Questions from a new member

Since no one has jumped in here yet, I will...

I've never done chapter summaries, but I'd imagine they should be as brief as you can make them.

Are you trying to find an agent for your self-published book? Unless you can cite significant sales (several thousand copies within the first year of release) I don't think it's very likely an agent will be interested. Fairly or not, agents (and editors) tend to assume that self-publication was the best you could do, especially if sales are average for a self-pubbed book (which is to say, a few hundred copies at most).

If you're trying to market a different book, I wouldn't mention self-publishing--unless, again, you can cite big sales.

- Victoria

Kat said:

I guess it's a matter of, “You need experience to get a job, and you can't get a job without experience.”

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It's not that, so much as the fact that a stigma attaches to self-publishing. Unless, again, you can cite big sales, which impresses an agent or editor because they know how very, very hard this is to accomplish with a self-pubbed book.

If you approach a reputable agent as a previously unpublished author, you're not at a disadvantage, as long as you have a marketable work. Not having published before won't count against you.

- Victoria

Kat said:

Since no one else is answering ... let me ask you one more question. If I query an agent, and not mention the book has been self-published, what will they think when they find out it has been?

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They'll be angry you deceived them. If they were interested in representing you, you'll jeopardize the relationship. Full disclosure is a must.

Are there any agents who would look at my work knowing I've self-published?

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I'm not saying you shouldn't try. But based on everything I've seen/heard/read, a successful agent is unlikely to be interested in a self-pubbed book unless it can show good sales.

There are plenty of marginal/amateur/scam agents who'd be thrilled to represent you, usually for a fee. They won't sell your book, though.

- Victoria

Kat,

Chapter Summaries - I assume you are writing a non-fiction book - usually the only time those are asked for.

That said, I did have an agent request chapter summaries for a novel. It allows them to see the progression towards the climax. Synopsis is supposed to do that and agents all seem to want to see different lengths of those - from one page to five.

Doing the chapter summary was actually pretty instructive. Just three or four lines for each chapter moving the plot forward. A padded chapter will show up since you are attempting to show how the plot progresses - if the chapter doesn't contribute to the book, then you're doing something wrong.

I would imagine for a non-fiction book, they are looking for whether or not you have enough material to put a book together, are different chapters going to be interesting to different people, and is there a continuity to your narrative.

Michael Larsen of Larsen-Pomada Agency has one of the better books for non-fiction proposals.

Hope this helps,

Ric