Thread: When an agent wants 50 pages...

So basically, don't be offended if the agent you reply to is hoity toity and suffering from OCD?

I love it when people say that. Come the revolution, you may live.

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaosTitan I would love to reply to your reply to my post, could you write a few words to allow me to? Please make them nice words, this is the festive season.

Quote: Originally Posted by Terie Agents might not need particular academic qualifications, but they absolutely must have actual agenting qualifications (including experience and contacts in the industry) to be successful. You made me think of something that I forgot to put into my previous post: knowledge of literary contract language, and of contracts in general. Contracts are long, they are wordy, and they are very, very specific. An agent...

Quote: Originally Posted by scarletpeaches I love it when people say that. Come the revolution, you may live. I live in a household of brilliant women of advanced degrees and humbling intelligence, all of whom are happy to point me to the bathroom when too much time has passed. And as long as I don't call that big black guy Darth Yoda, I am safe here.

Quote: Originally Posted by blacbird Adrian Monk would. And when it comes to editing, I'm like Adrian Monk. I very much dislike inattention to detail. Even worse, if I were an agent deciding on a potential client, I would very very very much dislike being gamed. Given that manuscript pagination via computer is automatic, the only way you number page 27 twice is by conscious effort. If I noted that, it would seriously piss me off. Better...

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Number page 27 twice. No one ever notices page 27. Adrian Monk would. And when it comes to editing, I'm like Adrian Monk. I very much dislike inattention to detail. Even worse, if I were an agent deciding on a potential client, I would very very very much dislike being gamed. Given that manuscript pagination via computer is automatic, the only way you number page 27 twice is by conscious effort. If I...

By the way, there may be a third option, if you're only a page or so over - you can always go through your MS one last time and check for opportunities to tighten. Chop a judicious word or two out of a paragraph, and suddenly, it fits on one less line. Etc. Over 50 pages, it can add up, and the MS often reads better for it as a result.

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaosTitan Yeah, ditto that. As for it being a test, yes, I've seen that when submitting a query letter it's important to follow submission requirements and they want to know if you've done your research. If they say "Send me the first three chapters and a synopsis and a query in the body of the email" and a person sends a query letter as an attachment, etc., then yes, that's...

Quote: Originally Posted by LuckyH It is a test, they want disciplined authors, they’re easier to work with. If someone believes that their writing can’t be assessed without page 51, they’re likely to have other strange ideas about the whole process. Do you have a link or resource for this. I'd really like to read more about it.