Query an unwritten book?

RexZentah:
I have a rough plot outline, character sketches, many rough scenes and some well-polished chapters, the first three. Why not send out some queries and see if I get any bites?

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Have you been commercially published before and/or already have an agent?

If not, then the chances are that if an agent wants to look at it and you then have to say that the book isn't ready, you'll look like an amateur at best and at worst will blow your chances completely with them.

Even if you don't tell them that, if you leave a long gap between their response for more chapters and your ability to deliver them, the chances are that either (a) they'll have forgotten about your book in the meantime (which means the enthusiasm will have waned) and/or (b) you'll rush the writing to get it to them, which means it won't be as polished as it could have been.

Either way, why jeopardise your chances?

Note that there are some examples of writers who have been picked up on the strength of opening chapters alone, e.g. Monica Ali got representation and a deal for Brick Lane on the basis of the first few chapters of an uncompleted manuscript. My agent took me on on the basis of the opening 3 chapters, but then we've spent almost 2 years now rewriting the overall manuscript (including waiting for me to finish the first draft) and she only did it because of specific circumstances (I was writing the manuscript for an MA in Creative Writing when she read the opening).

MM

Isn't that called a book proposal?

RexZentah said:

Hi, I am new to this forum. I usually hang around the writing for kids.

I guess asking this question to strangers is a little short sighted, you don't know my work or experience, (esp. my longer work for those of you from writing for kids) but here goes.

What are the pros and cons of sending the first 3 chaps of a YA or an MG before I finish the 1st draft?

I have a rough plot outline, character sketches, many rough scenes and some well-polished chapters, the first three. Why not send out some queries and see if I get any bites?

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It's sorta the expectation that, with fiction, your work is done when you query. If you ever had to tell an agent: "Well, sorry, I can't give you a full because it's not done."... well, I'm not sure what, but I'm positive the agent wouldn't be happy.

But let me answer another question: Should I have a query letter written before writing the manuscript? I'd say absolutely. The best way to tell if your novel idea has merit is to see if you can write a damn good query for it. If you can't, you need to reoutline and revisualize. Now, I always have a good query done before writing word 1.

I think if your were going to propose an unfinished manuscript to an agent you would have to be very, very open about that fact in the query itself. Come right out and say that it isn't done. Yes, it will put many (most?) agents off entirely, but it would be far better than pulling the wool over their eyes.

Mharvey said:

But let me answer another question: Should I have a query letter written before writing the manuscript? I'd say absolutely. The best way to tell if your novel idea has merit is to see if you can write a damn good query for it. If you can't, you need to reoutline and revisualize. Now, I always have a good query done before writing word 1.

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Absolutely great advice. Even if you don't outline (like me *innocent whistle*) it's a great planning tool to help you focus in on your main plot lines.

I have yet to see an agency that takes query letters for unfinished fiction

I've interned for an agent, and I can say that an unfinished manuscript would warrant an automatic rejection (at least from the agent I worked with). You need to be able to show the agent that they can trust you to follow through with your work, and that you won't just abandon the project halfway through. Even if you have some great IDEAS down right now, having them actually written would make the whole process a lot more concrete. Otherwise, the agent might just pass you by as someone who jumped before checking how deep the water was.

Honestly, I can't think of any pros of sending the first three chapters of an unfinished ms. Whether it was finished or not, those three chapters would still (possibly) be the same, so it'd be better to get the manuscript finished before sending it off. That way you can also give the agent a definite word count, which would give them a better idea of your work anyway.

You should always finish fiction before you query it.

Unless you are Stephen King

I'd say definitely don't query an unfinished manuscript for a few reasons:

1. The manuscript hasn't been through the revision mill (heck, it isn't even finished being written yet).

2. How will your query accurately depict a story that hasn't been written yet? Things very well may change as your write, and then your query would be inaccurate.

Rather than spend your time worrying about and tracking your query letter, I'd focus on getting to the "the end" of your manuscript.

Don't do it.

Hi Rex,

I've thought about doing this myself.

I've just spent a year writing a MG novel - and am in the process of sending out queries, and so far no bites. That's a year of my life (writing wise) potentially wasted if nothing comes of this novel (except for the experience and practise, but my aim in writing is publication).

I'm a few chapters into my first YA novel - which I am enjoying immensely. I have already spent several months researching and outlining this manuscript, and I have written a "pitch" for it. I'm tempted to send out a few queries to see the reaction to it now - before I spend another few months completing the first draft.

I like to think as a published writer, that maybe I could do this (though my publications are all picture books). But then again........I worry.

I'd be interested to see what sort of response you get if you do send out some queries. If you do, like others have already said, I think you need to be perfectly clear to the agents you address that you are still writing your novel. And make sure you choose agents who do send a response (rather than no response means rejection). Please let us know how you get on if this is the course you decide to take.

Best of luck.

I wouldn't do it.

Smish said:

Don't do it.

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+1

I agree with what everyone else has said. And this is why: When I finished my first book, I was so eager to send queries, but I really didn't know anything about the process. My first query letter was awful. I mean, it blew chunks. And my first three or four letters garnered form rejections. After I read ALL the posts on QueryShark, my query letter was greatly improved and I started getting requests for my ms.

Another thing, when I thought my book was finished, it really needed more work. The opening chapters were completely reworked. The process takes more time than you think.

Why possibly shoot yourself in the foot when it's so easily avoided?

My latest release (coming out this fall) was sold on the premise alone and trying to get it written and whipped into publishable shape in four months was a nightmare. I don't know if I'd ever do it again.

Be patient. Finish the book. Polish it to the shiniest finish you can. Then query.