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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:
Dontrocktheboat · 22/03/2017 11:43

Hi! Well, this thread has definitely been inspirational and at least I now appear to be on a journey - of sorts.

I got the draft with changed the agent (originally!) asked for back on time, but she decided it needed more - it is too long so now she wants lots of cutting of extraneous stuff in order to bring the plot out and forward. I think what she says makes sense and the actual cutting has been quite liberating but it does feel like groundhog day. So have got a new deadline, fingers crossed!

Hope everyone else is getting on OK. Birdy/ histiny good luck with publishers!

histinyhandsarefrozen · 22/03/2017 12:19

That's great, don't rock. Forward progress!

Cutting is tough, isn't it, sometimes it feels like all your best bits are being thrown out. But its "for the good of the whole", I suppose.

Wrote blurb, loved it, until I pressed send. Now I think it's crap. I really couldn't think what I could confidently compare my novel too - it seemed awfully bold to do so - I'm hoping agent will come up with some ideas.

Madhairday · 24/03/2017 12:31

histiny, that's exciting, good luck and hope you hear something good soon :)

Dontrock, sounds like things are going well, cutting is very tough, that whole 'kill your darlings' thing. Exciting that you're on this journey, though.

Tiggy! How did I miss this - it dropped out of threads I'm on. Congratulations, that's hugely exciting! :) :) :)

Any more news?

I'm kind of out of it at the moment as concentrating on a couple of other projects, ghost writing a kind of autobiography for someone I know and a non fiction project, I also have 20,000 words written of another YA project. I haven't given up on my trilogy because beta readers keep being very encouraging, and have had some very nice rejections, but it's kind of laid aside for the minute. I might come back to it, have a re-edit and change cover letter etc and try another round. At some point. I still want so much to 'be an author...' Hmm

Dontrocktheboat · 24/03/2017 14:47

Thanks all for the cutting encouragement - am wondering what is going to be left after cutting every scene which is not somehow integral to the plot. Finding the redrafting process exhausting, even when I feel I haven't done very much (hoping it is my subconscious working...)

Histiny, hope your agent liked your blurb - it is very hard to compare yourself to other writers, especially well known ones!

Madhairday, sounds like you have loads on, good luck with your new project - I am getting very fed up with mind and desperate to move on to something else!

Dontrocktheboat · 24/03/2017 14:47

Mine I mean

TiggyD · 29/03/2017 17:22

No more news other than I was released in good condition from Birmingham, and have sent my latest 4 books to 9 different agents.

Keep at it everybody!

Chuckading · 29/03/2017 17:49

I've been lurking a while now content in knowing I'm not the only one finding the wait for agents agonising...

Today has been one of those days. I plucked up the courage to start submitting a new story. Send it to the first agent, my preferred agent and realise I've made a really obvious, bad spelling mistake in one the first lines! Blush Ok too late to fix now so correct it and move on to the next agent.... fill out their on line submissions form an and upload my .doc file, press submit and it fails as my 1.5mb file is too big for their 3mb allowance!!! Sad now what would you do? keep playing with the file trying to force it to accept it, knowing their site is lying and it isn't actually too big, brave contacting them and telling them their site being rubbish or give up and tell yourself you didn't want them as your agency anyway, sulk and move on to the next one?!Grin Confused Gin

Chuckading · 29/03/2017 18:07

Ok panic over... finally managed to submit via website... changed doc format to a pdf and it sent... woo! Grin now to crack open the wine and commiserate on ridiculous mistake in earlier submission!

Dontrocktheboat · 30/03/2017 10:39

Welcome Chuckading, what kind of thing are you writing? Wasn't sure if you meant short stories?

I know the feeling of no going back once you have clicked the send button on submissions! I guess I'd just chalk the spelling mistake down to experience - at least it'll help you remember to check next time, and they may not care if they like the rest anyway! I submitted one of mine to the same agent twice in quick succession as I thought it hadn't worked - which stressed me out as it made me look desperate! She sent a nice reply though (even though it was a rejection!)

Good luck - hope you hear back soon!

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 30/03/2017 13:11

Another rejection but some really lovely feedback again :) engaging and approachable voice etc, just that it's such a niche (it's like part-memoir part-pregnancy guide part-god knows what), which seems to be the general consensus, and advising me to give fiction a go.

