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My novel is complete. Having traveled the self-pub route in nonfiction, and studied gazillions of publishers, I've decided that an agent
is the best path for me. I've also learned that you don't package up a copy of the beast and ship it all over the world in hopes someone
sends you a pretty contract in your SASE.
Now comes the part where I promote me, the story and my abilities to write, sell and be a viable product for an agent and a publishing
house. In other words, why should an agent want to sell me as a commodity? Basically, I'm doing for an agent what an agent will do for
me.
So what do I do now that I've written THE END on my story? After studying gobs of agents and their desires, whims and rules, I've
learned the following:
- Write A Brief Synopsis
Write a synopsis like the ones you read on book jackets or on the back of paperbacks. Write it as if that one paragraph is the
determinant in whether your book is selected by a publisher. Make sure your writing voice shines through—which is harder than it
sounds—and obtain feedback from seasoned writers.
- Write An Even Shorter Blurb
If someone asked you what your book was about, how would you describe it in one breath? If you run out of breath before you complete
your blurb, it is too long. Write it again and this time, write it as if it's the only chance you have to pitch your book.
- Write A One-Page Query
Some agents say they'll take upto two pages, but most want one single page. In that single page they want to read:
- A catchy introduction.
Whether it's about the book, where you met the agent before, or some quirky comment founded in your unique sense of humor that will grab
the attention of the agent, make sure you have an introductory statement.
- Your qualifications and/or experiences.
What books, stories, or articles have you published in the past? What is your educational background? What makes you the right person
for this boo project?
- Your project in one short paragraph.
Consider using the short blurb or synopsis you wrote earlier.
- Contact information.
Make sure you include your name, address, phone number, and email address. But also include things like, the date, genre, and word
count.
- Where you’ve pitched your work before.
Has the manuscript has been seen by any editors? If so when and where? Don't embarrass your agent by having him/her pitch your story to
an editor who has already rejected it.
- Why you want to work with this agency.
Why are they the agency for you? If you want them interested in you, show you have an interest in them. List other authors and books
they’ve represented and how that relates to you and your book.
- Write A Main Synopsis
A main synopsis is much longer than a brief synopsis and it allows the agent to read your story in one brief sitting. Make your
protagonist and your voice shine through. The shortest synopsis I've seen requested is one page with the longest being ten pages. That
means if you wind up pitching twenty agents, you might have four different synopses sharing the same ideas in four different styles.
- Make Your First Three Chapters Pristine
Most agents ask for the first three chapters of your fiction piece. But some agents may simply ask for a given number of pages (i.e.,
not to exceed 50 pages). That page count can mean anywhere from one to four chapters.
- Send A Self-Addressed Envelope (SASE)
Many agents respond via email these days, but don't forget the SASE as a courtesy. If you wish to have your proposal package returned,
put enough postage on that SASE to cover the cost—this is not the time to be cheap.
- Send Press Clippings
If you have your big toe in the writing pond, send proof in the form of great reviews, press interviews, or coverage of an event. Awards
are nice, too. If you do not have any press clippings, just do not include them. Don't mention you don’t have any and just act like you
forgot about them. Don't give the suicidal reaction of apologizing to an agent for what you are not or for what you have not yet
accomplished.
Just like magazine guidelines or a publisher’s submission instructions, find out if the agency and/or agent wants something specific. In
my research, I discovered that one agent wanted no more than ten pieces of paper—regardless of what was contained in them, another
agent wanted to know if the author had read any other books she'd represented, and another wanted a brief comment regarding why the
story was unlike any other on the book store shelves.
When an agent asks for something, don’t ask why. Just follow the guidelines. For some reason, the answers to those questions give them
the insight they need to make an informed decision about you and your work.
Hopefully, I do not have to remind you no typos, no coffee stains on the paper and no econo-ink print job: impeccable and perfect. No
excuses. Right now, I feel like a novice at an American Idol competition. When my hands stop shaking, I'll finish my own package. Wish
me luck.
NOTE: Guidelines are different for nonfiction books.
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About The Author:
C. Hope Clark is the author of The Shy Writer . Now that she's finished a work of
fiction, she feels like a middle-schooler on a first date not knowing where to put her hands.
Visit her at Funds For Writers.
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