posted
Believe it or not, I couldn't find this in our archives. So...
Here's what I think I'm sending out to an agent this week, one I pitched to last year.
2 chapters, about 54 pages.
A synopsis that's a little over 2 pages. Although OSC said it should pick up *after* the sample chapters leave off, I haven't heard this anywhere else, so it's synopsis of the whole thing.
A query letter saying, basically: * Here's where we met and discussed the novel. * Genre, word count, and "it's finished." * Here's what it's about * Here are my publishing credits.
Anybody, especially our celebrity Hatrackers like Mary, have any comments or suggestions?
The agent doesn't have a web site. I could call and ask if there are any unusual requirements.
posted
Go to Miss Snark's blog. She's running her annual crap-o-meter. She invited the snarklings to submit their query letter and first page of their book. She then gives her comments just like she was reading them from the slush pile
Highly enlightening and a good place to check if your query letter has any of the common mistakes that drive agents wild.
posted
Quick question, Will: did the agent request 2 chapters? Or 50 pages? Or are you just guesstimating a reasonable amount?
The reason I ask is some agents only want the query, some want only a couple sample pages, others want more, but most of them get irked if you send the wrong thing.
Considering you already spoke to this agent you are probably okay, but I'd just try to make sure you are sending exactly what they ask for. If all else fails, a phone call to verify what they want is probably not a big deal, especially if the agency is more than one person, but do try to find the info elsewhere first if possible.
I second Miss Snark's blog recommendation, with the caveat that it takes a long time to catch up on all the posts and it's very addictive, so be warned ahead of time to get comfy and settle in. In fact, in general reading agent blogs has been very informative for me, and there are now several agents that I value highly and read regularly. Kristin Nelson and Rachel Vater also have good blogs.
posted
The formula I always heard was "outline and three chapters." (I thought that weakened my last attempt to sell a novel, years ago now---the most interesting stuff was up ahead of the first three chapters---which may have been the big problem with the novel, as well).
But how long should the outline be? And what should its nature be? I usually wound up with something chapter-by-chapter and always somewhere between ten and twenty pages long. (Chapter One The lead character goes here and this happens. Chapter Two The lead charater meets two secondary characters and together they go somewhere else. Meanwhile their enemies plot against them...you get the idea.)
Considerable reflection (and considerable passage of time) made me doubt the wisdom of that...maybe I should have written a bald and much shorter description of the plot without reference to what took place in which chapter. (With what I did use, I got my whole novel to the publisher / editor only three or four times out of, oh, a hundred "3 chs. & outline" submissions.)
[edited 'cause my attempt at writing in boldface looked awkward, plus a few other corrections...]
[This message has been edited by Robert Nowall (edited September 04, 2006).]
posted
Well, it's out, as of an hour ago! Thanks to everyone who read and commented, and to everyone who gave me other advice. Posts: 2830 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
Thanks for posting this. This seems like a reasonable goal for me in terms of polishing my novel.
Posts: 366 | Registered: Sep 2006
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