A question about arrangement

LittleFlowerLei · Jan 28, 2010

I'm about to send a query package that consists of the letter itself + the first fifty pages + a synopsis, and I was wondering if theres any specific or suggested way or arrange these bits?

Like for example:

Do I paste the fifty pages THEN a synopsis?

OR

Do I paste the synopsis THEN the fifty pages?

OR

Does it not matter either way?

Kateness · Jan 28, 2010

I would probably do the synopsis first, then the pages.

Birol · Jan 28, 2010

I would post the synopsis first.

Ehab.Ahmed · Jan 28, 2010

I don't know, but shouldn't the agent you're sending the query to actually request a partial (i.e the first 50 pages or whatever)?

Anyway, I'd put the synopsis first.

CaroGirl · Jan 28, 2010

Some agents and editors at publishing houses want the first fifty pages in the query package. I've seen and done that myself. When I send a synopsis, I always paste it before the pages of the work.

Good luck!!

Birol · Jan 28, 2010

Ehab.Ahmed said:
I don't know, but shouldn't the agent you're sending the query to actually request a partial (i.e the first 50 pages or whatever)?

Anyway, I'd put the synopsis first.

Some agents want a query letter, synopsis, and x-number of pages sent as part of the initial communication.

aadams73 · Jan 28, 2010

Cover letter-->synopsis-->pages.

Albannach · Jan 28, 2010

And I always did it the other way around, hoping the agent would read the pages first because I always felt my novel was better than the synopsis. :tongue

kaitie · Jan 28, 2010

It depends on the agent. I've seen a couple who said to put the synopsis on top. Janet Reid (I think) actually said the other day (or at least I read it the other day) that the synopsis should always go under the chapters because you want the agent to read the chapters first. Once they get through the pages, if they like them, then they can read the synopsis and see if the plot sounds like it works. It was an interesting point, and I would have assumed the synopsis should go on top as well, if for no other reason than because it's shorter and looks better that way. :tongue

shaldna · Jan 29, 2010

I would put the letter, the synopsis and then the sample unless otherwise stated.

It is hard copy? or email?

A question about arrangement

LittleFlowerLei

Reverse psychologist

Kateness

Birol

Around and About

Ehab.Ahmed

Drifting Silently

CaroGirl

Living the dream

Birol

Around and About

aadams73

A Work in Progress

Albannach

AW Addict

kaitie

With great power comes

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.