1. The Opening Hook

You must start strong with the novel synopsis. Agents and editors want to be engaged when they're up at night, plowing through submissions. If they don't like the opening, they won't get through the rest of it. Here is an example of an intriguing synopsis opening, from Monster by John Tigges:

"MAL and JONNA EVANS, in an effort to save their marriage, which has been been jeopardized by Jonna's extramarital affair, go backpacking near Garibaldi Provincial Park, British Columbia. On their first night, while preparing their evening meal, a Sasquatch barges into their camp and grabs Jonna."

These tips excerpted from Give 'Em What They Want, a book
by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook. The book is a great
resource for information on query writing, synopsis writing, and
outline writing. It's all about "the right way to pitch you novel
to editors and agents." Buy it here.

2. Character Sketches

You need to provide a sense of your main characters' motivations, especially those that will bring the characters into conflict with one another. "The characters' physical descriptions are not vital, but their motivations are," Marilyn Campbell says. Here is a part of the synopsis for Broken Connections, which earned the author a television movie option with this quick sketch of her heroine's backstory:

"Twenty-six-year-old JULIE HAMPTON, author of several gardening books, has returned to her native Boston from California after separating from her philandering husband, JOEL GREGG. Julie had fled to California seven years earlier to attend UC Berkeley and to put as much distance as she could between herself and her mother."

3. Plot Highlights

"Detail the beginning and ending scenes and one or two in the middle that give an indication of the kind of emotional intensity or type of action to be expected," Campbell says. So what constitutes a major scene worth noting? Consider: 1) Do I need this scene to make the primary plot hang together? 2) Do I need this scene for the ending to make sense? Your synopsis should reveal how much and what kind of trouble your poor protagonist is going to encounter.

4. Core Confict

If your conflict isn't implicit in your first few sentences (a "hook"), spell it out. Your core conflict may, of course, overlap categories and could even touch on multiple types of conflict. Consider this:

"Tortured by grief and loss (person vs. self) and fleeing a wrong conviction for a crime he didn't commit (person vs. society), DR. RICHARD KIMBALL struggles to survive (person vs. nature) while fleeing the relentless lawman who pursues him (person vs. person).

5. The Conclusion

Don't close with a cliffhanger. Revealing the ending to your novel won't spoil the story for the editor or agent. It will show that you've successfully finished your novel.  "Make sure every loose thread is tied up and never leave an editor guessing about anything," Campbell says. If your novel is one of a series, your ending can point to the sequel.

Want more on this topic?

• How to Write a Novel Synopsis.
  
• Buy the book Give 'Em What They Want.
  
• Read the Starman synopsis - a great example of a summary.
• Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
  
• Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
• Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

When writers try to get an agent, they are asked to run a difficult course, and run it under a microscope.  Although the level of scrutiny that writers receive is huge, it is definitely surmountable.  Read the following items that agents dislike and alter your approaches accordingly.  Agents hate the following items:

1. Inquiries that show writers have not done their homework.

This complaint usually fell into two categories: 1) submissions that are not the type of books an agency accepts, and 2) submissions that are not specifically addressed.  
      Do your homework.  Save everyone time and effort by checking the guidebooks and agents' websites to learn what types of books they represent.
      Submissions that are not specifically addressed are generally sent to "Dear Agent," the agency, or "To Whom it May Concern." These submissions look like form letters.  Address all correspondence to a particular individual and make sure thay you spell that person's and the agency's name correctly. 

2. Authors who insist that they receive unrealistically high advances.

Agents are experts at evaluating what books are worth, and since they receive a percentage of the proceeds, they try to squeeze out top dollar.  Coming with demands of a "minimum advance figure" is a clear signal that you will be difficult to work with.

These tips excerpted from
Author 101: Bestselling
Secrets from Top Agents,
by Rick Frishman and Robyn
Freedman Spizman.

3. Authors who try to be all things to all people.

Agents and editors prefer tightly focused books.  They told us that a writer's audience actually expands the tighter the focus of the book is. An author cannot be all things to all people.  For instance, a writer may think that the market for her children's book is ages four to 14, but four-year-olds want different books than 14-year-olds do.  A diet book aimed at young adults, for example, could sell better that a book that tries to appeal to all ages of dieters. 

