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Position:Home>Books & Authors> I'm writing a novel and my manuscript isn't quite done yet. Should I finQuestion: I'm writing a novel and my manuscript isn't quite done yet!. Should I finish it before submitting proposals!? I don't quite understand the query process yet and I know I'm going to need to do a lot of research first, but I'm just curious if I can start sending out proposals now, or if that's going to end up hurting me in the long run because potential agents who are interested may request a full copy of the manuscript, and I have to tell them "No, not yet!. Be happy with your 2 chapters!"
:)Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Aspiring, Book proposals and query letters are two different things!. You send a query letter when you have a finished manuscript, and a book proposal when you have an idea for a book that you want to run by a literary agent!. If you tell an agent 'be happy with your two chapters' you're going to end up being rejected!. You never want to say that to any agent, editor, or publisher!. I would wait until you've completed the manuscript!. Then get yourself a copy of writer's market for this year or 2009 (if it's out yet) and look up an agent who represents your genre!. Make sure you know how to format your manuscript and your query letter!. There should be no mistakes in either!. You can probably borrow a book from the library with this information or buy one from your bookstore!. If you buy one you can mark it up for later reference, which you can't do with a library book Good luck! PJ M Www@QuestionHome@Com Yes, usually finishing helps publishers decide!. But sometimes, they really like what is happening and like to work out with the authors what should happen in the unfinished parts!. I'd personally suggest that you finish it first, polish it up, and then send it in, but you may feel more comfortable letting them feel like they'll have a part in it too (and thus higher your acceptability chances)!. I'd say if you dosend it in unfinished, include a small page of things that COULD happen!. Www@QuestionHome@Com ALWAYS finish the story before submitting!. A publisher or literary agent will NOT waste their time on an unfinished product!. One can never promise when they will finish a work in progress or even that they will complete it at all!. Sometimes a story can take quite some time (especially on hinge points) to work itself out, or quite possibly lead to a sudden dead end!. Www@QuestionHome@Com Definetely wait until you're finished!. That way if someone is interested, you can send the whole manuscript to them without having to admit that you're not quite finished yet!. Www@QuestionHome@Com Wait until it's finished!. Otherwise, they will not take you seriously at all!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |