I've finished my revisions, and I'm now writing synopsis drafts. Chuck Sambuchino, Editor of 2009 Guide to Literary Agents, says you need to have these 5 things ready when you send out your manuscript:
• Logline: 1 sentence summary
• Pitch: 3-6 sentence summary (also known as book jacket pitch)
• Short synopsis: Front to back telling of the story. Introduces characters, conflict, and includes ending. Told in present tense. 1 page single spaced, or 2 pages double-spaced.
• Long synopsis: General rule of thumb - one page summary per 30 pages text
• Full (spotless) manuscript
I have a logline, draft of a pitch, and a completed manuscript. I'm working on a long synopsis, and I will write my short synopsis last. My question is, how many of you have a completed long and short synopsis before you begin querying?
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7 comments:
I usually have a long and short synopsis done before I submit. I do the long synopsis first and find the others much easier to do after that.
Hope this helps.
Sharon
Good luck, Nora!
I'm of no help really. I've only written one MG novel, but I haven't submitted it much yet. I have the one page synopsis to go with it though.
In my complete (blissful) ignorance, I had a full manuscript and a six sentence query (the pitch?).
I was lucky enough to get the first agent I queried (and stupid enough to only query one agent - I seriously look back at those days and laugh at myself) and she never asked for the other stuff, but I keep hearing about these authors who sell on nothing but a long synopsis/proposal and wouldn't that be a cool thing?
I will try and get all of these done before I query. Thanks for the great list and info!
Thanks for the shout-out.
-Chuck
www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog
I end up always having to write one for some agent that I've had to submit to. But I don't like them one bit. I always try to keep it one page in length though.
Sharon - Thanks, I'm going to write the long one first, too, then I'll work on the short one. I'll need to revise all of them.
Martha - Wow. You queried once and got your agent on the first try???
Lady Glamis - You're welcome, and good luck!
Chuck - Any time! You gave a very informative presentation at the Blue Ash Writer's group.
Christina - I thought about only doing the one page synopsis, but with my luck I'd get a quick request for a long one - and it wouldn't be ready. Stuff of my nightmares... not being prepared!
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