One of Alexa Donne's videos led me here :) I'm so glad I found your channel! I'm about to begin querying (still going back and forth on my first chapter, grr), and it's actually pretty tough to find folks in the adult fantasy market giving advice! So thank you!
Great stuff, Stephen! Just watched this video on query letters., after watching another of yours on writing a synopsis. As a writer looking to break into the fantasy field (with a kickass novel that I'm sure will be published), your insights are most interesting and valuable.. I hope that one day we can be considered colleagues.. I would enjoy meeting you. Will seek out your books and read them.
Another great video thanks. Some good reminders. I also found an online course with Curtis Brown Creative (6 weeks) helpful 'Edit and Pitch Your Novel' where they give lots of examples of how to write a query letter and a synopsis (nightmare task) and some videos of common mistakes described by agents in Curtis Brown and C&W. It was really interesting and also shocking to hear how many people don't even spell their name correctly on the letter or make sweeping statements about how brilliant they are. Nearly everyone said keep the letter as brief as possible with about 2-3 sentences re the hook of the book, why you are approaching them in particular as an individual and then a couple of sentences about you. They all agreed pretty much that they only read this after the material - as you've stated too. Jericho Writers also have lots of great free resources too. Will get your ebook today thank you as I'm currently querying.
Hi Michelle, good luck with the querying!!! Yes, shorter is definitely better and every agent has said one page is the absolute maximum for the whole thing. It sounds like the Curtis Brown course is a great idea if you need a little extra help. Oh yes, some people shoot themselves in the foot. Misspelling their own name, they use Dear Sir/Madam, and don't even bother to find out the name of the agent, they send the wrong amount of pages or chapters. It happens a lot!
Thank you so much for your videos! They're incredibly helpful and just great to watch! I did have a question. And it's probably incredibly obvious,, but I was wondering if you had finished your manuscript, you should edit the manuscript, write the query letter, then submit correct?
Hello and welcome. Yes, you're right. Edit the book over and over. Get someone you trust to read it and give feedback etc. Just get it in the best shape you can before you do the rest so you present the best version of the book, at that stage.
Great information. I’m wondering what you think about synopses? I’ve heard different things about them, some people say you should just have a brief overview of what happens in the book without giving anything away, but other people say you should make it long and detailed. What is more standard in your experience?
When you send the info to an agent,long or short, you tell the whole story. Never conceal the ending from them. They need to see if it all hangs together, if it makes sense, if it lands. Length varies. I might have to do another bit of research and also talk about my own synopsis.
