Cliffhanger in cover letter?

Absolute Truth · Nov 2, 2011

Dear friends,

I’ve been working on a MG Sci-Fi for some four years now and I’m making my first submission to a publisher. I’m debating whether I should mention that I have either an action-filled or emotional cliffhanger at the end of each chapter. Each chapter has ~14 pages from beginning to end.

Is this something to mention in the cover letter to the publisher or it might be a turn off?

sissybaby · Nov 2, 2011

Personally, I wouldn't mention it. But that's just one opinion.

If they love your query, they'll ask to read the manuscript, and will find out for themselves.

If they don't care for your query, it isn't going to matter.

thothguard51 · Nov 2, 2011

No...just do the standard short synopsis or cover blurb and give the word count, genre, and maybe a bit about any relevant publishing experience you have.

By the way, each chapter is 14 pages exact? Are you sure they need to be 14 and you did not pad the chapters to reach that magical number? Just a thought, because an agent or editor will notice things like that...

Absolute Truth · Nov 2, 2011

sissybaby said:
Personally, I wouldn't mention it. But that's just one opinion.

If they love your query, they'll ask to read the manuscript, and will find out for themselves.

If they don't care for your query, it isn't going to matter.

Thanks sissybaby - I think I will do just that. I was leaning towards not including it and that’s why I come to my trusted AW friends.

BTW – I love your new avatar pic. So adorable. The old one was also very cute.

Absolute Truth · Nov 2, 2011

thothguard51 said:
No...just do the standard short synopsis or cover blurb and give the word count, genre, and maybe a bit about any relevant publishing experience you have.

By the way, each chapter is 14 pages exact? Are you sure they need to be 14 and you did not pad the chapters to reach that magical number? Just a thought, because an agent or editor will notice things like that...

Thanks for the advice thothguard51 – Yes, I was concerned about padded chapters but its not all 14 pages. It’s more than 10pages, less than 14. Been working on one story for four years so it all sort of worked out this way.

FASansone87 · Nov 5, 2011

Definitely go with the standard - Good luck!

MsJudy · Nov 6, 2011

Absolute Truth said:
Dear friends,
I’m debating whether I should mention that I have either an action-filled or emotional cliffhanger at the end of each chapter.

Seriously, do NOT do this. That is one of those that should be assumed--that you have the writing skills to maintain a sense of tension throughout the book. Pointing out a single technique you've used to do that makes it sound kind of amateurish...Hey! I learned a new trick! So I used it in every single chapter!!!

Sometimes one of the best ways to increase the tension is to release it a little. I just finished reading a mystery by WilliamKent Kreuger. At one point, there's a chapter where absolutely nothing happens. The woman comes home from work, puts away the groceries, makes tea, heads out to the sauna, thinks about how happy she finally is after a long, hard life of disappointment.

The author doesn't need to tell you that something really, really bad is about to happen.

So, no, I wouldn't focus on a single element of your structure, unless it's something highly unusual and unique, like Huge Cabret being a mix of illustration and text.

Absolute Truth · Nov 6, 2011

MsJudy said:
Seriously, do NOT do this. That is one of those that should be assumed--that you have the writing skills to maintain a sense of tension throughout the book. Pointing out a single technique you've used to do that makes it sound kind of amateurish...Hey! I learned a new trick! So I used it in every single chapter!!!

Sometimes one of the best ways to increase the tension is to release it a little. I just finished reading a mystery by WilliamKent Kreuger. At one point, there's a chapter where absolutely nothing happens. The woman comes home from work, puts away the groceries, makes tea, heads out to the sauna, thinks about how happy she finally is after a long, hard life of disappointment.

The author doesn't need to tell you that something really, really bad is about to happen.

So, no, I wouldn't focus on a single element of your structure, unless it's something highly unusual and unique, like Huge Cabret being a mix of illustration and text.

Thanks MsJudy for the wonderful advice. I will definitely not mention cliffhangers.

Cliffhanger in cover letter?

Absolute Truth

Not so new, really

sissybaby

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Absolute Truth

Not so new, really

Absolute Truth

Not so new, really

FASansone87

MsJudy

Absolute Truth

Not so new, really