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.

Hello
Good to hear from you Madhairday, keep going with the YA project. It sounds like your readers enjoyed it a lot.
Imperial, keep seeing wonderful reviews on Twitter: It must feel fab. Well deserved.
Anyone else have any news?
My agent is submitting mine to publishers this week, gulp. Apparently adult publishers get back much quicker than YA ones, so I hope to be put out of my misery soon. Two rejections in one year will do my head in big-time but hey, perhaps the world isn't ready for my genius yet. (joke!) I'm working hard - when not mumsnetting - on the next one, because I know it will be hard to keep going if the news isn't so good...

Hi, good to hear how everyone is getting on.

Trenzalor, that is a shame but is still great to have got a few full requests - hope the feedback was helpful!

I really enjoyed imperial's book too - was a page turner

Histiny that is really exciting waiting to hear from publishers - best of luck hope you get some good news!

I am still ploughing on with redraft. Three months since got taken on by agent, but after initial euphoria self doubt is creeping back in and goal of publication ( plus pipe dream of giving up day job to forge full time career as novelist....) still seems far off! Got deadline in a couple of weeks though not sure if will make it - hope the slimmed down, drastically cut version meets with approval!

Feedback for rejection came down to: YA currently hard to sell and the thriller wasn't unique enough (it is pretty unique as no one else has done it yet). I know they're good books, but I'll just keep writing more that will hopefully be even better!

Dontrocktheboat - you have to meet that deadline! Get going on it!

Thanks for the kick up the butt, Imperial! (Was needed!)
Is so hard to juggle kids, work (supposed to be giving seminar this week for which have done nothing as yet!) and writing - end up feeling am not actually succeeding in any domain!

Think may be over the hump re redraft - was really struggling last week, will have to have a final push to the finish!

Trenzalor, bit gutting to be told unique book not unique enough! (Though you have made me want to read it!)

I want to read your unique book too, trenzalor! I got the same rejection re YA - too hard to sell in current market though well written and good story. So frustrating.

Dontrock, go for the deadline! You can do it. Exciting stuff.

Histinyhands - hope you hear something soon, brilliant that you've got to this stage :)

It is hard juggling everything but you have to be careful not to self-sabotage your writing.

I was told UK YA is particularly impossible at the moment :(

Thanks for the encouragement all! Not sure self sabotage, more exhaustion! Feeling more inspired now though..,

That's interesting about the YA market - I thought there was always a search for the next Harry Potter! (Or maybe that's not YA - not really familiar with the genre).

Hope the redraft is going well Dontrock. I've finally had a response to an agent I submitted to before Christmas. It was from the agents assistant, im not sure if was 'standard' or not. It said both her and the agent had read it, both enjoyed it and thought it had potential, but receive so many submission they just couldn't take it at this time. Made me feel more positive, and confirms it needs a bit more work. I'm half way through your book Imperial and I'm hooked.

Has anyone here used a literary consultancy and would you recommend it? I sent my book out to loads of agents last year but didn't get anywhere. I made a few changes after some feedback from beta readers, but before trying more agents I wondered about paying for an agent submission package which some consultancies do.

One company read the first ten pages and synopsis for free. They praised my writing but had concerns about the main character being too passive from reading the synopsis. They suggested a read-through of the full novel and would write a report, but this will cost between £800-£1000. I'm uncertain about paying so much with no guarantee of an agent/publication at the end of it.

So I'm wondering do I go down this route or just send it to more agents and hope for the best? Any thoughts?

Winter, I'm planning to invest in a Full Report from Faber as soon as I finish my second draft. It costs 500, so a bit less than the ones you are considering.

I would be loathe to spend that much money at this stage, Winter.

Why not send out to some different agents first and see what comes back? Your changes might have worked.
(My main characters are always too bloody passive, so sympathise!)

That Faber scheme sounds good, Peppermint.

Hi Winter, writers and artists and the writers workshop offer editorial reports for approx £500. I think WW is the slightly cheaper one. I purchased one after my very first draft and found it really helpful. Good luck with you writing

Thank you, I'll look into those other suggestions. One thing I have done anyway is to re-write my synopsis to make the character sound less passive and reactive, in the hope that might make a difference too!

Hi all, well thanks in part to the encouragement (and order from Imperial!) I got the draft finished in time, against the odds! Sent it to agent late last night though not had any acknowledgement yet. I think it is better, though it is be hard to retain perspective after lots of redrafts - I think the things she suggested to do were definitely right.

