Standard Submission

Taylor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
301
Reaction score
49
Location
Seattle, WA
What is a standard submission to send an agent, if they don't have specifications in their description. It just says "send submissions to" and then it gives their email address.

I'm trying to figure out if I should have attachments, or put everything in the body of the email, as well as what I should put in the body, attachments, etc.

Thanks!
 

Al Stevens

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
2,537
Reaction score
214
I wish there was a standard.

There are many variations of what agents (and editors) want in submissions. Query letter only, QL + bio, QL + synopsis, QL + n pages or n chapters, submitted materials as attachments or in the body of the query, attachments as .doc, .rtf, etc., the whole query on a form on the website, email only, snail mail only, And, of course, which manuscript formats they prefer.

You can send 100 queries out according to the many submission guidelines, and it is conceivable that no two submissions will be the same.

Sometimes I think we ought to just put our queries on ebay and let them bid on the books. (Just kidding.)
 

Corinne Duyvis

My New Cat Is Too Big for Shoulders
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
884
Reaction score
107
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website
www.corinneduyvis.com
Safest bet is query letter (which includes a one-paragraph bio) plus 5-10 pages in the body of the e-mail. Optionally, you can add a synopsis after that if you have one you like.

Never send attachments uninvited.

Good luck!
 

Taylor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
301
Reaction score
49
Location
Seattle, WA
Safest bet is query letter (which includes a one-paragraph bio) plus 5-10 pages in the body of the e-mail. Optionally, you can add a synopsis after that if you have one you like.

Never send attachments uninvited.

Good luck!

Okay, that is the type of info I'm looking for.

There are many variations of what agents (and editors) want in submissions. Query letter only, QL + bio, QL + synopsis, QL + n pages or n chapters, submitted materials as attachments or in the body of the query, attachments as .doc, .rtf, etc., the whole query on a form on the website, email only, snail mail only, And, of course, which manuscript formats they prefer.

But I'm talking about if they don't have any specifications listed. I'd like to know the most typical thing knowledgeable aspiring authors send to these agents, many of whom (it seems) don't list specifications.

Thanks everyone!
 

Saanen

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
1,093
Reaction score
115
I actually had this come up just yesterday. The agent I wanted to query had no submission info on her profile on the agency's website, there were no general query guidelines on the agency's website, and QueryTracker and AgentQuery didn't have entries on her (she's a rookie agent at an established agency). I ended up emailing her my query letter with the first five pages pasted below.
 

Taylor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
301
Reaction score
49
Location
Seattle, WA
^^^
Cool. Hopefully that is acceptable. It probably is, but I just want to be certain.

Anyone else have any input?
 

Erin

Listening to my other selves
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 3, 2007
Messages
1,638
Reaction score
363
Location
California
Website
www.erinrichards.com
I always send query and first 5 pages after query, all embedded in email. Absolutely no attachments!
 

Jamiekswriter

USA Today Bestselling Author
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
1,227
Reaction score
152
Website
www.jkschmidt.com
Yeah I'd send the query with the first five pages pasted in below the query. If they don't want to read the pages, they won't. But if your query interests them, they've got the 1st five pages to clinch their interest. Good luck!
 

rac

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
94
Reaction score
3
Some agents have spam filters that block queries with attachments. If they have guidelines for submissions, they will usually mention this. I wouldn't use an attachment unless an agent specifically asks for it. As others have said, it's safest to paste to the body of the email.
 

waylander

Who's going for a beer?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 24, 2005
Messages
8,276
Reaction score
1,566
Age
65
Location
London, UK
Another vote for query letter plus first five pages.
If it was good enough for Miss Snark.....
 

Taylor

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Messages
301
Reaction score
49
Location
Seattle, WA
Trying to get to the bottom of this

Tonight on twitter there was this hashtag called ask #askagent where everyone could ask agents questions.

I asked them if an agent gives no specifications for submitting queries, should you send them the query and five pages or the query and ten pages. Anyway, one of the agents tells me "no pages, just the query."

