A Question

[Rain]

If agents ask for the first 3-5 pages of your MS with an email sub, do they also want the cover page?  Seems kind of silly for 3-5 pages, but they don't specify...

[islechile]

I always send the cover page along with however many pages they ask for. I could be wrong, but no one's complained yet.

[edelweiss]

I don't send a cover in an email, at least not in the traditional sense. I close the query with my name and all my contact info, including my email. I skip a couple lines, then the title, "By", my name, all on separate lines. Skip a couple lines then Chapter 1 (or Prologue, in my case), skip a couple, then the text, single-spaced, with line breaks between paragraphs and no indenting. Everything left justified. I've read that formatting it that way makes it easier for them to read on the computer or on an e-reader.

Good luck!

[enewmeyer]

Wish I had read this thread before I just shipped off that last query letter +5.  Here's another question. Let's say the agent asks for the first 5 pages attached. For me, that would end mid-scene. Is it appropriate to include the rest of the scene even if that pushes it to 6 or 7 pages? Or should I send less and not include that scene? I'm really not sure what to do. Hope someone out there can help.

[Rain]

I wouldn't worry about not having read this post, enewmeyer.  If the agents don't have any specific rules to follow, they can't get upset over formatting.  I've read that ending a scene is appropriate...but my personal opinion is that it's better to have a cliff hanger!     Maybe someone with more experience can answer though. 

[Steph Campbell]

I wouldn't consider the cover page as a page.

I wouldn't cut off mid sentence, but I also wouldn't add several more pages just to stop at a certain point. Continue on the paragraph or whatever, but if they ask for 3-5, I think 7 is pushing it...

[islechile]

Just to clarify what I said earlier- I use a cover page if the sub is an attachment. If it's in the body of the email, I do what edelweiss said.

[violet]

Wish I had read this thread before I just shipped off that last query letter +5.  Here's another question. Let's say the agent asks for the first 5 pages attached. For me, that would end mid-scene. Is it appropriate to include the rest of the scene even if that pushes it to 6 or 7 pages? Or should I send less and not include that scene? I'm really not sure what to do. Hope someone out there can help.

Most agents say to stop where a natural ending occurs. I always sent the first ten and never had a complaint.

Good luck! 

[enewmeyer]

Violet - Do you always send the first 10 even if the agency guidelines say to send less? I've read that some agents avocate sending a writing sample of your ms. even if the agency says to send only the query. I'm sure I'm overthinking this whole query process but I'd hate to piss off an agent by not following directions. Thanks for all the advice!