Meeting an agent

[Hotpinkparade]

Talk me down here... after years of submissions, occasional requests for the full work, and subsequent polite refusals, I finally got an email today from an agent saying she loved my book, loved my writing, and wanted to meet next week for coffee. She’s legit, from a known agency. What stage am I at now? Does it seem likely she’ll want to sign me, or is it more like a job interview and she might still turn me down? I’m so excited, but don’t want to get my hopes up too much...

Hi, I had this and subsequently signed with the agent. We had talked a couple of times on the phone prior to meeting. I think that when you get to the stage of meeting face to face they are seriously considering signing you as they would not waste their precious time otherwise. My experience was that it was a really easy conversation, though I was obviously nervous, during which they suss out presumably first of all that you are a normal, reasonable person who will not be a nightmare to work with, and also whether you are open and flexible regarding suggestions they might make about your work and maybe a bit about your future plans, what you see yourself writing next.
So I would say it looks very hopeful - good luck!

It's highly likely she wants to meet to discuss signing you. If you have your manuscript out with other agents now is the time to write and tell them you have a meeting. If you don't have the brass neck to do that then at least make sure the agent you see gives you some time to think over any proposal she makes (you should do that anyway, and run the proposed contract past the Society of Authors) and then you contact everyone else ASAP to tell them to pull their finger out if they want to be in with a chance. Good luck. What exciting news for you.