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Original poster

Waiting on agents

777 replies

IceRoadDucker · 12/02/2016 13:24

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.

OP posts:
itunscrewstheotherway · 26/09/2016 21:38

Hi all - I'm in the process of applying to agents for a picture book, so this seems like the place to be. Have so far been turned down by 4 Sad 2 of them form rejections, the other 2 implied by lack of response.

I've seen at least one other person querying picture books on here (hi Tiggy!) and maybe there are more I've missed... if you don't mind me asking, roughly how many agencies do you submit to? I'm struggling to find ones actually open to PB submissions. I'm currently awaiting responses (or an eventual telling lack thereof...) from 2 agents at the moment, and then after that I'm pretty stumped. Six seems like hardly any, though? Can you tell I'm new to this...

TiggyD · 26/09/2016 22:21

I think it was about 16 the first time. About 12 the next time as I didn't bother with the ones that didn't reply at all. Starting to send to publishers now.

Get the writers yearbook and go through that.

Good tips too.

itunscrewstheotherway · 26/09/2016 23:09

Thanks for the reply! Off to go find the writers yearbook on Amazon now...

MissBattleaxe · 26/09/2016 23:14

It's the one with the red cover. The writer's and artist's yearbook. It's essential for anyone who wants to write. Good luck!

TiggyD · 26/09/2016 23:26

There is a children"s writers version. Get that one.

Good luck.

pinocchiosnose · 27/09/2016 05:44

I found agent hunter really helpful . I paid £5 for a month's subscription and found some agents to query that I wouldn't have otherwise found. Mine is a picture book too. They'll be in the year book though . Best of luck!

wordassociationfootball · 27/09/2016 09:23

Slow response Helmet, soz. 2nd draft for agent (my 9th) going in this week. Been on it since end of March. Imperial B gave me some great feedback on 1st 3 chaps and and I did loads more thinking about MC and back story. Whole thing us much warmer now, I hope. Agent has asked for some post Brexit refs..... Hmmm, can't act on that without sore thumbs coming to mind so we might need a chat about that.

itunscrewstheotherway · 28/09/2016 19:11

Sorry for the delayed response - thanks all, have ordered the children's version and am looking forward to no longer having to trawl through google search results!

Dontrocktheboat · 04/10/2016 14:03

Just received email from the agent who requested the full manuscript of my novel. It is a rejection of sorts (which I expected!) She made some very positive comments about the writing but felt 'on balance the two strands of the story aren't working together as well as they should' (there are two narrators) and gave some constructive criticism about what might make this work better.

She then wrote 'sorry not to be more enthusiastic about this draft especially as I loved the writing. If for some reason you don't find representation on this occasion I would be very keen to hear from you again, either with a reworked draft of this novel or with something new.'

This is the first time I have had agent request full, so I guess I wasn't hoping too much they would take it on. It is nice to get such a complimentary rejection but am not too sure what to do now! I have been working on an idea for another novel but realistically that is going to take me years! Or should I go back to this one again, try to make some of the changes she suggested and approach her again (bit risky and potentially wasting time!) Any advice very welcome!

wordassociationfootball · 04/10/2016 14:31

Congratulations on this.

What do you think of her thoughts? Sit with them a while and see if you agree with them. Unless the feedback makes fundamental sense to you, there's no point in acting on it. Also, there's no need to rush. She'd be 'very keen to hear from you again', which is fab, and she'd rather hear from you in six months or a year, or two with a re-write that is organic and right for you or a new book, than sooner with something thrown together that she said it needed.

Dontrocktheboat · 04/10/2016 14:37

Thanks, good advice. I need to think about what she said, I can see her point though think it would need quite a bit of reworking.

It is really frustrating to be so near yet so far in a way!

stripyeyes · 05/10/2016 14:36

Hi all,

First time posting in this thread! I submitted to about 6 agents a month ago without much hope of success (a strong suspicion that my ms just isn't quite good enough but a little flicker of hope combined with the fact it took so long to write it i felt I may as well send it off)

Got a reply from an agent yesterday saying she "loves" anything to do with the topic my novel is based on and that it sounds "very interesting" so she will read it as quickly as she can and come back to me....

Is this unusual to email without even having read the first 50 pages? She even asked if I had already got representation! I'm wondering if she has a Reader or assistant (quite big agency) who has recommended it to her??

Helmetbymidnight · 05/10/2016 19:32

Hello!

That's a very positive response, I don't know if it's usual- but I'd take it, stripy! It's a bit like place-marking I guess. She's also promised to reply quickly which is fab!

Don't rock, yes, I agree with waiting before you make a decision whether to rework or not. It is difficult...

I am now 'waiting for agents' again. I sent 15 pages and a synopsis for new book. Main worry is that it will not be commercial enough/niche again - but at least this way it won't be a year and a half work before I find that out...so that's nice.

