You more than likely know this, but. . . .

When I first started submitting manuscripts to literary agents, many years ago, I thought sample chapters meant I could pick "sample" chapters. I actually was going to send in chapters 3,8,12,22, and 27 because I thought they displayed some of my best writing.

Luckily, before I acted on those instincts I read a book on submitting manuscripts and found out that five "sample" chapters means the first five chapters.

Make sure you go to the agent's website and see what format they want. Many want the chapters sent to them electronically. Many others want hard copy and will reject the material out of hand if you don't send it to them exactly the way they want it. Pay attention to font and size. Make sure it's double-spaced and printed on one side only with proper margins. If you want your manual back you need to send a suitable SASE. If you want an answer, you need to send a SASE.

Make sure your cover letter and envelope is addressed to the proper person within the literary agency, the one that requested your sample chapters. Mis-addressed material will go in the sluch pile to be read when hell freezes over, or thrown out. Most literary agents will not accept unsolicited chapters or manuscripts.

Do some research about books that literary agent has published and start to create a relationship by commenting in a cover letter about how your novel is much like whichever one of their books is most like yours. If the agent hasn't sold a book like yours, ask yourself what's up?

Above all go to the website called Preditors and Editors to make sure your agent is on the up and up.

http://pred-ed.com/pubagent.htm

There are many, many scams out there. If they ask for money before the book has been sold, they're violating the ethics of their industry.

Take all of this with the knowledge that I've never been published through a litarary agent.

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)