{"id":1009361,"date":"2026-09-18T09:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T08:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=1009361"},"modified":"2026-09-17T17:06:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T16:06:44","slug":"agent-etiquette-comp-titles-and-genre-promises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/agent-etiquette-comp-titles-and-genre-promises\/","title":{"rendered":"Agent etiquette, comp titles and genre promises"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two things today: genre &amp; agent etiquette, picking up some of your questions from <a href=\"https:\/\/myjericho.jerichowriters.com\/forums\/topic\/28-august-querying-etiquette\/\">this discussion<\/a> on Townhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ll deal with the etiquette stuff first. The questions \/ comments in bold below come from your Qs on that thread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How long should a synopsis be? What does \u201cone page\u201d really mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly? I think that agents are silly about this. They should say what they mean. For what it\u2019s worth, \u201cone page\u201d is normally interpreted as normal margins, 1.5 spacing, and Times New Roman. But TNR is a lousy font and it\u2019s silly to be too bullied by these things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019d say that if your synopsis runs to 400-500 words, you\u2019re fine. If the way you lay that out runs to 1.5 pages, then no one except an idiot will get upset about it. The truth is that if an agent reads an intelligent query and the first page or two of the actual manuscript seems strong, they just won\u2019t care whether you do \/ don\u2019t match the exact letter of what they say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When to nudge?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I said a nudge after 6 weeks is fine. I\u2019m wrong about that. I\u2019d meant to write 8, in fact, but the landscape has just got ever worse. It\u2019s now just horribly normal for agents to say \u201cif you haven\u2019t heard from me within 8 \/ 10 \/ 12 weeks, just assume I\u2019m not interested.\u201d I think you can take those things at more or less face value. The fact is that I don\u2019t think nudging really works UNLESS you have meaningful interest from another agent, in which case get nudging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What does 50 pages mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, I think this doesn\u2019t really matter and that agents are being silly at multiple levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back in the day, the \u201cfirst three chapters\u201d idea arose because people were sending physical pages through the post. The notion was there to limit the size of packages coming into the mailroom. These days, it\u2019s daft. Why not just tell people to email the whole damn book? I genuinely don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For what it\u2019s worth, I think that it would be normal to send around 10,000 words which, in the layout I use, comes to around 25 pages. On that basis, 50 pages comes to more like 20,000 words which seems a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some agents still talk about the first three chapters, but in my case that would equate to just 10 pages \/ 3500 words, and that seems foolishly small to me. I would <em>always<\/em> send more than that and would, if need be, add a note to the effect that, \u201cmy chapters are short, so I have submitted around 10,000 words, rather than abiding strictly by the three chapter limit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again, I\u2019d remind you that no agent on earth will reject a strong submission because you\u2019ve not followed their stupid rules. But, that said, I would follow their stupid rules \u2013 roughly \u2013 just so you don\u2019t fret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should the title of the novel be in all caps or italicized?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">EITHER or <em>either<\/em>. No one cares. I use italics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should the hook get a separate line in the query letter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yep, these days, probably. But it\u2019s up to you. As long as the basic pitch is clear, you can play around with the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many words should the blurb be?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, not sure what you mean by blurb. That\u2019s the term given to the text on the back of a book, and that\u2019s not normally something you need for an agent. If you are writing a blurb, then just check actual back-cover text in your genre, but 80-100 words is broadly typical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you mean, how much text in your cover letter about the book \u2013 well, again, there\u2019s no simple rule. A good paragraph is fine. Alternatively, you can convey your hook in one brief sentence or three, then add a little more discussion about what you are trying to achieve in subsequent paragraphs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Overall, I don\u2019t think a query letter (or, really, email) should run to more than about 300 words. If it\u2019s less than that, that\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should the personalization to an individual agent come before or after the blurb\/before or after the comp titles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t mind. It\u2019s however the thing flows most naturally. But it\u2019s generally easier to say, \u201cthis is the book I\u2019ve written and the reason I thought of you is X\u201d. It\u2019s harder to do the last part if the agent doesn\u2019t yet know what the book is offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should the comp titles come before or after the blurb?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Probably after, and for the same reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If the comp titles are quite well known, should you include the authors\u2019 names or is this redundant?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t have to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Should you include details or analysis of why you chose particular comp titles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This should flow quite naturally from the letter. This kind of thing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy book is about [kids\u2019 fantasy adventure topic]. I hope it competes in the same broad territory as [Katherine Rundell and MG Leonard]. I especially admire those authors willingness to [do X, Y, Z] and hope that some of that ambition is reflected in my own work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s obviously important not to sound like an idiot when you make those comparisons. So the wording above says X &amp; Y are inspirational, then expresses a hope (not a confidence) that you share some characteristics. Telling an agent that you are directly <em>like<\/em> Salman Rushdie or J.K Rowling is obviously just stupid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>On a query letter, there are routine bits that are expected \u2013 word count, genre, comps etc. What are people\u2019s thoughts about: 1) Having these in the very first paragraph (\u2018I am seeking representation for XXX, a XX,XXX word XXX novel that will appeal to readers of\u2026\u2019). 2) Instead, opening with a hook so that you\u2019re straight into something that grabs the agent\u2019s attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly? I think the opening sentence needs to tell the agent why they\u2019re here. Give the basic co-ordinates first (title, word count, rough genre definition.) Then go into the rest. That way, the agent reads the hook knowing the context and therefore understanding it better. With most query letter things, I\u2019m pretty relaxed: there\u2019s more than one way to do these things. But on this specific question, I think it\u2019s almost always vital to offer the co-ordinates first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The best thing to do is read each agent\u2019s submission guidelines very carefully and follow them to the letter. One submission package won\u2019t do for all.