I'm trying to figure out if that is the way to go. I don't want to be presumptuous by sending people five or ten pages when all they wanted was the query.

Then others have said five, and another (credible) person told me ten.

Anyway, the whole topic seems abstruse. But does anyone know anything solid on this, or is it kind of vague in general?

Thanks!
 

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
3,348
Reaction score
854
Age
64
Location
Ontario, Canader
Website
www.chumpletwrites.blogspot.com
If they say query only, I just send the query. If they ask for pages, I send pages. I don't want to risk an automatic reject. But agents are humans. In some cases, they'll read the pages if the query sparks their interest, even if they didn't ask for pages.

If you have a good instinct about the agent, send a few pages and cross your fingers.
 

kaitie

With great power comes
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
10,992
Reaction score
2,525
I always sent five pages at the end unless the agent specifically said "Any queries that include sample pages will be rejected." I think there were only about three out of the hundreds that I looked through.

I heard that advice from Janet Reid, for what it's worth.
 

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman
Super Moderator
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
22,454
Reaction score
4,956
Location
In chaos
Taylor, please don't start multiple threads on what is essentially the same subject. I'm going to merge this with the near-identical thread you started three days ago.
 

Maxie16

Registered
Joined
Aug 10, 2011
Messages
28
Reaction score
2
The question here is, in the absence of a directive either to include or exclude the five pages, whether you include them. Just going on gut instincts, I tend to subscribe to the less-is-more theory, so my impulse is to exclude. I guess I have the sense that our best bet is to pique someone's interest and then leave her or him wanting more.

I can't say that's the right way to play it, but since it seems a split decision from the experts here, that's my inclination.

Good luck all around,
 

jeffo20

Tyrant King
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
1,747
Reaction score
176
Location
Central New York
Website
doubtingwriter.blogspot.com
You know, I could swear I saw an interview with Kristin Nelson somewhere where she gave a specific reason why you shouldn't include five pages when submitting to her (aside from the fact her website says "Query letter only", that is). When I read it, it made sense, but I can't find that interview. If I do, I'll post it here.

I did submit five pages to one agent who said 'Send a query letter', but didn't say specifically NOT to send pages. I'm hoping I didn't shoot myself in the foot.
 

Corinne Duyvis

My New Cat Is Too Big for Shoulders
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 7, 2010
Messages
884
Reaction score
107
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website
www.corinneduyvis.com
The question here is, in the absence of a directive either to include or exclude the five pages, whether you include them. Just going on gut instincts, I tend to subscribe to the less-is-more theory, so my impulse is to exclude. I guess I have the sense that our best bet is to pique someone's interest and then leave her or him wanting more.

I can't say that's the right way to play it, but since it seems a split decision from the experts here, that's my inclination.

If you don't send the pages and your query letter isn't quite doing it for the agent, you lose the chance to draw them in using your pages.

Plus, if your writing isn't up to par or not their style, they'll know straightaway. The more they know of your work, the more informed their decision is. Stops you getting your hopes up, stops them from wasting time.

Besides, if the goal is to leave them wanting more, your first five pages should do that trick.
 

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
8,049
Reaction score
770
Location
Clearlake Park, CA
Website
www.strokingthepen.com
Read the agent guidelines and follow them to a tee. Some agents ask for a first chapter, some for the first five or ten pages, and other say query only. If they do not provide guidelines regarding query and any pages, I'd sent a query with the first five pages in the body of the email.
 

jeffo20

Tyrant King
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
1,747
Reaction score
176
Location
Central New York
Website
doubtingwriter.blogspot.com
Ah hah! Found it! It was a video interview with Kristin Nelson here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkGgaigDEa8

Her comment about including samples comes in at about the 1:38 mark. But, what she said, in the event you don't want to watch, is this:

"Oftentimes if you have the first page or so included, we'll make an instant decision and oftentimes it will be a no."

So, at least if you're querying Kristin Nelson, don't include any sample pages.