lori sizemore

Found the first agent I’m going to send the new and improved, dedicated query to.  FYI: I found a list of agents here.

Here’s my first quandry: I planned to submit to a publisher who requested a query, a 10 page synopsis, and 3 chapters.  I buckled down and got my synopsis finished.   This agent wants a query containing a one or two paragraph(!!!) synopsis and the first 3 chapters/50 pages.*  Now, I love when agents will accept pages.  I feel like I’ve skipped the request for a partial and gone for the good stuff.  But how am I supposed to condense 10 pages into one or two paragraphs?

I wonder if the agent is referring to something more like back cover copy as opposed to a synopsis, which–as I understand–tells the entire story.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could input some info and some website would generate award-winning, sure-to-get-pubbed back cover copy? *sigh*

Update:  Sent it today.  Also found a very cool website for tracking submissions and finding agents–litmatch.net**.

*Another update: I’ve adapted my query into one that includes a synopsis by using the first 2-3 paragraphs of my synopsis if they ask for a brief synopsis in the query.  Maybe that will help you.

**Litmatch.net is now authoradvance.com.

Look. I’ve had a difficult year. I’m not whining, honestly. I won’t even go into detail, because I’m private that way and that wouldsort of be like whining. You’re welcome.  But, whatever.  I’ve been a bad writer.

I put off doing my synopsis/query for On A Bet.  I didn’t know how to do one, or who to send it to, plus it’s scary.  I stopped writing Skye’s Falling because I joined a crit group and I got overwhelmed, feeling like I *had* to make all the changes, which is just a bad idea (for me) when it’s just a first draft.  It’s not supposed to be polished, so I should’ve written, then critted.  Then I got this fabulous story handed to me on a silver platter, and it’s coming along, and I feel it–you know how you do.  But I’ve been wishy-washy.

And I’ve learned, this simply will not work.  Writing is a craft, and it has to be practiced every day.  Every.  Day.  Maybe I’m telling you something you already know, and maybe you knew it from the get go, but I bet it took you a while to realize, “Hey, if I’m serious about this, I have to work at this.”

So, that’s my goal.  I need to polish my query and synopsis and target some agents.  I’m going to work on this unnamed project every day.  Watch me.