Dear Literary Agent,

I am writing to introduce myself and to seek literary representation in the United States for my literary works and, in particular, for two completed books devoted to the theory and practice of novel structure, narratology, and psychological characterization.

My name is Chen Wen-Han (pen name: Chen Qing-Yang), a Taiwanese novelist, poet, literary critic, screenwriter, and scholar of modern Chinese rhetoric. Over many years of creative and academic work, I have developed an integrated approach to fiction that brings together literary creation, narrative theory, structural analysis, rhetoric, psychology, and cinematic storytelling.

The two books I am presenting are the result of this long-term exploration:

Novel Structure, Narratology, and Psychological Analysis — Volume I

and

Novel Structure, Narratology, and Psychological Analysis — Volume II

Together, these two volumes constitute a systematic study of how a novel is constructed, narrated, and psychologically experienced by its characters and readers. Rather than treating fiction merely as a sequence of events, the books examine the deeper mechanisms that transform events into narrative: structural organization, narrative progression, conflict, character motivation, psychological development, point of view, narrative rhythm, dramatic turning points, reversals, climax, resolution, and the relationship between inner consciousness and external action.

One of the central ideas underlying my work is that a successful novel requires the integration of three dimensions: structure, narration, and psychology. Structure determines how the story is organized; narration determines how the story is revealed to the reader; and psychological characterization determines why characters act, change, resist, desire, suffer, and ultimately transform.

My approach also draws upon my background in modern Chinese rhetoric and literary aesthetics. I examine how rhetorical techniques, imagery, symbolism, contrast, foreshadowing, psychological description, dialogue, scene construction, and cinematic techniques can be incorporated into narrative architecture. In this sense, the two books are not only theoretical studies but also practical guides to the creation and analysis of fiction.

What distinguishes this project is its attempt to establish a bridge between Eastern literary thought and contemporary international narrative studies. My perspective is rooted in Taiwanese and Chinese-language literary traditions, yet the questions addressed by these books are universal: How does a story create emotional tension? How does a character psychologically evolve? How does a turning point change the direction of a narrative? How can multiple storylines be integrated into a coherent structure? How do narrative perspective and psychological consciousness shape the readers experience?

I believe these books may be of interest to an English-language readership because they offer a perspective on narrative structure developed from the experience of a Taiwanese writer and scholar working across literature, rhetoric, criticism, and screenwriting. They may appeal not only to writers and students of creative writing, but also to scholars and readers interested in narratology, literary theory, Asian literature, comparative literature, and screenwriting.

Beyond my theoretical work, I am also an active fiction writer. My novels frequently explore Taiwans history, cultural memory, social transformation, human relationships, love, war, identity, displacement, and the tension between individual destiny and historical circumstances. Several of my novels are particularly suited to international publication because they combine distinctly Taiwanese historical and cultural settings with themes that can speak to readers across cultures.

My creative work therefore exists on two complementary levels: I study how stories are constructed, and I create stories through that understanding. The theoretical books represent the analytical foundation of my fiction, while my novels provide a practical realization of the narrative principles developed through years of literary study and creative practice.

I would be honored to have the opportunity to discuss representation for these two books and for a selection of my completed novels with your agency. I am particularly interested in establishing an international literary career that can bring contemporary Taiwanese literature, narrative theory, and my fiction to English-language readers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I would be pleased to provide the complete manuscripts, detailed book proposals, synopses, sample chapters, and additional information concerning my novels and other literary projects upon request.

Sincerely,

Chen Wen-Han
Pen Name: Chen Qing-Yang

Taiwanese Novelist • Poet • Literary Critic • Screenwriter • Scholar of Modern Chinese Rhetoric

Selected Areas of Creative and Scholarly Work:
• Novel writing and literary fiction
• Modern Chinese and Taiwanese poetry
• Novel structure and narratology
• Psychological characterization and narrative analysis
• Modern Chinese rhetoric and literary aesthetics
• Literary criticism
• Film and television screenwriting
• Adaptation and cinematic narrative
• Taiwanese history, culture, and collective memory

尊敬的文學代理人：

您好！

我謹此向您介紹自己，並希望尋求貴公司在美國市場的文學代理。我希望特別介紹我已完成的兩部小說理論專著，內容主要探討小說結構、敘事學以及人物心理分析，並希望進一步尋求這兩部作品及我其他小說作品的國際出版與代理機會。

