Waiting on agents

[IceRoadDucker]

I'm a regular but frequent name changer, if that matters to anyone.

My first novel went out for query at the end of last month. So far I have a great success rate - 11 rejections, 3 partials and 1 full. The first partial only went out on 5 Feb but the wait is already killing me! I've been taking the rejections really, really well but I know a rejection on a partial or full will sting.

I'm trying to put my energy into writing my third novel - 48k words in - but I can't write continually and whenever I have a spare moment I'm impatiently drumming my fingers on any hard surface I can find.

No reason for posting this thread except that I need to keep my hands from refreshing Gmail every 10 seconds even though it's way too early to expect replies, I have desktop notifications AND it updates itself automatically.

I'm writing athletic sounding metaphors without moving my sedentary backside, don't worry.

*I'm laughing here at the thought of the People's Friend wanting an unpredictable story. They must have finally got sick of the predictable ones!"

I know Imperial! It was so insulting. I couldn't help laughing. People's Friend- that bastion of suspense!

Actually that could go on the cover of a book, couldn't it? "Rejected by People's Friend." It's a compliment!

at 'bastion of suspense'

I always appreciated the fact that the People's Friend did at least bother to tell you what was wrong with the story. It was just a couple of words but it was better than all the rejection slips that gave you no clue whatsoever. It made me feel rather fondly towards them even though I never actually managed to sell them a story.

Yes Countess, I did wonder how they found the time to type individual letters to every story-writer that didn't make it. It's good service compared to the usual pro forma. I'm glad not the only one who didn't sell to them. I am in illustrious company! Maybe, as Imperial implied, it's a badge of honour!

This thread has inspired me to look up the People's Friend website - do they pay well or something? Because their fiction guidelines (have never read a page of the magazine, admittedly) sound very trad, as they admit themselves, and also quite restrictive in theme, if they don't want 'modern' themes like divorce and single-parent families unless in handled in 'tactful' ways (?!), and explicitly forbid unusual or outrageous characters, or anything shocking, bitter or depressing, or anything set too far in the past, or sex, violence, drugs, drink .

And if you want to submit a serial, you can't write it and send it in, or even write an instalment and send it in, you need to work out the storyline over the phone with one of their editors in advance...?

Are the stories it contains actually good, with such restrictions?

Hardly anywhere publishes unagented short commercial fiction these days and they are mainly a story magazine so take more than other women's magazines that might just have one story per issue.
It was a good 15-20 years ago that I was trying to write for magazines though so I am not sure how things actually stand these days!

People's Friend pay £75 for a one pager. My story was cosy, with a heartwarming twist, but apparently way too predictable! It still makes me chuckle. Such rejection!

That's less than 20 years ago...

I was rejected in May 2015. It still hurts!

I thought they wanted predictable, but clearly it has to be the right kind of predictable!

If I ever become a successful writer, I will write an anonymous letter to People's Friend telling them their stories are not predictable enough and I didn't want their stupid £75 anyway. I'll show them.

Those revenge fantasies inspire me a lot more than the sports analogies

Hi, just have a question, I was about to submit to one of the agents mentioned up thread by imperial, but going on the website it just gives an email address to submit to submissions@(agency name) - just wondered if it is still best in this situation to personally target one agent and if so do you just put fao in the message title??

Seem to be so many pitfalls, don't want to do wrong thing!

Only story I ever remember reading in my gran's people's friend involved a woman who dreamed of being different/ special and achieved her ambition when she gave birth in Asda (just wondering now if i have actually made that up....)

Yes, submit it to the email address they give. You can put FAO if you like, but it will be diverted to the right person anyway according to its genre.

Thanks, think I will put fao as have written covering letter to specific agent (I thought you were supposed to show you had researched them!)

Yes, I would put FAO if they've specifically said they like the sort of thing you're writing. They always send it to each other within the agency if someone else is more suitable anyway. You can usually tweet them anyway and ask them what to do.

I'm still waiting on the agent with the full MS - over 3 weeks now :( That's not a good sign is it?

I have advice to ask - since I sent it, I've done a bit of a revision on a couple of parts, added a couple of scenes which I think are fairly powerful and add to the story - do you think I should email her, say I've been doing a little more editing and if you haven't had a chance to read the original version I could send the latest - or would that be a faux pas? Just not sure how it all works. It might piss her off, or it might give her a reminder to take a look....aaagh!! Any thoughts?

Don't lose hope- mad- mine took 5/6 weeks.
Can you post the initials or pm me? Maybe it's the same!

Re what to do next. I'd probably wait...but I don't think getting in touch would be wrong.

Mad 3 weeks is nothing and doesn't mean she isn't interested. She might just be swamped.
I wouldn't send revisions at this stage. If she likes it you can jump in and say you'be done them. If she's veering towards a no it might just annoy her. But others might advise differently.

Am about 3 days away from finishing my final read through and then my goal is to send it out to 5 agents this week. Very much looking forward to finishing it. I'm really pleased with what I have, at least. That's a good start! Will keep you posted. I'm rubbish at being patient

3 weeks doesn't mean a lack of enthusiasm. It's more likely to mean a backlog. Agents move at a different speed to other industries. If you've since edited, I would leave it for now. If an agent likes it, they will usually suggest changes anyway, so just sit tight. Some agencies say that 8 weeks is normal.

Anicechocolatecake- good luck and do keep us posted!

Forgot to add: The two major book fairs were only a month ago so the industry is still playing catch up.

Thanks so much all - that's kind of the place I was in, to leave it as it is for the minute. If she does turn out to be interested I can always show my revisions then. Good to know 3 weeks not so bad after all.

Chocolate - ooh exciting! Good luck and keep us updated.

Helmet - will pm you

Hi all, just checking in, got my first rejection yesterday! Pretty standard message saying they can't give individual feedback due to number of submissions. Guess I was kind of expecting it so was not particularly upset. But also wondering if I expecting to be rejected then I shouldn't be even submitting! I suspect my work is not very commercial and I am probably not going to get anywhere but am torn as I don't want to abandon it having put I the work to write the bloody thing!

Just wondering if anyone else has been affected by similar self doubt? Would probably be good for my morale to get on and write something else in the meantime... ( just hard to find time with three kids!)

Madhairday, I hope you have heard something by now....