I love this question and I'm not sure! Maybe? I just had a similar convo with a friend whose novel is set in the nineties. Different agents have different answers--I have heard friends who pitched "historical" novels told they weren't historical and vice versa. Have you checked out the Historical Novel Society? They might have a clearcut answer on what they consider historical.
Hi! Quick question: when an agent requests your a query letter as well as your synopsis in an online form, do you remove the hook or summary from your query letter when you paste that? My synopsis isn’t much longer than the “blurb” or hook that’s in my query letter...
A synopsis should be about 500 words for a brief one, or 1-2,000 words for a detailed one - pay close attention to what the agent wants. A query letter (including the pitch, reason for selecting the agent, and pertinent info that might not be requested separately, such as a bio, genre, word count, etc) should be one page. Things that are requested in separate areas in the submission packet should not be included in the query letter, but they may be briefly referred to (although if there is a separate place to submit a one-sentence pitch, I always add a slightly different version in the query). Personally, I take advantage of having some info removed from the query to write something that might make a connection with the agent - they always appreciate you researching them.
Agents request certain things to be submitted in a way they can quickly find what's important to them; make sure to honor those requests - they are doing you the favor of telling you exactly what they are looking for. Don't make them go on a treasure hunt, because they will lose patience, and don't short-change them.
Thank you so much for your response! And pardon my delay; I go on a social media (which SS isn’t really) when I’m on a writing jag... What you say makes sense, although I’m finding it WAY more time-consuming to include reason I selected each one of them. Sometimes I am at a loss for a “reason” other than they sound like a good agent or I liked a book they represented.
Hi again. Okay don’t laugh, but is a story set in the 80s considered historical (for YA)?? 🤦🏻♀️
I love this question and I'm not sure! Maybe? I just had a similar convo with a friend whose novel is set in the nineties. Different agents have different answers--I have heard friends who pitched "historical" novels told they weren't historical and vice versa. Have you checked out the Historical Novel Society? They might have a clearcut answer on what they consider historical.
Hi! Quick question: when an agent requests your a query letter as well as your synopsis in an online form, do you remove the hook or summary from your query letter when you paste that? My synopsis isn’t much longer than the “blurb” or hook that’s in my query letter...
A synopsis should be about 500 words for a brief one, or 1-2,000 words for a detailed one - pay close attention to what the agent wants. A query letter (including the pitch, reason for selecting the agent, and pertinent info that might not be requested separately, such as a bio, genre, word count, etc) should be one page. Things that are requested in separate areas in the submission packet should not be included in the query letter, but they may be briefly referred to (although if there is a separate place to submit a one-sentence pitch, I always add a slightly different version in the query). Personally, I take advantage of having some info removed from the query to write something that might make a connection with the agent - they always appreciate you researching them.
Agents request certain things to be submitted in a way they can quickly find what's important to them; make sure to honor those requests - they are doing you the favor of telling you exactly what they are looking for. Don't make them go on a treasure hunt, because they will lose patience, and don't short-change them.
Thank you so much for your response! And pardon my delay; I go on a social media (which SS isn’t really) when I’m on a writing jag... What you say makes sense, although I’m finding it WAY more time-consuming to include reason I selected each one of them. Sometimes I am at a loss for a “reason” other than they sound like a good agent or I liked a book they represented.