Furrydowny · 06/10/2016 12:36

stripy - that does sound positive. My agent worked on a 'send me an introductory email and if I like the sound of it you can send more' basis and so I had a similar email from her to begin with, saying that it sounded great and she wanted to read more. Fingers crossed for you!

Dontrock - frustrating but lots of positives in there. I agree with others, sit and wait, see how you feel. It can be hard going back to work on something again when you thought it was done.

No news here. My proposal has gone out on submission to several big publishers. If I'm honest I fully expect they will all reject it and it might stand a better chance with smaller, more niche outfits. But what do I know?!

Dontrocktheboat · 06/10/2016 13:11

Thanks for advice helmet and furry. I did realise that if I was taken on by an agent there may be a bit of redrafting required to get it completely ready for publication so I am not averse to making changes (it is so hard to tell when something is 'done' anyway). It is more whether I should make more changes with no guarantee of then being taken on. However, given that I do think the criticism she has made is probably accurate and she seems to know what she is talking about perhaps it is worth redrafting a bit in order to have a better book which may then be taken on by someone!

Stripy, not got much extra advice to offer but sounds great she has acknowledged positively and said she will get back to you - what kind of stuff is it you are writing?

stripyeyes · 06/10/2016 14:45

Thanks all. I'd been very good at putting the submissions to the back of my mind but now I'm anxiously waiting for a response! She was my top choice agent and her bit on what she likes fits my novel really well, so that makes it more exciting!

My writing is adult dystopian fiction (I'm usually found in the other thread). Am just in the planning stages of a new story in the same world so I'm kind of hoping of she says no to this one, then I could have a bit of an "in" with her when the next ones finished...

My thoughts on major re-writes vary depending on mood- sometimes I think if the enthusiasm and vision has waned it's better to start a new novel with all you've learnt from the previous writing- other times I think it's like running a marathon but quitting at mile 20 because it hurts and it's silly not to make he finish line... Only problem is the finish line in writing is invisible and moves. A lot. Grin

Dontrocktheboat · 07/10/2016 10:05

Yes definitely agree about the finish line moving - could just end up being an endless process of revision.......

Dontrocktheboat · 07/10/2016 10:06

Adult dystopian fiction sounds interesting - and a bit of a niche so sounds like you have targeted the right agent!

pinocchiosnose · 08/10/2016 13:20

congratulations dontrock I got a similar response from an agent recently and have taken all her advice on board. For me it was obvious that she was right so it was easy to make all the changes. That said mine is a picture book so a hell of a lot easier to change than a novel. Good luck whatever you decide i understand the frustration but definitely take it as a compliment.

WinterHoliday · 10/10/2016 14:47

Hello, can I join this thread? I started submitting my first novel to agents earlier this year. So far I've had 8 rejections and four non-responses, with about five who haven't replied yet. I've decided to keep going for a while but think I might end up self-publishing.

I did have a ten minute session with an agent at an open pitching session a couple of weeks ago. He read my synopsis and first five pages. He said I wrote well but suggested a few big changes to the plot. One change I can see would work, two I'm not sure about and another I completely disagree with. I'm not going to change the plot on the say-so of one person but I realise that making the changes might mean more chance of publication. I'm not going to change anything for now though, but will try and find some more people to read it and give feedback.

Anyway, I just found this thread and it's good to find people in a similar situation and those who have agents and have been published.

MissBattleaxe · 10/10/2016 22:24

Welcome WinterHoliday- You're among friends here!

nottinghillyummymummy · 11/10/2016 16:10

Hi I'd like to join this thread... Also have submitted to a few agents although my MS is not ready and needs a lot of editing. My fault really.... so quite a few rejections later, it's nice to hear others are going through the same process....

MissBattleaxe · 14/10/2016 12:45

Welcome nottinghillyyummymummy!

Feel free to come and share your tales of woe and joy on the path to writing success.

Dontrocktheboat · 20/10/2016 17:15

Hi, welcome winterholiday and nottinghillmummy. Sounds like your experiences are quite similar to mine so far - I have had about 6 form rejections, one nice rejection (said lots to like about the writing but did not feel strong enough emotional connection to characters) and one who requested the full manuscript who rejected but said she would be keen to look at a redraft and made suggestions - so think I will try to do that as the suggestions were quite reasonable and I also probably submitted without having done enough redrafting if I am truthful.

Winter holiday - sounds like the agent you pitched to made a lot of suggestions in ten minutes! I can understand your reluctance to make major plot changed based on that. Sounds like a useful, if stressful,process though!

There are two agents I have not yet heard back from but am assuming are rejections for time being! So think I will be embarking on redrafting and resubmitting process....

Hope everyone else is doing well - would love to hear any good or at least encouraging news!

Mybrainisjelly · 28/10/2016 12:47

Hi, Can I join this thread please? I've had a full MS request from an agent and Carina UK. And that comes after three year of trying! Anyways, do I need to let the agent know that Carina UK have requested an MS? Does anyone have first hand experience of Carina UK's author support, marketing etc? All response gratefully received. After three years of waiting, I don't want to get it wrong.

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