This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
It's already week 3 of What An Agent Wants – time flies when you are finding out useful information about writing books.
Just to recap – we're asking our esteemed agent panel a question a week for the next ten weeks and publishing the answers right here for you guys. This week we ask…
What about my novel will make you read past the first page?
How can I make my submission stand out?
Madeleine Buston of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency
It's all about the voice and the ability to empathise with the characters. I need to feel compelled to read on.
Laura Longrigg of MBA Literary Agents
Good writing of course, both in submission letter, synopsis and first few pages of the novel. Easier said than done, and of course it is unfair to judge a book by its beginning, when an author may still be learning their craft and actually start writing brilliantly by about page 100. But editors usually don’t have time to read that far.
An original premise that can be described in a sentence at the most: ‘Writing this made me laugh, so I hope reading it will make you laugh’ (Gemma Burgess' submission letter); my first novel is ‘a sort of Life on Mars with a hint of Brief Encounter, a dash of rock n’roll, tapping into our current preoccupation with the way we used to live’ (Sharon Griffiths' submission letter). I took them both on, lucky me.
Hannah Ferguson of The Marsh Agency
First and foremost quality writing. A fresh, unique storyline is what really grabs my attention. Something new that will capture my imagination and trigger off a hundred or more ideas on how I could work with this. Gimmicks often stand out, but at the end of the day a gimmick probably won’t get you signed up if there isn’t any substance behind it. All submissions will be looked at, so it really is the writing and the story that will make me read past the first page.
Lisa Eveleigh of the Richford Becklow Literary Agency
a) A professional presentation consisting of; a brief but compelling covering letter, a one-page synopsis and the first three chapters. Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout. I only accept submissions by email, as Word attachments
b) Explaining in your covering letter what you’re aiming to achieve, and what you think your market is
c) If appropriate, tell me writers you admire and think you may be similar to, or define your USP
d) I always read past the first page anyway, knowing that openings can be tricky, but there’s no doubt that a really arresting first paragraph does impress
Sarah Lutyens of Lutyens & Rubinstein Literary Agency
It's simple – its just got to be well-written with real narrative tension and characters that engage you from the start and who you know you want to spend time with.
Diane Banks of Diane Banks Associates
The author needs to set up an intriguing situation from page one which will make me curious to see how it develops. Obviously, this mustn't be outlandish as it will stretch the bounds of credibility but a blow by blow account of a character going about an everyday domestic task won't intrigue me.
Sheila Crowley of Curtis Brown
Make me feel transported to the place and person from the outset. I should also point out that opening Prologues and/or first chapters are most important with the evolution of EBooks as potential buyers now get to browse (free of charge) the first section of the book. Also, publishers often trail the first chapter in the author’s previous book, so again that first opening is key in the publishing process.
Do let us know what you think of the agent's comments!
Next week we ask the agents about common mistakes and cliches in the manuscripts they see…
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