First half of manuscript after you've sent first 20 pages?

latourdumoine · Mar 15, 2012

This might be a really stupid (because painfully obvious question), but if you sent the first twenty pages, and the agent then asks you to send the first half, you basically send the twenty pages again plus half the manuscript, right?

My head is still spinning as I literally just this very minute received the email, so please forgive what I'm sure is a very stupid question.

amschilling · Mar 15, 2012

Yup. Send the first half. Even the pages you already sent.

Good luck!

Mclesh · Mar 15, 2012

First off, congratulations on the request!

Yes, include the first twenty pages in the first half. (I've never heard of this type of request, but I guess this person has their reason.)

Good luck. Crossing my fingers for you!

latourdumoine · Mar 15, 2012

Thank you, guys. I'm playing it cool as in, let's see what happens, if it happens, it happens, if not, I've got more stuff to send

Definitely not sending stuff out today as it's late and I really don't want to mess this one up. And in my excitement I know I'll forget something, or send the wrong version or . . .

Which reminds me, the smart / done thing to do is to put something like requested: first half of NOVEL TITLE, right?

And you guys were fast! Wow!

Drachen Jager · Mar 15, 2012

That's bizarre to ask for only the first half. I've never heard of that before.

The best way to get the agent's attention is to reply to their e-mail request. Keep the title the same. In the body explain that it's the requested first half of NOVEL TITLE (strange name for a book)

stormie · Mar 15, 2012

Drachen Jager said:
That's bizarre to ask for only the first half. I've never heard of that before.

Probably because there are writers who, when asked to send a partial, have no idea what a partial is. Maybe that agent got too many practically-the-whole-thing mss.

Or worse --the middle part.

Giant Baby · Mar 15, 2012

Drachen Jager said:
The best way to get the agent's attention is to reply to their e-mail request. Keep the title the same. In the body explain that it's the requested first half of NOVEL TITLE (strange name for a book)

Actually, do alter the subject of your email. As Drachen Jager said, you want to reply to the email with the request in it (for the agent's reference), but change the subject to reflect that you're sending requested materials.

Unless I get specific wording requested for the subject line (which sometimes happens), I always put "Requested Materials: TITLE OF BOOK", and either my name or the genre, or anything else the agent originally asked for in their query guidelines. The email looks identical to the original I sent, but "Query" is replaced with "Requested Materials."

It's the email equivalent of writing "REQUESTED MATERIALS" in sharpie on the front of a snail mail requested submission. Make it as easy as possible for the agent to find what they're looking for and pull it out of the flood.

James D. Macdonald · Mar 15, 2012

latourdumoine said:
This might be a really stupid (because painfully obvious question), but if you sent the first twenty pages, and the agent then asks you to send the first half, you basically send the twenty pages again plus half the manuscript, right?

Right. Send the entire first half from page one as a unit.

latourdumoine · Mar 15, 2012

James D. Macdonald said:
Right. Send the entire first half from page one as a unit.

Thanks!

I just wanted to make extra sure.

First half of manuscript after you've sent first 20 pages?

latourdumoine

Where nightmares continously breed

amschilling

Mclesh

It's too hot

latourdumoine

Where nightmares continously breed

Drachen Jager

Professor of applied misanthropy

stormie

storm central

Giant Baby

Oh, the humanity.

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

latourdumoine

Where nightmares continously breed