Don't wake the neighbors. I don't think that sounds like a standard rejection (I've had a few of those ) so be encouraged!

Histiny have you heard anything from publishers yet? Fingers crossed for good news!

I'm not sure about literary consultancies, but I think a lot of people set themselves up as such, so guess it's important to check them out thoroughly before giving them money. I would be a bit concerned it was a lot of money for one person's (I think) opinion. I might try to submit to a few more agents before going for a report.

Well done dontrock, have you heard anything back yet? It's all such a roller-coaster ride isn't it!

I'm thinking about another round of submissions. My YA will just not let me go and I've had overwhelming responses from beta readers, good rejections etc so it's probably worth one more round before wondering about self publishing. I can't afford a literary report etc so just have to see if it gets anywhere. I don't really feel strong enough to take more rejections right now but need to suck it up as it's par for the course.

Anyone sent to any smaller publishers (without agent) and had any success that way?

Hi Madhairday, heard back from agent pretty soon after sending redraft, sounded positive and said to give her a couple of weeks and she would be in touch with full response - not been a couple of weeks yet so still waiting!

It is hard to keep sending out but sounds like it might be worth it given you have had positive responses - good luck!

Hi, I read this whole thread avidly a few weeks ago and was considering posting for moral support while I submitted my novel to agents, but events took over and I got an offer of representation (I haven't come down from cloud nine yet!). But then I was thinking how desperately I wanted to read details of positive outcomes while I was going through the querying process, and so I thought I would share my experience here in case anyone is interested.
I have no writing qualifications and have come to it in my forties from a totally different career. My first book last year (children's fiction) I sent to about ten agents, had a handful of form rejections and one slightly more positive, and then I decided I could write something better. I then wrote a novel - commercial fiction - and sent it to fifteen agents a few weeks ago. I had two form rejections, two nicer personal rejections, and then three requests for the full manuscript. One of those led to an offer of representation (which I leapt at!). I honestly think there is a huge amount of luck involved, landing on the right desk at the right time. And also that if you start getting past the form rejections and have one or two people interested, you're definitely on the right track.
I held off posting this because I feared it would sound like boasting (sorry if it does), but I feel as though we writers could do with all the encouragement and moral support we can get, and I will be delighted to read of more success stories on here! Good luck to everyone waiting to hear - I hope you get good news soon.

Wow, that is exciting and encouraging! Well done.

I was considering trying a literary consultancy but I've decided against it, mostly for cost reasons. However, I have submitted to three more agents this week and earmarked several others to submit to so I shall see what happens!

In the meantime I'm trying to start a new book but so far am finding it hard to get started!

Congratulations Mumbles, that's great! I agree this thread has been inspirational and I love to read people's positive stories as well. Have you met with the agent representing you? Have they suggested any changes to your manuscript?

I signed with my agent at the beginning of the year and am now two redrafts down the line! Thankfully following the recent one (massive cuts involved) she has got back to me saying it still needs 'more' (in terms of bringing out certain details and increasing impact) though am hoping this will end more of a polish and am approaching the end - it has been hard work! Just gearing up to embark on redraft number 3 now.

Good luck with your recent submissions, winter holiday.

I have started thinking about what I might write next too - mainly as am getting sick of the current one. Will be a bit of a challenge actually to do it though!

Well done Mumbles it's great to hear positive stories!

That's brilliant, mumbles! Great to hear your story. We all need to hear the positive.

I got a rejection today - 6 months after I sent it in! I'd written that one off. This one hit me hard for some reason, something about not being able to warm to the story :( I don't know if it was just a form rejection of feedback that my novel doesn't do enough to make people want to read... Feeling a bit crap.

But still we go on.

Ugh, the wording of rejections makes such a difference doesn't it? I'm sure checking through a submission pile has parallels with browsing in a bookshop - you're excited when you decide on the one book you want to read next, but this doesn't make all the other books rubbish and you know your friends have different reading preferences. Nicer if they say - not for me, but am sure someone else'll love it. Because I'm sure that's true!

Good luck with the submissions, Winter. It's all such a time-consuming process, isn't it?

Dontrocktheboat, yes I went to meet her (she's lovely) and signed a contract and am now working on revisions. I still have a fear that she's going to turn around suddenly and say she's made a terrible mistake and she doesn't want to represent me after all! Has yours told you which editors/publishers they're planning to submit to? Good luck with making a start on the next book meanwhile - exciting!

And good luck to everyone else waiting to hear. Hope these agents are powering through their submission piles!