Including unrequested pages in e-query

Spiral Stairs · Oct 26, 2007

A couple people here have suggested that -- even if an agent doesn't request it in his/her guidelines -- an e-query should include a few pages of the manuscript. The rationale is that it's essentially free to tack some pages on to the body of an e-mail, and it gives the agent a chance to see the author's writing. (Whether the agent takes that opportunity or not is another story.)

I have been hesitant to follow this advice, especially for agents whose guidelines use words like "query only." I guess my hesitancy is based on two fears: (i) I don't want it to seem like I didn't look at the agent's guidelines, and (ii) I don't want the agent to think I'm so presumptuous that I don't care what the guidelines say.

What are others' thoughts and experiences?

Red-Green · Oct 26, 2007

It's all about degrees. If an agent's guidelines say straight out, "query letter only," do not include anything else. If an agent's guidelines merely say that they accept e-queries, but don't spell out what to include/not include, it won't hurt to throw in the first page or two at the end of your letter.

waylander · Oct 26, 2007

I did this, unless the agent's guidelines specified query letter only, and got a pretty good percentage of requests for more material

DeadlyAccurate · Oct 26, 2007

waylander said:
I did this, unless the agent's guidelines specified query letter only, and got a pretty good percentage of requests for more material

Ditto. I always included five pages. I got a few requests because of that.

jclarkdawe · Oct 26, 2007

Your reasons are good, and here's another.

If you send a portion of your manuscript in the body of an email, you don't know how it will display on the other end. Web browsers and email programs can do some weird things. Personally I find long emails hard to read, and as a result, my eyes glaze over and I start skimming.

That would be one reason why I would guess some agents specifically say send only the query.

Personally I'd prefer to wait and be able to send it as an attachment. That way I know what it will look like and can make sure it presents in the best way possible.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

Julie Worth · Oct 26, 2007

Some agents say query only, but then go on to define a query package as a query letter, a chapter or three, and a synopsis, while a few say they only want that one page. So for all those who don't spell it out, the word query is open to interpretation. The only problem I see with including a writing sample is that you won't know if you're being rejected for your query or for your material.

ChaosTitan · Oct 26, 2007

waylander said:
I did this, unless the agent's guidelines specified query letter only, and got a pretty good percentage of requests for more material

Even if the agent's page said "query only," I still tacked on the first five pages. It's still a query. I didn't send them three chapters and a synopsis. I netted a full request off the query and five pages.

Part of my reasoning is that I keep seeing this advice: strong pages can save a bad query. I think I have a pretty good query, but if someone is on the fence about it, those included pages could tip the scale in my favor. Agents can't always tell how well you write or the tone of your novel from a query. And I can't imagine an agent automatically writing off a good query simply because the email has a few extra pages.

Carrie R. · Oct 26, 2007

When I was doing my agent search I found that almost every agent I was querying had guidelines for what they wanted somewhere online (either their blog, website, or agentquery.com). I *always* followed their guidelines. If they said query letter, I just sent the query letter.

That being said, there are a lot of writers out there who advocate sending the first five pages whenever possible. For me, I preferred to follow the guidelines -- I think it's just going to be what you're comfortable with.

Good luck!!

Prawn · Oct 26, 2007

EMAIL IS FREE!!!!

A few pages of text won't clog up anyone's inbox.

I pasted the first chapter into every e-mail query I sent. No one complained, and I got two requests for partials from people who wanted QUERY ONLY. One of those people asked me to snail mail the partial, the other wanted it by e-mail. I say send it! If you only have an agent's attention for a few seconds, you may as well have your story there for them to see. If they like it, they'll ask for more.

waylander · Oct 26, 2007

Carrie R. said:
When I was doing my agent search I found that almost every agent I was querying had guidelines for what they wanted somewhere online (either their blog, website, or agentquery.com). I *always* followed their guidelines. If they said query letter, I just sent the query letter.

That being said, there are a lot of writers out there who advocate sending the first five pages whenever possible. For me, I preferred to follow the guidelines -- I think it's just going to be what you're comfortable with.

Good luck!!

Miss Snark always recommended sending a writing sample with the query letter

wee · Oct 26, 2007

I just read another agent's blog (non-Miss-Snark) that basically said, "would it kill you to add the first few pages of your manuscript, so that we can tell right away whether you write coherently? If I'm 'iffy' on your query letter, this could tip the scales in your favor!"

I'm sure it varies by agent, but the only time I wouldn't do this is if their guidelines say, "LETTER ONLY," because otherwise I would also consider it part of the "query package".

wee

KAP · Oct 26, 2007

Do it unless they say "send no chapters." Copy and paste the first scene if you think the first chapter is too long.

