I need help! (But only if you are from the UK and have an agent)

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I'm posting this here because let's face it, I am an Office Party regular and I figure OP gets more traffic than other fora.

But, if the mods deem it appropriate, feel free to move. It might be Ask the Agent or Roundtable material, so we'll see.

Anyhoo.

Edits done, synopsis too. Still struggling with my query letter but I plan to start subbing this mofo on Wednesday. So, I need help.

I'm looking for anyone within the UK who has an agent so I can pick their brains by PM or email. Preferably a writar of fiction novels (snerk), but any media would do really. Or someone from overseas who has a UK agent.

The reason I'm putting the call out is I have a million and one obsessive little questions about pages, numbering, headers, binding, font, etc, none of which deserve their own thread and may have been answered on AW before but often when such enquiries are answered it's with a view to standard American practise and I'm looking for UK-specific submission details from someone who's bagged an agent.

Yep, I've looked up agency guidelines but here's the thing: many agents just say "Send a synopsis and three chapters." Fine. I have those ready. But how long is a synopsis? One page? Two? What did you send? Did you get 'the call' or an email? How long were you waiting?

So. As I say, I have a million and one petty questions and so I don't drive people mad publicly I'd be very grateful if UK writers with agents could PM me and allow me to pick their brains. Plus, I just don't want to look stupid in front of everyone hyuh. :D

Thanks in advance. :)
 
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But my questions is stupidz. :(

And obsessive.

And I has a shy.

(But yeah, once I have answers I won't feel like such a twunt for seeking them out).
 

Deleted member 42

Scarlet two thirds of the UK authors I know have U.S. agents.

But I'll ask and get back here. I gotta email folk so gimme a day or two.

I reckon youse will have to use that funny frenchified spelling y'all cling to.
 
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I've had people holding my hand by PM. :D

I'll be subbing on Wednesday, God willing, so try not to post anything that'll make me tear my hair out and go, "ARGH! I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE..." used another font/italicised instead of underlined/used fewer ellipses...

Whoops.
 

Maryn

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I don't know a thing about UK agents specifically, except that like agents everywhere, what they want to see is a good query, really good sample pages, and a short-ish synopsis which is both well-written and shows that you know how a story should be told.

Piece of cake--for you, anyway. For me, not so much.

Maryn, who hates synopses
 

backslashbaby

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Good luck!!! :D

And a shout out for all of the extra special plurals. Fora, synopses. It makes me all warm and fuzzy ;)
 

Deleted member 42

I'll be subbing on Wednesday, God willing, so try not to post anything that'll make me tear my hair out and go, "ARGH! I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE..." used another font/italicised instead of underlined/used fewer ellipses...

Having a professional looking and sounding coverletter/query letter that's like, actually written in English (even if you do insist on colour) with initial caps on sentences, and periods is in and of itself enough to get you past 50% of the letters the person reading slush sees.

What I've heard back so far is IF the agent /editor has not specified otherwise, standard British spelling and punctuation and Courier ten, with underlines not italics, etc. etc. which is pretty much standard U.S. ms. format two, except of course, we spell as the good lord intended English words to be spelled . . .

I'm crossing my fingers for luck for you.
 
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Someone tell Lisa I refuse to rise to the bait and react to her blatant American bias.
 
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Pfft.

Why don't you tell everyone how many of YOUR books I've doctored.

(But not how many hours I've spent angsting over my own).
 

thethinker42

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Pfft.

Why don't you tell everyone how many of YOUR books I've doctored.

(But not how many hours I've spent angsting over my own).

That would be "most of them".

Jesus, woman, for as much as you wangst about queries and synopses, you know damn good and well you can write a selling query/synopsis. You wrote both for 2 of my 3 contracted books and the one that just got me a full request.

Quitcherwangstin.

:D
 
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Query letter almost done.

Synopsis done.

First three chapters - teetering between 'polishing' and 'fiddling overmuch'.

So. I think it's nearly sub o'clock.
 
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Um...no.

It's half one in the morning and surprisingly enough, the post office is closed.
 
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Folks: you do realise she's only 'encouraging' me because she wants a hardback copy of this book printed on TLJPA paper to show off. "OH LOOK AT ME I KNOWS TEH OTHUR!!!!!11111one!!!!!11eleven!"
 

thethinker42

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Folks: you do realise she's only 'encouraging' me because she wants a hardback copy of this book printed on TLJPA paper to show off. "OH LOOK AT ME I KNOWS TEH OTHUR!!!!!11111one!!!!!11eleven!"

Do you want that signed paperback version of Between Brothers or not?
 

KTC

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but teh wed nessdai is teh world's end. send on teh toos dai.