before you submit.

Tips for Everyone:
- Do your research before you submit a query or a proposal to the agency. There are many online resources for writers that give excellent advice about how to get published. Do your homework to give yourself the best chance of success!
- Please read more about our agency on our website (including our blog) at www.delbourgo.com.

Follow me on Twitter on BookJacquie, however please keep in mind that I can not respond to queries via Twitter.

Some useful blog posts about writing, queries and more

Query Killers by me on our Joelle Delbourgo Associates blog

Kicking Out a Fast First Draft by Anne Greenwood Brown from Writer Unboxed

Show Don't Tell: Pastrami, Aunt Cissy and Pineapple-Banana Smoothies by April Halprin Wayland from Teaching Authors

Writing a Novel Synopsis by Jane Friedman

10 Rules for Suspense Fiction by Brian Garfield from The Big Thrill Archives

On Word Counts and Novel Length by Colleen Lindsay