submission faux pas - query vs. synopsis on web form
Posted: July 18th, 2011, 3:01 pm
Hi Nathan -
I searched a few key words and didn't come up with any results, so I hope this hasn't been asked already.
I got serious about the agent hunt a week ago and submitted to three agents/agencies. One uses a web form, and with it being the first one, my brain was so focused on query, query, QUERY, that it didn't register that they asked for a short synopsis of the work. Um...I gave them a query instead. It wasn't until a few days ago that my brain finally laughed and said, "Ha ha! You idiot!" and sure enough, I doubled-checked and the web form does say synopsis. So here's my question: They have a 3 week turn around/passing period with contact only if interested. It's been a little over a week. Do I just say I shot myself on this one, even though it's a fantastic agency, or is it okay to send them an email with a professional explanation that more or less says the query jitters got to me and I'd more than happy to rectify the situation if it sounds like a project they'd be interested in? I just don't want to come off as someone who doesn't know the difference between a query and a synopsis and get tossed because that reflects poorly on me. I'm normally much more detail oriented than this and it's really bugging me.
BTW - Thanks so much for your great advice over the years. I've learned so much from your blogs and links. And to be honest, I wouldn't be where I'm at today if you hadn't requested pages from me back in 2007. I had just finished the manuscript and had no idea how the whole publishing thing worked, so I wasn't aware of just how rough the MS really was, but you were very kind and gave me confidence (even if the story was rough at the time, the premise intrigued you, so I count that as a success!). Thanks to you, I took a hard look at the MS, redrafted, polished, etc, and have learned so much. So, thank you - I have to admit I was hoping I'd get to query you again someday.
I searched a few key words and didn't come up with any results, so I hope this hasn't been asked already.
I got serious about the agent hunt a week ago and submitted to three agents/agencies. One uses a web form, and with it being the first one, my brain was so focused on query, query, QUERY, that it didn't register that they asked for a short synopsis of the work. Um...I gave them a query instead. It wasn't until a few days ago that my brain finally laughed and said, "Ha ha! You idiot!" and sure enough, I doubled-checked and the web form does say synopsis. So here's my question: They have a 3 week turn around/passing period with contact only if interested. It's been a little over a week. Do I just say I shot myself on this one, even though it's a fantastic agency, or is it okay to send them an email with a professional explanation that more or less says the query jitters got to me and I'd more than happy to rectify the situation if it sounds like a project they'd be interested in? I just don't want to come off as someone who doesn't know the difference between a query and a synopsis and get tossed because that reflects poorly on me. I'm normally much more detail oriented than this and it's really bugging me.
BTW - Thanks so much for your great advice over the years. I've learned so much from your blogs and links. And to be honest, I wouldn't be where I'm at today if you hadn't requested pages from me back in 2007. I had just finished the manuscript and had no idea how the whole publishing thing worked, so I wasn't aware of just how rough the MS really was, but you were very kind and gave me confidence (even if the story was rough at the time, the premise intrigued you, so I count that as a success!). Thanks to you, I took a hard look at the MS, redrafted, polished, etc, and have learned so much. So, thank you - I have to admit I was hoping I'd get to query you again someday.