- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
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Greetings, all —
So I have a novel I'm shopping around. I was talking about it with an editor with whom I'm acquainted, and she basically said, Well, this isn't something that would be right for my list, but let me see if a colleague would be interested. And lo and behold, I got an email saying "You can query $Editor at $email.address." Which, yay!
But I could use some advice on what, exactly, this invitation means. My gut says I am being asked to send just a query letter, the end. But this editor's Manuscript Wishlist page says that for unagented manuscripts, she requires a query letter, a full synopsis, and the first three chapters, and to use her publisher's online guidelines for more help. And her publisher's website gives a postal-mail-only process for unagented manuscripts and explicitly says "don't send a query letter," so here I am.
Which door do I choose? Just a query letter, the end? Or tack on the full synopsis and first three chapters at the end of the email? I have no idea if it's worse to send an incomplete package and lose my window of opportunity or to send more than is desired and annoy her that way instead.
So I have a novel I'm shopping around. I was talking about it with an editor with whom I'm acquainted, and she basically said, Well, this isn't something that would be right for my list, but let me see if a colleague would be interested. And lo and behold, I got an email saying "You can query $Editor at $email.address." Which, yay!
But I could use some advice on what, exactly, this invitation means. My gut says I am being asked to send just a query letter, the end. But this editor's Manuscript Wishlist page says that for unagented manuscripts, she requires a query letter, a full synopsis, and the first three chapters, and to use her publisher's online guidelines for more help. And her publisher's website gives a postal-mail-only process for unagented manuscripts and explicitly says "don't send a query letter," so here I am.
Which door do I choose? Just a query letter, the end? Or tack on the full synopsis and first three chapters at the end of the email? I have no idea if it's worse to send an incomplete package and lose my window of opportunity or to send more than is desired and annoy her that way instead.