A strong submission package makes an agent’s job easier: it presents the right materials, in the requested format, with a clear reason the project belongs on that agent’s list. Use this query letter and submission package checklist to prepare fiction or nonfiction, adapt your materials to each submission guideline, and complete a final quality-control review before sending.
Overview
A literary agent submission package usually consists of some combination of a query letter, a synopsis or proposal, and sample pages. The exact combination varies by agent, category, genre, and submission method. Treat the agent’s current guidelines as the controlling instruction rather than assuming that every agent wants the same materials.
Before drafting your package, make a simple submission brief for each target. Record the agent’s name, agency, genres or categories represented, preferred submission method, requested materials, sample-page limit, file format, subject-line instructions, and any personalization details you can verify. This prevents a polished package from failing a basic requirements check.
Your goal is not to explain every part of the book. The package should create a concise, accurate introduction to the project and demonstrate that you understand the conventions of your category. For a broader publishing workflow, see this self-publishing format, distribution, ISBN, and launch checklist; the process differs, but the emphasis on organized production records is useful in either path.
Core submission package checklist
- Completed, polished manuscript or proposal, as requested.
- Query letter tailored to the agent and project.
- Synopsis, book proposal, or chapter outline when requested.
- Sample pages prepared within the stated word or page limit.
- Accurate title, category, genre, word count, and author contact details.
- File names and formats that follow the submission instructions.
- A submission tracker containing the date sent, materials included, and response status.
Checklist by scenario
Fiction query letter checklist
A fiction query generally introduces the protagonist, the central conflict, the stakes, and the book’s place in the market. Keep the letter focused on the story rather than a chapter-by-chapter account.
- Opening: Identify the title, genre or category, and approximate word count.
- Hook: Present the protagonist and the situation that disrupts their ordinary world.
- Conflict: Explain the principal choice, danger, mystery, or relationship problem driving the story.
- Stakes: Show what may be gained or lost if the protagonist fails.
- Ending context: Give enough of the plot to make the story understandable; do not hide the resolution of a completed novel from an agent.
- Brief biography: Include relevant writing, professional, lived-experience, or publication information when it supports the project.
- Closing: State the manuscript’s status and list the requested materials included with the submission.
An adaptable fiction query letter example can follow this structure: “Dear [Agent Name], I am seeking representation for [TITLE], a [category/genre] novel complete at approximately [word count] words. When [inciting situation], [protagonist] must [central objective], but [opposing force or complication]. If [protagonist] fails, [stakes]. [TITLE] may appeal to readers of [carefully chosen comparison titles or authors] because [specific shared element]. I am [brief relevant biography]. Thank you for your consideration.” Replace every bracketed element with precise, natural language; do not leave the framework visible in the final letter.
Nonfiction query and proposal checklist
Nonfiction submissions often need a proposal rather than a completed manuscript, although expectations differ by category. A nonfiction query should make the subject, audience, author platform, and book’s purpose easy to understand.
- Define the book’s subject and the specific reader need it addresses.
- Explain why this book is timely or useful without relying on unsupported claims.
- Describe the intended audience and how the book will reach those readers.
- Summarize your authority, relevant experience, credentials, or access.
- Provide a clear overview and chapter-by-chapter outline if requested.
- Include sample chapters that represent the proposed voice and structure.
- State the manuscript’s estimated length and current completion status.
For memoir, narrative nonfiction, and other literary projects, clarify the central narrative or organizing question. For practical nonfiction, explain the method, transformation, or information architecture. Avoid presenting a broad topic as a complete book concept until you can identify the reader, promise, and structure.
Synopsis and sample-pages checklist
A synopsis is a compressed account of the book’s main events and ending. Follow the requested length and point of view. Unless guidelines say otherwise, prioritize the central plot, major turning points, and resolution over subplots and scene-level detail. A synopsis is not jacket copy and should not depend on withholding information for suspense.
For sample pages, begin where the guidelines request. If no starting point is specified, the opening pages usually provide the clearest introduction to the manuscript’s voice and premise. Check that the sample stands on its own, uses consistent formatting, and ends at a sensible break rather than an accidental cutoff. Read the sample separately from the full manuscript to catch duplicated material, missing pages, or inconsistent chapter labels.
Submission spreadsheet template
A simple tracker is enough. Create columns for: agent name, agency, website or submission page, genres represented, date guidelines checked, materials requested, personalization notes, date submitted, submission method, response deadline if stated, response received, result, and follow-up notes. Add a column for the exact version of your query or sample pages used. This matters when you revise materials during a submission round.
What to double-check
- Guidelines: Recheck the agent’s own submission page immediately before sending. Confirm whether attachments, pasted pages, a synopsis, a proposal, or a particular subject line are requested.
- Word count: Use a consistent method and report the approximate total honestly. Ensure the length fits the expectations of the project’s category.
- Genre and category: Describe the manuscript accurately. A clever label cannot replace a clear understanding of where the book belongs.
- Personalization: Address the correct agent and mention a genuine reason for the match, such as a stated interest, represented category, or relevant submission preference. Never invent familiarity.
- Comparison titles: Choose recent, relevant points of reference when requested. Explain the connection instead of listing titles without context.
- Attachments and links: Open every file, test every link, and confirm that the document contains the intended version. Remove comments, tracked changes, and private notes.
- Consistency: Compare the query, synopsis, proposal, and sample pages for matching character names, titles, word counts, chronology, and spelling.
- Contact details: Include a professional email address and any requested contact information. Keep the signature concise.
Before sending, ask a trusted reader to perform a compliance review rather than a general critique. Give them the agent’s requirements and ask them to mark anything missing, over the limit, mislabeled, or difficult to locate.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same generic query to every agent without checking fit or instructions.
- Using exaggerated claims about market demand, guaranteed sales, or universal appeal.
- Opening with biography when the story or book concept should come first.
- Describing fiction as a sequence of events without identifying the central conflict and stakes.
- Describing nonfiction as a topic without defining the reader, promise, and author authority.
- Including an unrequested full manuscript, image-heavy file, or extra material.
- Using a synopsis that conceals the ending or introduces every minor character.
- Failing to track submissions, which can lead to duplicate queries or forgotten follow-ups.
- Making major manuscript changes while continuing to send an outdated version.
Formatting should support readability, not draw attention to itself. Unless an agent specifies otherwise, use a clean, accessible document with consistent headings, page numbers where appropriate, and a file name that identifies the author and project. When in doubt, follow the stated instructions or omit material that was not requested.
When to revisit
Revisit this checklist whenever you begin a new submission round, target a different category, revise the manuscript, or prepare materials for a new agent. Submission requirements and preferred formats can change, so verify the relevant guidelines each time rather than relying on an old spreadsheet entry or a remembered instruction.
Use this final workflow before every send:
- Open the agent’s current submission page and copy the requirements into your tracker.
- Choose the correct query, synopsis or proposal, and sample-page versions.
- Personalize the letter using only details you can confirm.
- Check the package against the word count, file type, page limit, and subject-line instructions.
- Proofread names, titles, links, contact details, and the first page of every document.
- Record exactly what you sent and when.
After a revision, update the tracker and archive superseded files clearly. If you are also building an author platform, keep your public information consistent across your website and profiles; these author website essentials can help you review the basics. A careful, repeatable process will not replace the work of writing a strong book, but it will ensure that the submission package represents that work accurately.
