Hi everyone, just wondering what your thoughts are on sending chapters to an agent. My chapters could be quite short, or could be grouped together to be fairly long. Do I send 3 short chapters in the hope they want to read more, or 3 longer chapters to give them as much story as possible?
Thanks in advance
"I have been told that whatever we send ,first goes to a reader, who follows certain guidelines. Punctuation is at the top of his list. Plot and content are at the bottom."
That's scary.
Clare, I don't think there is a pat answer. Its a crapshoot. I have been told that whatever we send ,first goes to a reader, who follows certain guidelines. Punctuation is at the top of his list. Plot and content are at the bottom. I send the whole manuscript including index and they can pick the chapter they want to read. Sending out query letters and submitting my manuscript is the only part of the publishing process, which I control and I make use of it. I know that I have written a good story and it will still be a good story if it never gets published. Yes, we would like to see our writing in every bookstore and we can phantasize about being awarded the Nobel Prize. But ultimately the reward is in having written and finished the story/book. The writer is like the mountain climber who has reached the peak. The sensation which he/she experiences is dizzying and beyond words and cannot be shared and only lasts moments. And there is no applause.
I wish you luck with your story.
Roland
Thanks Helen and Daphne - great advice :)