A couple of query questions

[Klazart]

I have a couple of questions about queries that I would be grateful for advice on. I've read the FAQs etc. so I'm not coming at this blindly.

I've a book coming out in a few months (contract signed, got the first bit of the money). It's non-fiction, controversial and being published anonymously. And I'm wondering if I should mention it in the query letter. I mean, it's going to sound strange.

'My first book, is a controversian non-fiction title, due to be published by NAMEOFPUBLISHER in early MONTH,' is the line I'm agonising over whether to include or not.

The second question is regarding formatting. Now according to what I've ready, a HEADER should include page number/title/author's name/date etc. The problem I'm having is that when I print the header prints the full line directly above the text on the page, in the same font no less, so it looks jumbled, confusing and ugly. I'm using OPEN OFFICE WRITER as my word processor. I can get the page number on the top left corner and that's okay but anymore and I end up with the aforementioned results.

Anyone know how to fix this in open office? So that there is automatically a bit of a gap between the header and the text? Alternatively would it do to just include the page number? (worked for my non-fiction book, but then I submitted that in Times New Roman with single spacing and unaltered margins too :P )

thanks in advance

[Klazart]

really need some advice on this. Esp the header issue. One compromise i've found is that if I use a different font (Times new Roman) for the header, then it stands out more obviously as seperate from the text of the manuscript.

[DeadlyAccurate]

You might post your first question in the Ask The Agent: Nathan Bransford thread in the Ask The Agent forum. He might be able to offer some advice on that.

I don't know anything about Open Office.

[Judg]

I don't know Open Office either, but you might try including a hard return or two within the text of the header.

[Rob B]

I think you might find the Times New Roman font one of the two that are currently preferred.

With respect to acknowledging your work, why would you not want to do so, especially when a primary consideration on many agent's submission critieria is author history? You should consider working on the line you referenced in your post that is concerning you. I think you'd be best served to accentuate what is postive rather than controversial about the title, regardless of actual wording.

[Klazart]

the problem is that i need to remain anonymous as far as that title is concerned, so the dilemma is thus, will they think I'm just making stuff up because i'm not giving a title or the name it's being published under?

[Jamesaritchie]

With OpenOffice you raise the Header height by clicking on Format/Page and then on the Header tab. I think I set mine at 0.3.

I generally keep all header info flush right, as this example of manuscript format shows. http://www.shunn.net/format/novel.html You don't need the date. Just Your last name, one word from the title, and the page number.

[CheshireCat]

I've a book coming out in a few months (contract signed, got the first bit of the money). It's non-fiction, controversial and being published anonymously. And I'm wondering if I should mention it in the query letter. I mean, it's going to sound strange.

'My first book, is a controversian non-fiction title, due to be published by NAMEOFPUBLISHER in early MONTH,' is the line I'm agonising over whether to include or not.

If this is a query to an agent, you should probably state that your first book was/is to be published anonymously due to its controversial nature, but that you will of course be happy to furnish any necessary details should you and the agent agree on representation for current and future work.

If the query is to a publisher, I wouldn't mention it.

[Klazart]

thanks a mill to both james and cheshire