The Dreaded Novel Summary (and prizes!)

Last Month I wrote a post about finding a literary agent, but I didn’t spend much time on the actual query letter (hereafter: QL). In case you missed that post (how dare you!) here’s what I had to say about querying:

Querying is the fancy term for “sending an email to an agent asking them to represent you.” There are a ton of websites with query guidelines and etiquette, but here’s a fast and dirty summary.

A good query will include THREE ELEMENTS:

1. a brief summary (2 paragraphs or so) of your book
2. info about the title/word count/genre.
3. a short bio containing information that is RELEVANT to your novel.  Are you writing a non-fiction book about water skiing? You better mention that you have an Olympic medal in aquatic sports. Or whatever. Shut Up.

I also recommend including a tailored message to the agent. Something like, “I’m querying you b/c of your interest in ancient mythology retellings.”  As you may have guessed, your agent research will really come in handy here. Did you read that post on their blog about how they are sooooo over weak heroines? Then tell them you agree and that’s why you’ve written a kick-ass female lead who saves the prince but doesn’t marry him! In other words, take a page out of Rihanna’s songbook, and make them feel like they’re the only agent in the world.

Man, am I clever.

Shortly after I wrote that post, I began tweeting an offer for free QL feedback (follow me on twitter and retweet this post to win one today!). The response was overwhelmingly positive. Although there are a lot of resources out there, it’s hard to beat one-on-one attention, so I was super happy to get into the nitty-gritty with individual authors. That being said, I’d like to help you all from looking like this when it comes time to write your summary:

So, without further delay, I give you…

The (Dreaded) Summary

The biggest hurdle in query writing is coming up with a summary of your novel that is snappy and interesting, but doesn’t get stuck in the details. Here are the main things you need to have in your summary paragraph(s):

1. Main Character’s NAME (and age if it’s a MG or YA novel)
2. Main Character’s WANTS/NEEDS
3. The CONFLICT that the MC is facing

Getting the best out of using Propecia:Propecia must be taken on a daily basis. viagra online generic The product of Ajanta pharma is infused with superior composition which regulates the action and outcomes of various hormonal and enzymatic changes; therefore, higher the levels get viagra online of DHT, more is the hair falling. His partner, in turn, feels rejected and isolated, hampering the relationship. levitra india price According to American Urological Association, sexual deficiencies can be caused by a number of sexual dysfunctions to help couples enjoy a healthy sexual relationship. sildenafil españa respitecaresa.org

4. The STAKES 

1. The Main Character’s NAME and AGE is pretty self explanatory, but I will say this: there is a HUGE difference between a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old, so if you’re writing a YA and you say “teen”…you’re not doing yourself any favors.

2. The Main Character’s WANTS/NEEDS are the key to making your character come alive for the reader. It’s almost impossible to connect with a character if you don’t know what they want out of life (or at least out of the next 200 pages of your book), so spill the beans! What drives your character? Do they want nothing more than to finally make the soccer team, or are they on a quest to capture the last Bavarian Beetle on Earth? Whatever it is, let us know!

Warning:

Do not overload the reader with unnecessary details. They will sink your summary ship. Not sure if a detail is important? Try removing it from the query altogether and see if it damages the integrity (i.e. logic) of the summary.

3. Explaining the CONFLICT that the MC is facing is one of the hardest steps because you have to find a way of setting up the CONFLICT without sounding like you’re auditioning for a remake of Dude Where’s My Car?  (and then…and then…) I find that the best way to go about setting up the conflict is by using the WHEN/THEN structure.

Example:

WHEN Harry receives a letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must [IMPLIED THEN] decide if he can possible leave his lovely Muggle Family behind.

Haaaa, yeah right. But the point is this: by using the when/then approach, you set up a cause/effect relationship between plot points that makes your summary easy to follow.

Good News:

I’ve heard many agents (most recently Sara Megibow) liken the QL summary to the blurb on the back of a book. The difference, in my opinion, is this: unlike the back of the book, you are *encouraged* to include SPOILERS in a query letter! That doesn’t mean you have to give everything away up front, but it does mean you can drop hints about the super big secret in Chapter 4. So, go ahead and tell me that Franklin turns out to be ghost…nobody’s gotta know but us;)

4. Setting up THE STAKES is my favorite part of the QL, because it’s your opportunity to play the “Imperial March” in your head while you write (waits for you to google that…) When I say you need to include what is at STAKE, I mean you need to demonstrate what the MC stands to lose (or what the whole of humanity stands to lose, if you’re writing half the query letters I read). Is Charlotte’s dog going to be sacrificed if she doesn’t stop the Evil Conglomerate from experimenting on animals? Is Eddy’s family legacy going to be destroyed if he doesn’t join a league of extraordinary ghost writers?

HIT ME WITH THE FEELS PEOPLE!

So those are the main components of a query summary. Obviously each summary is different, so you’re going to have to tailor this list to meet your needs, but if you make sure to include these three elements in your query, I guarantee you will have a better chance of attracting an agent’s attention than if you don’t.

NOW IT’S TIME FOR PRIZES!

As a thank you for reading my blog, I’d like to give away free feedback on a few queries!

Here’s how to win:

1. Follow me on twitter

2. Retweet this article w/ a mention of my twitter handle!

And that’s it! I’ll pick 3 winners at random on Monday, but until then…Happy Summary Writing!

Thanks for reading,

Lauren