My other piece of free advice is to make your query emails "plain text only" instead of html. A couple times in replies, my cover and chapter were nearly impossible to read because of html codes or something. I don't use bolds and italics, but there were markings all through. One instance let me experiment because my email wasn't reaching the agent due to his full mailbox. I changed my query to plain text only and in my next "not delivered because of full mailbox" reply, my chapter was readable.

Good luck,

kap

ORION · Oct 26, 2007

I e-queried my agent...she hates email queries...I pasted the first five pages of my novel at the bottom of the query ... she hates that too... But she requested my FULL to be emailed to her - I found out later my manuscript arrived with the formatting all bizarre- they (her assistant and her) read it anyway and offered representation in 3 weeks- My point? If the premise and the book is compelling enough TO THAT AGENT they will read it and ask for the full.
if it isn't -- it doesn't matter how many hoops you go through and how many rules you comply with- It won't work.

sneakers145 · Oct 26, 2007

I took a novel writing class a while back by a six-book deal suspense writer and she always liked to include a 'pitch sheet' (which was a basically a synopsis on steroids) with the query letter. It did get me requests for partials and a full (I only queried 6 agents). That was back in the day before e-queries were widely accepted.

Per Miss Snark I'd likely include the first 5 pages. If they don't want to read them, they don't have to.

David I · Oct 26, 2007

I always included pages. I figured if the agent were offended by that, she probably wasn't someone I wanted to work with.

I would not, however, include pages on an e-query, because I would have no control over how the words spilled out at the other end. So, I include pages, but I also snail mail.

gp101 · Oct 26, 2007

I'm with the others who say paste the first five (or so) pages at the bottom of the query. If they like the query itself, they won't be mad that you included sample pages. If they're iffy on the query, the sample might help (as another poster mentioned). If the query doesn't grab them, what do you care if they get annoyed at the sample pages? If anything, maybe if they don't like the query, but read your sample pages, they may have second thoughts... though I realize that's a long shot.

I've noticed that when I send pasted pages, they look fine when I send them (I examine them in my SENT box). But when I receive replies, sometimes the original query AND the sample pages that are returned at the bottom of the agent's reply look messed up. There's all kinds of symbols (the Euro symbol for one!) in the text, usually where an apostrophe or quotes are supposed to be. It freaks me out because I don't know if that's what it looks like when it reaches the agent. As I said, it looks good in my SENT box. I've tried asking a couple of agents after a rejection if they had received a "messy" query initially but haven't had a reply.

Doesn't happen all the time. Still don't know what to make of it.

Judg · Oct 26, 2007

gp, copy and paste your text into Notepad or any other ASCII editor to strip it of all extraneous codes. Then paste that version into your email. Copying from a word processor into an email program is always touchy.

gp101 · Oct 27, 2007

Judg said:
gp, copy and paste your text into Notepad or any other ASCII editor to strip it of all extraneous codes. Then paste that version into your email. Copying from a word processor into an email program is always touchy.

Ahh... I've heard this advice before and that is exactly what I've done thus far: I've brought my text from MS Word to Notepad, stripped it of codes, THEN pasted the Notepad version to my e-mail. But I still see symbols (occasionally) when my original e-mail is responded to (that is, my original e-mail--the pasted sample pages--when they are responded to, that's where the symbols appear, in the sample pages that are returned to me).

Judg · Oct 27, 2007

In that case, it's probably the email program at the other end that has put them in and yours that is reading them differently. In which case, you don't have a problem, because you are seeing the first garbled version.

David I · Oct 27, 2007

gp101 said:
I've noticed that when I send pasted pages, they look fine when I send them (I examine them in my SENT box). But when I receive replies, sometimes the original query AND the sample pages that are returned at the bottom of the agent's reply look messed up. There's all kinds of symbols (the Euro symbol for one!)

Sending pure ASCII will help, but you stil can't really control how it gets parsed at the other end.

That's why I don't like to e-query. Maybe some people's prose is so brilliant that it
can be
written all over the page
like a poem
but I like to give mine all the help it can get--and controlling the format is one way. So I snail mail whenever possible.

Including unrequested pages in e-query

Spiral Stairs

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

DeadlyAccurate

Absolutely Fazed

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

ChaosTitan

Around

Carrie R.

Procrastinating, clearly

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

wee

just a little

KAP

Hangin' with the gargies

ORION

Sailed away years ago

sneakers145

David I

gp101

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

gp101

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

David I