So you’ve sent a fascinating query letter and the agent of your choice has asked you to send three chapters of your novel. But he didn’t specify which chapters! Do you send the first three, the last three, a random selection?
A member of the online writers’ group I participate in recently posted that she’d been advised by a friend never to include a Prologue as part of the chapters she sent to prospective literary agents. I worked as an acquiring editor at a major publisher for years and know and still work with many agents, but I have never heard this rule. I cautioned her that people giving this advice may be unduly influenced by the new author’s tendency to rely on a Prologue – learning where to begin your novel can be difficult, and it’s common for new, inexperienced writers to feel nervous that readers won’t “get” their set-up, so they…
To read the full article, which appeared in the June 27, 2007 issue of Writers Weekly e-zine, click here.
This article also appeared in Funds for Writers.
Founder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.
