Partial advice

[Shady Lane]

Okay, so I just a request for 30-50 pages. Chapter 1 ends on page 38, so that's an obvious stopping point, but I really like the beginning of Chapter 2 and I'd like to include it. That way, I end right at page 50.

Should I just end after Chapter 1, so it doesn't look like I'm trying to stuff in as many pages as possible? Chapter 1 can definitely stand up on its own, no problem, but interesting stuff happens in the first bit of Chapter 2 and it'd be nice to have it in the partial.

Advice?

[ChaosTitan]

38 pages? Wow, that's a long Chapter One.

If they specified 30-50, it sounds like you can safely hit the fifty page mark. Just make sure you end it on a paragraph break, rather than mid-paragraph or mid-sentence.

And congrats on the request.

[maestrowork]

Should I just end after Chapter 1, so it doesn't look like I'm trying to stuff in as many pages as possible? Chapter 1 can definitely stand up on its own, no problem, but interesting stuff happens in the first bit of Chapter 2 and it'd be nice to have it in the partial.

Advice?

My question is, are there interesting stuff happening in Chapter 1 as well?

If Chapter 1 is not interesting enough, then I think you have a problem. The agent may not get to chapter 2 anyway.

Other than that, as long as it's within 50 pages, you're fine either way.

Remember what the agents are probably looking for in the partial:

- Whether you can, indeed, write

- Whether you can open a story and hook the readers right off

- Whether they will want to continue to read it wherever they stop ("Wait, what happens next? I want to know!")

So if interesting stuff only happens starting on page 39, then you have a problem....

[JoNightshade]

My instinct would be to go with the 50 pages. I figure, if they're in the middle of the chapter they are more likely to think, "Wait! Want more!" than if you give them a clean chapter ending (assuming said chapter is not a cliffhanger).

But then, that's just me.

[Shady Lane]

Sounds good to me.

And yes, Chapter 1 is plenty interesting. (At least in my humble opinion ;) )

Yeah, it's pretty long for a chapter 1, but it's split into four viewpoints, so it doesn't seem to drag. Now I sound like a crazy person.

[job]

If they ask for 30 to 50, err on the side of sending more, not less.

Believe in your writing. The more they see, the more they'll want to see.

[mscelina]

Hitting 50 on the nose is my vote. If the beginning of Chapter Two is an interesting as you say it is, and the agent made it to that point then they're probably going to be intrigued enough to request a full. And that, after all, is what you WANT them to do.

Good luck!

[JamieFord]

Trust me, a prospective agent isn't counting your pages.

They're looking to fall in love with your writing and story. If they love it and you go over or under it's not going to be a problem. And if they don't like it, having the exact amount of pages isn't going to help.

[Shady Lane]

Trust me, a prospective agent isn't counting your pages.

They're looking to fall in love with your writing and story. If they love it and you go over or under it's not going to be a problem. And if they don't like it, having the exact amount of pages isn't going to help.

That's a good point. Thank you.

I'm rereading this book--I finished the final draft in December, so it's been set aside for awhile--and it's a lot better than I remembered! I was just querying this on a whim, but I actually like this ms. Go figure. Hopefully this is a good sign.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. :)