To blog or not to blog....
Of course I'll choose to blog, although I am unprepared and have no real subject matter. So, how about if I just ramble for a bit about submitting partials?
Yes? Okay, good. Thank you.
I (finally) got the partial of Vanishings polished and popped into an envelope, ready to go to my dream agent. I stayed up late getting it ready and was interrupted only twice while in the printing process: Once by a cranky child. Once by a wrong number. That phone call went something like this:
"Hello, Jennifer?"
"You must have the wrong number."
"Could you listen for a minute? Hello. Hellllooooo? Is anyone there? Could you listen for a minute?"
Weird, huh? And what does it have to do with partials? Nothing. Not one thing. But the writer/reporter in me was curious about what the guy wanted me to listen to. I mean was he going to talk dirty? Or did he just need someone to talk to? I didn't give him a chance to do either. It was too weird. I hung up and took the phone off the hook.
So, anyway, where were we? Ah, yes, the submission process. My chapters are short so I'm sending the first 54 pages, instead of the standard 50 pages, or first three chapters. My synopsis turned out to be seven double-spaced pages -- I'm also sending that. The query letter is short, barely a single page with just enough pitch to (hopefully) entice.
Everything is printed on the "best quality" setting. The query letter is on expensive, water-mark paper. I printed out address labels so it looks professional. It's ready to go.
So why am I yammering on about it here instead of dashing off to the post office to send it on its way? Nerves, maybe. It's been awhile since I submitted anything to an agent. Also this is not requested material.
Which brings me to my first question: If your partial -- or full-- got requested, do you write "Requested material" on the envelope? Do you write the words in red? Bold them? Highlight them in flouresant green or yellow? Do you think any of it makes much of a difference? I got around all that by writing, "I'd love to say this is
REQUESTED MATERIAL but, dang it, I'd be lying if I did." I'm hoping this particular agent has a sence of humor. If she doesn't, she's not the agent for me anyway.
Other questions: Do you use a fastener to clip together your pages? Do you use a giant paper clip or one of those black and silver clippy things? What is the quickest, and slowest response times you've had when sending a partial by snail mail? Do you chant anything over the package for luck before slipping it into the mail slot? If an agent says query first by snail mail, do you go ahead and send a partial anyway? How many agents do you usually query at once? How do you keep track of your submissions? And lastly, could you listen for a minute?
Ha!
24 comments:
Danita--
I loved your blog. Very entertaining and just what I needed for a break.
This is how I would submit to an agent.
Even if the enclosed material was formally requested, I would not mark the envelope "Requested Material" unless specifically asked to do so. I may be wrong. I imagine I am. In fact, flip-flop, Hell yes mark it requested material, why not? I like your compromise.
I would use a standard paper clip for sixty pages (though I might choose a cheerfully colored one, green or blue or pink, you know?) I would put my query letter first, my synopsis second and the manuscript pages third. I have no idea in which order they are read. I always mean to ask and never get around to it. That said, I imagine an agent would have the brains to read what she wanted to read when she wanted to read it.
I would make sure synopsis pages were clearly titled synopsis up in the header.
All time spent waiting for anything important seems to crawl along, right?
And lastly, if something is important to me, I give the envelope a little farewell kiss before slipping it into oblivion.
Meanwhile, your caller. Man, did he sound wistful, aggressive or what? Sounds like a wrong number but I would have done just what you did, I would have hung up and then spent the next day wondering.
Alice
Put the thing in the mail, baby. Do a little happy dance.
Good grief, girl! That's a load of questions. I haven't gone agent hunting for a while, but I used to always put requested materials on the outside of the envelope if it was. Agents would usually tell me to do that because they look at those first.
As for your other questions:
I use a paper clip, but if it's too many pages I just leave them loose.
Slowest response was no response at all, ever, to this day. That's pretty darn slow. And fastest was a week, so I suspected the partial wasn't read.
I don't do anything like chanting or kissing the package before I drop it in the mail.And I never send a partial if the agent asks for a query first.
I used to query a bunch at a time, like 20, when I first started looking for an agent. Most recently I'd query 3 of my top picks at a time. And I'd always keep track of my submissions.
Until I have more to show for my efforts, I've decided to lay low and do the agent search later. Since no agent is better than a bad agent (and I've had a not-so-hot one that I never should have signed with in the first place), I'll be aiming high when I'm ready to go through all that again.
Good luck, Danita. And have fun with it!
Karen
Thanks for the (flip-flop) advice, Alice. Glad you flipped on it since I'd already securely taped down the REQUESTED MATERIAL farce. Ha!
I usually slip the synopsis behind the pages, but since you helped me and I completely rewrote it, adding more tension and upheaval, I'm feeling pretty confident with it. Maybe I will stick it up front. I did title it synopsis.
In my monthtowrite group we mutter BDB over our submissions before dropping them at the post office. I better not say what it means here, but ask me in person sometime and i will divulge the secret...
As for the wrong number dude -- he was quite soft-spoken and rather polite, if insistant. Wistful, I guess is a good word for the tone of his voice. And yeah, it's still niggling at me. So very strange in so many ways.
Okay, I'm kissing, happy dancing and singing BDB all at the same time. It's not pretty, but whatever works.
LOL- loved your blog!
Okay, if it is requested I have made up a page of labels that say REQUESTED MATERIAL and I stick one or two of those on the package when I send it back. I use paper clips up until there are too many pages to use one, then I use the binder clips, and if it is a full, I use a rubber band to hold it together. I always put the query letter, the partial, a colored piece of paper and then the synopsis. I don't want my synopsis to stop them from reading because I know the book is better than the synopsis.
I've been known to send a partial when they ask for queries only, but it's only if that person has said something good about my writing before. I don't do that to people I haven't sent to before.
As for keeping track of where I've sent what, I started out years ago using a recipe file box and index cards. I write on a divider the name of the book and then each agent or editor I send the book to gets a card in that section. I write down the date it was sent, who to - name and address, and what - query, partial, full. When I hear back I write down the date, rejection or request for more and then if they want more when I send it I write down the date and what I sent.
I tried using sheets by Jewel Stone I got at a conference, but I don't like them as well.
As for how long have I waited to hear - Well on a full I waited two years. On some partials it has been 6 months to a year. And on some I've heard back in a week (snail mail) and a day with e-mail queries.
Good luck! I know this is your book!
Thanks, Karen.
ARe you feeling better?
Wow, twenty is a lot of agents to query at once. And I think you're shorting yourself by not thinking you're ready, but maybe that's just me.
And yeah, I am having fun with it. With the BDBs and all that happy dancing, you know, it's hard not to smile.
Too bad you don't make it over the mountains to our meetings.
Feel better, and give that bag a good punch for me.
Thanks, Paty.
I feel like it's my book too. Sometimes I get a rush of adrenalin down through my gut when I think about it. I guess that's a good sign. The rush usually happens when I'm cooking dinner. Maybe it's just my body going into self-preservation mode with a liquid coating to protect my stomach from my cooking. Ha!
I like your idea of a colored sheet of paper between the partial and the synopsis. Good idea.
Weren't you the one who said you've heard at least one agent say she'd rather receive a partial instead of just a query letter because it saves the time of asking for it?
Timeline for waiting for me: As long as six months, as quick as 15 minutes, on a Sunday, with an equery. That was cool. Also why I'm hesitant to send out equeries until this book is completely polished to the end, which it's not quite yet. But will be soon. Very soon.
What about a title page?
Do you all enclose one with a partial, or just with fulls?
Danita, I have no advice for you on any of this, but appreciate reading your experiences and everyone else's too.
Good luck with your submission and I hope all those BDB's you're doing work wonders!
I usually only include a title page with a full. But with 54 pages, it might be a good idea.
I don't remember ever saying an editor would rather have a partial than a synopsis - but I do know Kensington would rather read your work than a query and synopsis.
Do you want me to bring the pool boy to the meeting tomorrow so you and rub his head and chant?
I use an excel spreadsheet to keep track of queries. I was using the system of five new queries for each rejection, but then I ended up with 40 queries out the door (product of lots of rejections), so now I'm laying low on that MS for a while and waiting to hear back from 1 partial and 1 full. The full has been out a month, but the partial has been out since Dec. 1 ish. I generally look at their posted response time and double it. My last full took the agent a month to respond to. I haven't sent many partials simply because so many agents say query letters only. When I'm mailing a query + synopsis I don't use any clips but for a partial or a full I use black (or gold) binder clips.