4. Control freaks

Agents do not like to work with clients who are not willing to change proposals, manuscripts or strategies that can improve a book or its ability to sell.  The best authors are those who are willing to listen and are open to their agents' advice.  Although agents aren't the end all and be all, they are knowledgable professionals, and selling books is their business.  They have experience and can bring a certain perspective to a project that authors may not have.

Want more on this subject?

• Want more on"What Agents Hate"?  See a list of their pet peeves here, with Part I and Part II blog posts.    
• See 10 Things NOT to Do in a Query.
• Check out the book Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents.
• See an example of a Mind-Boggling Horrible Query Letter.
• Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
• Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
• Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Literary agent Chip MacGregor (MacGregor Literary) has posted an article from the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents on his blog.  The article is all about how to Make the Most Out of a Writers' Conference.

Here's Part I
Here's Part II

I hope you find the article helpful.  If you're headed out to a conference soon and are confused are what to expect and/or how to maximize your experience, check out the article, and if you're feeling saucy, check out the entire 2010 GLA.

The crowd from one such conference,
Muse & the Marketplace 2009

Here's an excerpt:

WHO WILL YOU MEET?
 
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of a conference is writers' ability to meet the power players and decision makers in the publishing world. In addition, they can make contacts and form partnerships with their fellow writers. Here are three different types of people you will meet.
 
Peers and writers
This is where the schmoozing comes in. Besides classes and presentations, there are usually dinners as well as meet-and-greet opportunities, not to mention simply banding together at night and hitting the hotel lobby or nearby bar to relax and talk. Perhaps you didn't even know the regional writers' group in charge existed, and may be able get involved with the organization.
 
Agents
Perhaps the biggest draw, agents attend conferences for a specific reason: to find potential clients. They are bombarded with pitches and request writing samples from those attendees who dazzle them with a good idea or pitch. Short of an excellent referral, conferences are the best way to snag an agent, so take advantage of meeting one. (I found my literary agent at a conference. Trust me: They work.)

Want more on this subject?

• Check out this guest column by Han Vance on Networking at Writers Conferences.
• Read more about the dos and don'ts of pitching agents at conferences.
• Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
  
• Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
• Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Q. I recently parted ways with my agent after a few years of representation. As I move forward, do I tell a prospective agent that I previously worked with another agent?  If I am fortunate enough to find another agent, do I send copies of the publishers' rejection letters so there won't be a duplication of effort?

A. "Absolutely, and you should be able to speak to what did and did not work in the relationship with your former agent. Candor is the best policy; it prevents most misunderstandings and can even lead to a more creative and productive agent/client relationship. Most agents will want to see where the work has been submitted. It is possible, depending on the agent's clout and access, that previous submissions won't matter to him or her."
      - William Clark, founder of Wm Clark Associates; printed from the 2007 edition of GLA.

2008 Article Excerpt:

While Guide to Literary Agents is best known for its large and detailed list of literary agencies, every edition has plenty of informational articles and interviews designed to help writers perfect their craft and contact agents wisely. The 2008 edition is no different, with more than 80 pages of articles addressing numerous writing and publishing topics.

While Guide to Literary Agents is best known for its large and detailed list of literary agencies, every edition has plenty of informational articles and interviews designed to help writers perfect their craft and contact agents wisely. The 2008 edition is no different, with more than 80 pages of articles addressing numerous writing and publishing topics.

2008 Article Excerpt:

WD book editors talk about how
writers can avoid getting scammed
by dishonest agents. 

"First of all, it can't be stressed enough that you should never pay agents any fees just so they consider your work. Only small fees (such as postage and copying) are acceptable - and those miniscule costs are administered after the agent has contacted you and signed you as a client. 
      A typical scam goes something like this: You send your work to an agency and they reply with what seems like a form letter or e-mail, telling you they love your story. At some point, they ask for money, saying it has to do with distribution, editing, production, submissions, analysis or promotion. By that point, you're so happy with the prospect of finding an agent (you probably already told your family and friends) that you nervously hand over the money. Game over. You've just been scammed. Your work may indeed end up in print, but you're likely getting very little if any money. To be a successful author, publishers must pay you to write; you must never pay them."

            - "Sign on the Dotted Line: Research Your Options and Beware of Scams" (page 51)

While Guide to Literary Agents is best known for its large and detailed list of literary agencies, every edition has plenty of informational articles and interviews designed to help writers perfect their craft and contact agents wisely. The 2008 edition is no different, with more than 80 pages of articles addressing numerous writing and publishing.