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s sort of true, but I have to say that personally I\u2019d be annoyed at having to tailor everything to the last dot and comma. My own approach would be more like, \u201cHere\u2019s a perfectly professional package that conforms closely, but not precisely, to your stated needs. Live with it, buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would suggest you do not include that phrasing in your query letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The invisible context to \u201cIt only takes one yes\u201d is that the one yes is usually preceded by dozens of \u201calmosts.\u201d When you are within striking distance of \u201cyes,\u201d you start getting promising feedback. You rack up a few close-but-not-quites.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Damn right. If you send your stuff out to 12 agents and hear nothing back, or only form rejections, then your manuscript is almost certainly not yet strong enough. That\u2019s where you need forceful, honest input from a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideally, you use a Jericho Writers editor (because our guys are proper pros and they\u2019re trained not to go easy on you), but it\u2019s whatever you can afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are getting close but can\u2019t get beyond the \u2018not quite\u2019, you\u2019d be nuts not to get that editorial input. That\u2019s where one or two key insights can take you over the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do you think you should query the agents that are the best match first or last? Is it best to practise on those who aren\u2019t a good match, I wonder?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Personally, I\u2019d use a mix. My own preference would be to send out a small batch of 6 submissions, in the hope that I got something back that gave me a clue as to where I was \/ was not on target. I\u2019d use a couple of top favourite agents in that 6 and about 4 who were fine but not top-of-the-top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But honestly, this is a matter of personal preference. There are no rights or wrongs here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If an agent is interested in a query letter and synopsis, do they do an internet search on the author to find out more about them such as previous writing experience, background, age, social media presence? Or don\u2019t they bother as they are far too busy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think no agent would do this until they\u2019re on the edge of offering representation. If they\u2019re not serious about you, why waste the time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that brings us neatly enough to genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the things that I do think is critical is thinking about your book from an agent\u2019s perspective. And an agent is selling to an editor whose first thought will be, \u201cHow do we actually market this book?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your novel is bang in line with genre, then the answer is pretty easy. If you\u2019re writing standard-issue crime, then your novel will be sold like every other crime novel \u2013 and that\u2019s a good thing, from your authorial perspective, not a bad one. You want to swim in the mainstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your novel is less genre-defined than, say crime or kids fantasy or genre-romance, you still need to understand the tropes you need to live by. So let\u2019s say your book lives in commercial book-club territory dealing with female loneliness via a gently comic \/ romantic approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearly that\u2019s not a precisely defined genre \u2013 you won\u2019t find shelves in a bookshop with that title above them \u2013 but it\u2019s also defined <em>enough<\/em>. Any agent worth their salt will be looking for your book to establish, quickly, several things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Book-club style Big Issue which is to be explored (here, female loneliness.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Humour<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A romantic thread which doesn\u2019t have to start out huge, but which needs to be present enough that its importance can be felt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A cast of characters which is clearly going to be the cast you\u2019re mostly working with: work colleagues, an aunt, an awkward neighbour \u2013 whoever.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <em>absence<\/em> of anything violently in conflict with these things. So a major terrorist attack and pages spent with the harrowing aftermath effectively destroys the premise. You can\u2019t easily step from there to the gently comic but romantic story you want to tell. (You <em>can<\/em> have a terrorist attack, but you need to handle it in a way consistent with your broader direction.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You MUST deliver those things or your book will fail \u2013 and <em>should<\/em> fail \u2013 because you\u2019re not giving the agent (or ultimately, the publisher) a way to market your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So with that book-club \/ female-loneliness \/ rom-commy sort of book we\u2019ve been discussing, you and I could perfectly well come up with a cover quite fast. That cover would need to convey (i) intelligent-ish, (ii) more female than male, (iii) gentle and funny. If you threw in a massive, bloodily described terrorist attack, we\u2019d have no hope of creating a cover that worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So: before you book goes to agents, make damn sure you understand its genre (however vague the boundaries of that genre might be.) Then meet your genre obligations, in full. Don\u2019t skimp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>FEEDBACK FRIDAY \/ Genre promise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Give me 250 words from early in your book that start to deliver genre-promise. Give us some background here. Give title, genre and context \u2013 including where your extract is taken from. Is it first page? First chapter? What? I just want to see early evidence that you understand your genre and are in the process of delivering it. When it&#8217;s ready post in the forum <a href=\"https:\/\/myjericho.jerichowriters.com\/forums\/forum\/feedback-friday\/18-september-genre-promise\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/myjericho.jerichowriters.com\/forums\/forum\/feedback-friday\/18-september-genre-promise\/\">here<\/a> on Townhouse (our free online writing community). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Til soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harry<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two things today: genre &amp; agent etiquette, picking up some of your questions from this discussion on Townhouse. I\u2019ll deal with the etiquette stuff first. The questions \/ comments in bold below come from your Qs on that thread. How long should a synopsis be? What does \u201cone page\u201d really mean? Honestly? I think that<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38188,"featured_media":815759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[29212],"class_list":["post-1009361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agents","tag-harrys-friday-email"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Jericho Writers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/agent-etiquette-comp-titles-and-genre-promises\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Agent etiquette, comp titles and genre promises &#8211; Jericho Writers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two things today: genre &amp; agent etiquette, picking up some of your questions from this discussion on Townhouse. 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