我叫陳文翰，筆名陳清揚，是一名臺灣小說家、詩人、文學評論家、電影電視編劇，以及現代漢語修辭學研究者。多年來，我持續從事文學創作與學術研究，逐漸形成一套融合文學創作、敘事理論、小說結構、修辭學、心理分析與電影敘事的創作方法。

我此次希望向美國出版代理人介紹的兩部作品是：

《小說結構、敘事與心理分析》上冊

以及

《小說結構、敘事與心理分析》下冊

這兩部專著共同構成一套關於小說如何被建構、如何被敘述，以及人物與讀者如何在心理層面經驗小說的系統性研究。

我並不把小說單純視為一連串事件的排列，而是進一步探討：事件如何轉化為敘事；故事如何透過結構形成完整的藝術形態；人物如何透過心理動機產生行動；敘事如何藉由視角、節奏、衝突、轉折、高潮、反轉與結局逐步推進；以及人物內在意識與外在行動之間如何形成相互作用。

我的核心觀點之一，是一部成功的小說必須同時整合「結構」、「敘事」與「心理」三個層面。

結構決定故事如何組織；

敘事決定故事如何向讀者揭示；

心理則決定人物為何行動、改變、抗拒、渴望、受苦，以及最終完成生命或人格上的轉變。

同時，我也將自己長期研究現代漢語修辭學與文學美學的經驗融入小說理論之中，探討修辭技巧、意象、象徵、對比、伏筆、心理描寫、人物對話、場景建構以及電影化敘事手法，如何進一步與小說的整體結構結合。

因此，這兩部作品並不只是抽象的小說理論研究，也具有明確的創作實踐性。它們既可以作為小說創作者理解敘事結構的工具，也可以作為文學研究者分析小說作品的理論框架。

我認為這套作品最具特色之處，在於試圖建立東方文學思想與當代國際敘事研究之間的橋樑。

我的文學觀點深深植根於臺灣與華文文學傳統，但我所探討的問題其實具有跨文化的普遍性：

故事如何產生情感張力？

人物如何完成心理轉變？

一個轉折點如何改變整個故事的方向？

多條故事線如何整合成一個有機的小說結構？

敘事視角與人物意識又如何影響讀者的閱讀經驗？

我相信，這兩部作品對英文世界的讀者具有一定的出版價值，因為它們提供了一個來自臺灣作家與學者的小說結構觀點，同時跨越文學創作、修辭學、文學評論、小說敘事與電影編劇等不同領域。

其潛在讀者不僅包括小說家、創意寫作者與創意寫作學生，也包括敘事學、文學理論、亞洲文學、比較文學及電影編劇等領域的研究者與讀者。

除了小說理論研究之外，我本人也是長期從事小說創作的作家。我的小說作品經常以臺灣的歷史、文化記憶、社會變遷、人際關係、愛情、戰爭、身分認同、離散，以及個人命運與歷史環境之間的衝突為重要題材。

其中一些小說特別具有國際出版的潛力，因為它們一方面具有鮮明的臺灣歷史與文化背景，另一方面則處理愛情、戰爭、身分、記憶、家庭、命運與人性等跨越文化疆界的普遍主題。

因此，我的文學創作一直存在於兩個彼此互補的層面：

一方面，我研究故事如何被建構；

另一方面，我親自創作故事。

這兩部小說理論專著，是我長期文學研究與創作所形成的理論基礎；而我的小說作品，則是這些敘事原理在實際文學創作中的具體實踐。

因此，我誠摯希望能有機會與貴公司進一步洽談，尋求這兩部專著，以及我其他已完成小說作品的美國文學代理與國際出版合作。

我尤其希望建立一條通往國際文學市場的道路，將當代臺灣文學、華文敘事理論，以及我的小說創作介紹給英文世界的讀者。

非常感謝您撥冗閱讀這封自薦信，也感謝您考慮我的作品。

如蒙需要，我可以進一步提供完整書稿、正式出版企畫案（Book Proposal）、故事大綱、Sample Chapters，以及我的其他小說作品與文學創作計畫等相關資料。

敬祝

順頌文祺

陳文翰
筆名：陳清揚

臺灣小說家・詩人・文學評論家・電影電視編劇・現代漢語修辭學研究者

主要創作與研究領域：

・小說創作與文學小說
・華文現代詩與新詩創作
・小說結構與敘事學
・人物心理與敘事分析
・現代漢語修辭學與文學美學
・文學評論
・電影與電視編劇
・小說改編與電影化敘事
・臺灣歷史、文化與集體記憶