The first agent I submitted to

[LongGoneBeforeDaylight]

Has requested the full manuscript. It's an enormous agency too. Sent it last week. Hand holding please while I wait?

[BigPawsBrown]

Thank you so much! When you put it like that you are right... Just feels like a mountain to climb at the moment, must just keep at it!

She said I write a lot like David Nicholls, I nearly died

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Fantastic

It sounds like this whole process has been hugely useful in your development as a writer and when you come to sub the next one you'll be streets ahead of where you were this time - as well as this agent you'll have all the ones who said nice things about your book to target, you know what aspects of your writing to work on, you've got experience of the submissions process and will know how to emotionally pace yourself so it's not so draining, and above all you can write from a place of much greater confidence because you've had an actual agent who loves your writing so there is NO QUESTION about whether you can write

Best of luck with the next book & keep us posted!

[BigPawsBrown]

Yes I've been doing a lot of thinking. My idea for a second novel has a better concept and I have spent two hours tonight with my dad, who is very imaginative, coming up with different plot threads. Really pleased with it and there is so much more going on than in my first book. I want to write this one and send it to her. She did say she would be very excited to receive a book from me in the future

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Oh wow, it sounds like you are almost there! If an agent says nice things about your writing and is prepared to put the time in to the extent of asking you for a meeting, you have to take that seriously. It never happens to 99% of aspiring writers!
So, what are your plans for working on plot? I learnt a lot from 'Plot and structure' by James Scott Bell, and recently, from 'The Anatomy of Story' by John Truby.

[ninah]

Excellent! did she give you pointers to revise to? I've had this a lot lately, rewrote for one agent and it still not right, now another one has said would be interested in rewrite but I can't face it just yet. Have some reader feedback coming soon, hopefully that'll help!
Did you have lunch? I've always wanted to say 'lunch with my agent'!

[BigPawsBrown]

It was good, but I don't have an agent out of it. She was so, so nice about my writing and I need to work on plot. She would like to see a revision or the next thing I write...

[BigPawsBrown]

Thank you! Very nervous!!

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Keeping fingers crossed for you today, BigPaws.

[GrendelsMum]

Very sensible - fingers crossed...

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Good luck with all of them.
I don't want to go public with where I am with mine, but will update when I have definite news.

[GrendelsMum]

Doesn't she know we're waiting!

I've gone ahead and spent the morning submitting to a few more agents, so it's now with 5 people.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Oh, that's a bit frustrating.

[BigPawsBrown]

She's postponed the meeting to nov 12th!! She had good reasons though...

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

I think normal practice these days is to do it in batches of half a dozen or so. I have only seen one this time round that expects exclusive submissions.

[GrendelsMum]

Mmm - not sure. Might start identifying a key list of people to target via the list you recommended.

I've submitted to one other so far. Do you think I should go for more at the same time?

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

Best of luck, BigPaws. I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes.

GrendelsMum, are you submitting any more?

[GrendelsMum]

Best of luck for tomorrow :)
The agent has requested a full, so that's a green stripe in the spreadsheet!

[BigPawsBrown]

I have a spreadsheet too. It's great as you know when to chase and who you've already subbed to. I colour them red for rejections and green for requests for fulls

[GrendelsMum]

Looking forward to hearing what happens at the meeting, Big Paws.

I've now submitted mine to an agent, so we'll see what happens.

I'm going to set up a spreadsheet to track submissions and rejections, so I hope that's not unduly negative.

[BigPawsBrown]

Thanks, that article is really useful. I will let you know how it goes! She did say, "I'm not sure this book is big enough to get you your first publishing deal - do you have any other ideas?" So sounds more like that than rewriting my current book.

[TunipTheUnconquerable]

This blogpost might be helpful.

It's really hard to second guess. Maybe she will have ideas on how to make it bigger. Maybe she is hoping you have another one up your sleeve to show her. It will be a really useful meeting for you, whatever happens. (And if she did offer you representation there and then obviously that would be fantastic, but it's not the only good possible outcome.)

Good luck x

[BigPawsBrown]

I will. It's on Thursday

[ninah]

big enough
well that's helpful!
Who knows what agents are after?! Not even God. I do think a meeting is a very good sign though. Please update!

[BigPawsBrown]

She has however said that she doesn't think my novel is 'big enough' for a debut but wants to discuss this and any other projects I have. Any idea whether this is likely to be a casual chat and an invitation for me to send her what I write next or an actual offer? I thought a meeting was generally a good sign but she doesn't seem to think my book will make it!

[ninah]

exactly! wonderful news