[Revolution]

I have recently received a request from an agent for the first three chapters of my novel and a synopsis. Since it was not specified in their communicatoin and this agency does not have a website, I would like to know how long to make my synopsis. I've heard that one page for every 10k words is okay. My feeling is that it should be as short as possible. What do you guys think is an appropriate page length?

[Expendable]

Keeping it short is best but its also got to sell the story.

[michaelS0620]

First of all, congrats on finishing a novel, and even bigger congrats on getting interest from an agent!

the easiest thing to do would be t osimply ask them if they have any specific guidelines. Better to know for sure than to guess, and guess wrong. I don't think it will make you look like a newbie or unprofessional. In fact I think it will make you look more professional as you are indicating you are willing to listen to how the agent wants it, and you want to do it right.

[Revolution]

Thank you very much for your help. Good advice.

[Holbrook]

From experience I would say between 500 and a thousand words. An agent wants the main points and the flow of the story told clearly and concisely.

Congrats on being asked for the first three chapters, next stage the whole manuscript!

[Revolution]

I went ahead and gave the agent a call this morning. She said that it was really up to me, whatever I thought, from 3 to 10 pages. I'm going to try to keep it at around 4 or 5, I think.

Thank you guys for your help.

[Expendable]

You're welcome. Good luck.

--Ex.

[KatG]

I'm late on this and you already got the guideline info from the agent, but usually, a plot synopsis is 1-2 single spaced pages. 5 pages would usually be the absolute maximum, but if the agent you are submitting to said 10 was okay, then so be it. Good luck!