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Begin at the Beginning:
Choosing the Right Sample Chapters for Agent Submissions
By Ally E. Peltier
A client recently told me that she'd been advised never to include a Prologue as
part of her submission to prospective literary agents. I worked as an acquiring
editor for years and know many agents, but I have never heard this rule. It’s
common for new, inexperienced writers to feel nervous about readers not
“getting” their set-up, so they create Prologues that explain far more than
necessary. They end up over-telling the story before it’s even begun!
While you certainly don’t want to send a sample with a weak opening to a
prospective agent, unless the submission guidelines specify otherwise you should
send the first three sequential chapters or fifty pages. It doesn’t matter if
this amounts to a Prologue and two chapters or three regular chapters—what’s
important is to send the opening of your novel. I counseled a novelist recently
who wanted to send his first chapter, one from the middle, and one from the end.
He felt that the story didn't gel until midway through, and feared that the
first three chapters wouldn’t impress readers
enough. I strongly encouraged him to abandon this plan, and the reason why is
also the explanation for why sending the Prologue (if you have one) is not only
important, but also critical.
Most potential readers browse books this way: the cover or title catches the
eye, the back cover/jacket copy is intriguing, and then the first couple of
skimmed pages seem to deliver on the promise of the marketing lures. Book
reviewers and media personnel (like the folk who decide which writers will
appear as guests on their bosses' TV shows) similarly will give a book anywhere
from just the first paragraph to the whole first chapter a chance to grab them.
Editors know this, and literary agents know that editors know this. It’s the
primary reason why novel openings are so carefully scrutinized. Agents ask to
see the first few chapters because they know that if these chapters don't grab
them, then the novel won't grab editors, reviewers, or readers, either.
If you’re hesitant to send the first three chapters of your novel, try to stave
off the impatience that accompanies the submission process and spend more time
working on your opening rather than choose a haphazard selection of chapters to
send. And don’t worry if your incredibly original climax is not immediately
clear from the way you begin: since most agents expect to see a synopsis as well
as sample chapters (even if they don't ask for it, providing one will give you a
much- needed edge), they’ll still know all about that twist at the end. Plus, a
synopsis will give them some context and may help push an agent on the fence
over to a willingness to read more.
Though the “rules” of publishing—particularly of the submission process—may seem
arbitrary, there are usually good reasons behind them. So remember, if you want
to interest literary agents in representing your novel, you don’t need to show
them the best outtakes. But you do need to hook them and reel ‘em in quick. Your
opening must be interesting and compelling enough to make the agent want to keep
reading. It should introduce your protagonists and show the agent that you have
a good handle on natural-sounding dialogue, well developed settings, and the
appropriate pace or tone for your genre. If your sample chapters don't
accomplish these goals, no one will bother asking for more material, no matter
how great the promise of that plot twist.
BIO
Ally E. Peltier is an editor, writer, and publishing consultant formerly of
Simon & Schuster. She is also a Phi Beta Kappa graduate and Master of Arts in
English and Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in a wide variety of places,
including Writer’s Digest, Circle magazine, and J3tlag.com. Learn more at
www.ambitiousenterprises.com
(receive a 10% discount for manuscript editing if you mention this article!).
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