Good luck! I like to "Celebrate" after I mail off a particularly important package with a dutch brothers or something similar to soothe my shattered nerves.
Thanks, Becky.
Wait till I tell you what BDB stands for. Ha!Ha!
Any guesses?
Okay, Paty,
So now I've sort of forgotten what I should put on a title page.
Refresh me, would you please?
Thanks for the insight, Wavy. Where do you get the pretty gold clips?
As for something to soothe my nerves? A coffee would just make me jittery. Last thing I need right now. As I sit here I can hear my youngster spilling the cat's food all over the floor. Chances are good he's eating some too. I'll celebrate with a glass of wine tomorrow night at dinner.
Gotta go sweep up a mess, and dig cat food out of a little mouth now.
Doh! I almost forgot to enclose the SASE.
I am rusty.
I'm feeling lots better now, thanks, Danita. And the reason I don't feel ready for an agent is because I'm not writing much these days due to work. I feel like I owe it to an agent to be productive. Sigh. Plus my only completed full is with Poisoned Pen Press right now, so an agent couldn't do anything for me at this point. But thanks for your vote of confidence. 8^)
Karen
Yes, definitely SASE! I sent the title page info to your e-mail.
After I send something off, I just get busy. I don't celebrate unless someone wants to see something! LOL
I admire your work ethic Paty. I want to be you when I finally grow up :) And, yeah, I probably don't NEED a sugar-free-mocha-decaf-blended-fluff, but sometimes a little enticement helps me get hard stuff done. But, a little less reward and little more writing would probably mean a finished WIP right now. Sigh. How about Paty and Alice teach a seminar called butt-in-chair-fingers-on-keyboard productivity 101?
Pretty Gold Clips are another excellent spirit booster. You can get them at office max--gold, silver, and the usual black. I use black for everyday, but I do like to use the gold and silver when things go out. *I* might not wear lipstick or have a clue about accessorizing but my office supplies do. :) :) :)
Glad you're feeling better, Karen. And I just assumed you were writing a bunch after seeing your output at the last retreat.
When you're ready for another agent hunt, you'll know.
Good luck with the ms. at Posion Pen.
I just got back from running errands. The post office was one of them -- so the partial is officially on it's way. Woo-hoo!
And yeah, I put in a SASE and a title page.
I'll have to look for those fancy gold clips, Wavy. And I'm with you (sorry, Paty) celebrate the little things, and the big things in life. Any excuse to celebrate is good with me. Ha!
That's great, Danita! I'm sending good vibes your way. Everyone's advice looks good. I haven't actually sent in a partial, so I have nothing to add. And I like the colored clip idea, Wavy!
Congrats on getting that puppy out the door, Danita!
I'm late answering because of technical dificulties, but I thought I'd toss in my two cents. When I was querying I never used paper/binder clips. Don't know why, just never thought of it. I did on contest entries to keep the copies separate, but that's a different topic.
I never included a cover/title page with a partial.Again, don't know why, just didn't think of it. Seemed like unneeded paper to me.
I always put the synopsis BEHIND the chapters because - like Paty - I know my chapters are stronger than my suckopses (which always sound dry and convoluted to me) and I wanted my pages read first.
I was always worried about ticking people off, so I never send more pages than was asked for. If 50 pgs ended in a boring spot, I'd send less (say 48 if the ending hook there was really strong). I read somewhere agents and editors are looking for a reason to say "no" because they get so many submissions they can be choosie, so I never wanted to give them any reason other than the strength of my writing to pass. (I tend to be a bit neurotic about these things.)
That said, there are no rules to submissions, and what works for one might notwork for another. :) Good luck on your submission, and keep us posted on what happens!
Lisa,
Always fun to see you around the blog. You'll have a partial. Just keep plugging away. That's how I get there -- plugging and chugging along until finally I have something finished.
Hope all is looking up for you.
Eli,
I like your no-clips-no-title-page-no-rules attitude. So devil may care. Except for the neurotisism on number of pages you send. Ha!
I bow down to you, your blog overlordship and contest queen. Double Ha!
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