request for proposal? need advice.

I've written a memoir and have been querying agents. I've had some requests for fulls and partials. But today I got a request for the proposal, which I don't have.

My query says that the memoir is complete and gives the word count. I don't mention a proposal.

I'm wondering if I should respond with my full ms, or pull together a proposal for this agent? Or, can I respond and say I have the ms available now but would need a week or so to prepare a proposal?

Everything I read says that memoir should be queried like fiction, so I am caught a little off guard by the proposal request...Yet, I don't want to blow the opportunity.

Thanks in advance for any advice

She represents fiction and non-fiction, including memoir. It's a reputable agency with recent sales in memoir.

ETA: Thanks for the advice. I emailed back thanking her for her interest in my memoir and saying I have a completed ms and synopsis and would she like me to send those? I offered to prepare a proposal if she would prefer that instead.

I figure at some point I'll probably have to draft a proposal for the memoir anyway...at least if/when I go on sub with publishers, right?

Giant Baby said:

Interesting, this same question came up a couple of weeks ago. You might find some helpful discussion here (scroll down to post #11, it's an offshoot discussion from the original).

Click to expand...

Thanks for that link! I searched to see if this has come up before, but didn't see that.

The agent emailed me back and said I should just send the full ms.