Need to pluck up the courage to submit the fictionalised version I wrote in case I got this kind of feedback Blush

Also working on a YA novel at the moment which I feel quite excited about :)

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 30/03/2017 13:13

Welcome chuckading, best of luck with your submission!

Dontwaketheneighbours · 03/04/2017 17:34

Iike chuckading Ive been reading this thread for a while and have found some of the advice really helpful. I've submitted to 8 agents now, all well researched, and have had 8 standard rejections. I know 8 isn't that many in the grand scheme of things but what would you suggest - keep submitting or start another rewrite? Just thinking to not have even one request for ms or any non standard feedback there must be something wrong with the first 3 chapters?
Any advice welcome

ImperialBlether · 03/04/2017 17:42

Did they say anything at all?

Did you send to agents who are actively looking for debut authors? I think they're the best to focus on. Did the agents say they were looking for that kind of novel? I found that once I looked for those two categories, I got proper replies.

What sort of novel is it? We might be able to suggest some agents.

Dontwaketheneighbours · 03/04/2017 17:45

Thanks imperial. No they didn't give any specific feedback, just that they didn't feel passionate enough/ it wasn't for them. I researched the agents and only chose ones looking to expand their client list. My MS is a thriller/ domestic noir. Any advice regarding which agents to approach would be very welcome.

ImperialBlether · 03/04/2017 17:50

If I were you, I'd have another look at it. The problem might well lie with the opening chapters. I've just had something published in that genre and would be happy to look at them for you, but unfortunately I'm really busy until the end of April as I have a deadline for 1st May. If you can wait, I'm happy to do it then, or ask around here for people to read it and critique it.

It's a shame as if they'd said a bit more you would know what to work on, but the fact 8 have said it's not working for them at the moment would mean (for me) that you should do more work on it. (NOT that it's unpublishable ever!)

Dontwaketheneighbours · 03/04/2017 17:57

Thank you imperial. That would be great if you could have a look at it for me. That's really kind of you and of course I'd be happy to wait until your deadline has passed. How would I get it to you? Congratulations on getting your book published. Very exciting! Smile

ImperialBlether · 03/04/2017 17:59

I'll PM you. Yes, it was exciting - it was a long time coming!

Chuckading · 10/04/2017 23:43

Thanks Dontrock and Ovaries. I've submitted a picture book manuscript and so far I have two rejections out of 7. I'd fannied about with it for the best part of 2 years before getting the courage up to submit it.
I'm currently working on another picture book idea (finished and ignoring it for a while so I can look again soon with fresh eyes) and I've also just started working on a YA novel at the moment too. Not sure how good it'll be, but won't know until I try!

Trenzalor · 12/04/2017 18:22

Hi all. It's so good to hear of the successes since I last caught up with this thread. My YA full didn't get taken up but the agent was really nice, so someone to submit something else to in the future I think.

This week I got a full request from the first agency I sent a thriller to in October so that was pleasantly unexpected. I don't know if anything will come of it, but it's reassuring to have had a couple of full requests now.

Dontwaketheneighbours · 12/04/2017 18:34

Well done Trenzalor, really positive to have a few full requests Smile

Dontwaketheneighbours · 12/04/2017 18:35

Did you send your work in October and only just get the full request now?

Trenzalor · 12/04/2017 18:43

Yes, I'd given up on the October submissions to be honest. I've had some nice rejections but there are still a few out there.

Dontwaketheneighbours · 12/04/2017 19:03

That's quite a while to wait, but great news. Fingers crossed for you

Trenzalor · 18/04/2017 15:44

Alas, it was a no, but some nice things were said.

Madhairday · 19/04/2017 10:58

That's still positive, trenzalor, but frustrating too. Keep going though, getting full requests is an excellent sign.

No news here but haven't submitted in a while - working on various projects. Someone asked me the other day when I was going to write #3 in my YA trilogy as they really wanted to find out what happened and it kind of made me enthusiastic to give it a go. Maybe if I wrote all 3 and published them on kindle at the same time.... Although I still haven't given up the idea of traditional publishing! Don't worry Imperial Smile talking of which! How are things looking with your book? Loved it, by the way.