This might be the wrong place to ask this, but...

David McAfee · Jan 16, 2007

...if an agent requests the first 30 pages, and the 30 page mark cuts right in the middle of a scene, is it ok to send an extra 3 pages (the 33 page mark ends the chapter). Would this get an annoyed reaction or is a page count for a partial usually more of a general guideline?

rugcat · Jan 16, 2007

Generally that's fine. Those few agents who are excessively anal about exact page counts usually make that very clear in their submission guidelines.

engmajor2005 · Jan 16, 2007

Not to hijack, but this question is related.

If an agent requests the first three chapters and you have a prologue, should you send the prologue plus the first three chapters, the first three chapters and no prologue, or the prologue and the first two chapters?

PattiTheWicked · Jan 16, 2007

I'd send all 33 pages. I actually responded once to a request for the first ten pages, and sent 10 -- EXACTLY 10 -- pages. Three weeks later I got an email from the secretary: "So and so hates when a submission ends in the middle of the sentence. Can you forward remainder of scene?"

I did as I was told, and since then I've always made sure I don't leave anything dangling off the last page of a submission.

Cathy C · Jan 16, 2007

These would both be TERRIFIC questions to ask our guest agent, Lucienne Diver. Pop over to the thread and ask it as a general question. Then you'll get the perspective of someone who is actually doing the asking for pages.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 16, 2007

Prologue

Yes, send the prologue. It's how your novel begins, and the agent needs to know this. I doubt any agent out there actually counts pages so close, or is so anal they'll reject thirty-three when they ask for thirty.

James D. Macdonald · Jan 16, 2007

Send what you'll have in the beginning of the book that a reader in a bookstore would see.

And for heaven's sake, finish the chapter if it isn't too darned much more text.

David McAfee · Jan 16, 2007

Thanks everyone. That's a big help!

This might be the wrong place to ask this, but...

David McAfee

God of Squirrels

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

engmajor2005

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Jamesaritchie

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

David McAfee

God of Squirrels