Query
Definition: The 1-page single-spaced letter that makes the agent go “Ooo! I want more!” Think of it as a persuasive note.
Synopsis
Definition: The summary of your complete book, condensed into only a few pages.
Outline
Definition: Listing of all your plot points in order.
Cover Letter
Definition: The letter that accompanies the pages of your manuscript or partial.
Bio
Definition: Your writing experience and interesting (relevant) facts. Similar to a resume but not quite. This is where agents decide what about you is marketable.
What Not To Do
The 2010 version is a reference book in the library, so I took home the 2009 and will double-check the agents against the 2010 later (to make sure Ms. Annie Agent wasn’t replaced with Mr. Matt Man, which might prove awkward).
For now, I’m just information gathering.
For example, half of the agencies want an outline, synopsis, sample chapters, and/or a bio with your query letter. . . . *boggle* . . . I think I’ll start with the simple query-only agents first while I put together what the others need.
My bio will be a sad, soggy affair. I did, however, mock something up for the site that I can adapt, and I found that FictionAddiction.net at least gives me a starting point. I’ll want to look up other resources to see if they agree or disagree with the how-to, but I’m research girl so it shouldn’t be too hard.
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Put my address on about 20 sets of envelopes last night — half to send the query letter in and half to include as an SASE.
The only thing that can delay me now is if I can’t get a library card to check out the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents tonight. I already made sure they have 3 non-reference copies all checked in.
Also still tweaking my query letter, but I have all day to finish that. It’s on second draft stage, but I’m paranoid about this stuff.
And I asked my brother for stamps for my birthday, though I should email and clarify that I want Forever stamps because you can use them for letters even after stamp rates go up.
(Frostbite which will probably have a different name because that one is taken.)
There’s the writing of the manuscript.
Then there’s revising it by replacing scenes that don’t work.
You can usually combine some general editing into the major revision process.
Then there’s the final scour-every-word editing bonanza where even stuff like “a” and “the” are questioned for legitimacy in their sentences.
Yeah, that’s what I just finished.
Now to hit up the local library for their 2010 Guide to Literary Agents and start my query letters. Wish me luck.
I didn’t even know why I was mad.
I was twelve, in my Sunday-morning Bible class, and Mike the youth minister had just passed along a new rule from his bosses — Ed and the super-conservative rich members who held him (and thus everyone) by the shorthairs.
“You have to wear shorts and a t-shirt over your swimsuits to the water park next weekend.”
I don’t know if they meant for us to just wear it on the bus or wear it into the water. Strictly speaking, I hadn’t thought about what I’d wear except for a t-shirt over my swimsuit, which I always wore when I swam — yes, when. I wore t-shirts into the water. Not because I was super-modest — I still had no clue what a girl’s body could do to boys — but because I was super-shy. T-shirts helped me hide.
It was the fact that I already went so far to hide myself that I got ticked off.
As an adult, I recognize the pragmatism of the rule. Most adults accept that kids have to have rules. In large groups of kids, like school, you make rules for the weakest links in the chain and those who wouldn’t have been a problem have to suffer along, nothing personal. It’s just how you do it.
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