What does one page mean?

Juggernaut

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Hi,

Some agents ask for a one page Query or a one or two page synopsis.

Since nothing we submit is on paper and the digital pages can be manipulated in many ways, what do they mean when they give a page number rather than a word count?

I am operating under the impression that one page is 300 words, but that is really short for a synopsis. (Since it takes weeks/months for them to look at our submission, it is not practical to simply ask them).

Any advice?

Thanks!
Paul
 

Woollybear

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I'm not an agent and I hope our visiting agents can answer.

I stewed over this and don't know the official answer but the advice I was given was to have a ~400-500 word synopsis (one page), 800 word (~2 page), 1200 word, and so on.

Multiple agencies were moving to submittable-type pages during the time I queried, and for whatever reason, the page limit guideline seemed to be less of an issue on those (the phrasing seems to hearken to an earlier age). If it's worth anything to you, the agencies that still use the older language and submission styles tended to be less likely to respond to my query even with an acknowledgment of receipt . In other words, I was left with a very general sense that the more technologically nimble agencies were more engaged/responsive overall, and these 'send a two page synopsis of undefined word-count' guidelines are sort of ... becoming outdated, at least in my experience querying in the States.

I don't think they count the words. I do think they appreciate punchy and brief.

For children's fiction (your sig) it might be different.
 
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Cephus

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They really just mean they don't want a huge presentation. A couple of hundred words is fine. A couple of thousand is not. They want to see what you've got concisely.
 

be frank

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Query letter = the body of the query (ie: not including personalisation/housekeeping) should generally be somewhere in the 150-250 word range. Some agents will specify differently (frex, some want only one paragraph about the book itself, but they'll state this on their submissions page). The whole query letter (incl greetings etc) should fit on a single page of MS Word.

Synopsis = One page synopsis ~ 500-550 words. Two page synopsis ~ 1000-1200 words. This is based on a single-spaced page in MS Word, with a double space between paragraphs.
 

WeaselFire

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One page = 250 words in the typewriter world. That's plenty for a query and what you ought to shoot for in any request for one page.

Jeff
 

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250 words is definitely good for a query, but is not what is meant by "one page." Once upon a time, words were counted according to the typewriter world, and a book's word count was estimated as 250 words per page. Even with computers, for a while, novels were submitted in Courier New and word count was estimated the same way. But it's been a long time since most agents have expected submissions in CN or had you estimate your word count instead of using your word processor's count (and rounding to the nearest 5K).

Most agents who want a single-page synopsis, want it in TNR, 12pt, single-spaced.

- - - Updated - - -

250 words is definitely good for a query, but is not what is meant by "one page." Once upon a time, words were counted according to the typewriter world, and a book's word count was estimated as 250 words per page. Even with computers, for a while, novels were submitted in Courier New and word count was estimated the same way. But it's been a long time since most agents have expected submissions in CN or had you estimate your word count instead of using your word processor's count (and rounding to the nearest 5K).

Most agents who want a single-page synopsis, want it in TNR, 12pt, single-spaced.
 

be frank

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Some agents ask for a one page Query or a one or two page synopsis.

One page = 250 words in the typewriter world. That's plenty for a query and what you ought to shoot for in any request for one page.

Bolding mine. Query =/= Synopsis.

A query letter = 250 words (ish).
A one page synopsis = 500-550 words (ish).

250 words is definitely good for a query, but is not what is meant by "one page." <snip>

Most agents who want a single-page synopsis, want it in TNR, 12pt, single-spaced.

^^^ This.
 

CameronJohnston

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When they say one page, they are talking about one single standard page in a Word document (still industry standard), single-spaced, and in a reasonable font size. Essentially, they just want you to keep it short and punchy and don't ramble on for pages and pages. 250-300 words is totally fine.