To anyone on here who has an agent...

[BostonFerl]

My agent is sending out my first novel to editors this week. To anyone who's already been through this process, could you tell me anything about the time scale for your experience of it -- weeks, months, years?

Did you get your agent to tell you when it was turned down, or when there was any activity short of an outright yes -- or only the good news? I know at least one person on here had an editor very enthusiastic but it was negatived by sales/marketing, I think?

Just trying to get some sense of what happens now both good and bad as all my energy was focused on getting to this point, and now I feel like a spare part! Though am starting a new one...

Thank you!

Oh, how exciting for you! I don't have any advice, I'm afraid, but just wanted to wish you luck

Hi, I might be that person you mention! So not sure if my experience is helpful or typical. My agent submitted September 2017, and she asked if I wanted to see feedback for rejections (I did - actually she encouraged this as being helpful to take on board). By about November I’d had a few rejections, one maybe willing to meet to discuss but not offer yet, one ‘keen but thinks it needs work’ and another apparently very keen and looked like might offer but ultimately didn’t but sent notes and would look at redrafted version.

Spent quite a bit of time redrafting on this basis, it was finally rejected by that editor in August 2018 and ultimately rejected by the one who was keen but thought it needed ‘more work’ in December 2018.

I’ve now pretty much given up on that one. The whole process was lengthy and soul destroying - but hopefully you’ll have better luck! But yes I would ask to see feedback including rejections as paradoxically these can be quite encouraging.

@Howtotrainyourhamster, yes, I think that was you. Apologies, I couldn't remember your name. I realise we all often behave as though getting an agent is the holy grail, when in fact it's only the beginning of a further process, and it's good to hear some realistic information on ways that process can go. And good to hear that you clearly haven't been destroyed by it, although it does not sound like fun... Good thought on paradoxically encouraging editor rejections, too.

I'm currently right in the middle of the process! My agent submitted to the first round of publishers at the end of May. We've heard back from about half of them (all 'no's, obviously). The other half we either haven't heard from at all, or they've said they like the first couple of chapters but haven't had a chance to look further. About two weeks ago, my agent sent out a second round to some smaller publishers, and we've heard back from a few already. They seem to be a bit quicker off the mark.

My agent has kept me up to date every week or so with who has declined, and has sent me encouraging feedback as and when she's received a particularly nice email! Don't know if there's been much negative feedback as if there has she hasn't told me. I'm glad we're doing it this way, the whole process is so stressful anyway that if I was getting nasty feedback too I think I'd be tempted to jack it all in.

Good luck!

Hello, I have had two rejections, with both my agent has sent me snippets of feedback, which tend to be crushingly articulate. I have already been in tears this morning. Having said that, both got back quickly as they know the agent personally which at least makes the process less drawn out! I wish you luck - as I am telling myself, having an agent means that you have someone who believes in it and that is something.

Thanks, @Hotpinkparade and @Almostnovelist. Can I ask what genres you work in? The reason I'm asking about editor timescales is because my agent was very eager to start sending it out immediately, and while I realise that things go pretty much dead in August, surely that is less relevant if it's likely to take months rather than weeks for editors to reply?

Thank you for the good luck wishes, and likewise. I suppose all I can do is move on and write something else.

Mine is literary/women's fiction. I think trying a couple straight away is a good idea and see what you get back? It may turn out that they identify something that needs work and you need to do some more drafting before submitting to more, so good to test the market and see what happens. It's scary but if they think it's ready then why not?

Mine is literary fiction. Fair point about the feedback from editors being useful!

Yep literary fiction here too! I was ready for it to take a lot longer but actually we started getting feedback within days.

I think it can vary between a few days and a month. Any longer than a month and they'd be chivvied along - I'm not sure they'd then buy it. Best of luck!

Another question. Did you have input into the pitch letter your agent sent out to editors?

No I didn't - I think they have ongoing relationships with editors so they do that themself. But I'm sure if you asked you could have some input?

No, an agent will pitch herself. She doesn't ask the author for advice. In fact you often don't know who she's pitching to. You could ask if she could pitch to someone specific, if there was a particular editor you liked, though of course most debut authors would be unlikely to know any editors.

No, I didn't mean input into the editors being pitched to, just how the pitch was put together. As is obvious, I'm feeling very odd about letting go of the novel at this point, but in fact I've done my bit for the moment, and now is the time when my agent does hers! I would sit back and relax and get on with the rest of my life, if I weren't feeling so nervous...

Any self-distraction tips from those who've coped with having something out on submission to editors without being driven to drink?

I think you have to let the agent do her job now. You pitched the book to her when you first wrote to her. She'll bear that in mind. You will have had conversations with her - she'll bear them all in mind. She knows the editors (publishing is a very small world) and knows what they like, so each pitch is more than likely personalised. You can't help with that. Start to plan out a second novel in the hope you get a two book deal

You are quite right, @HollowTalk. I am surprising myself by my own control freakery, probably because of nerves. I no longer have any nails. I have already worked out the structure for my new novel, and will do my best to concentrate on that.

I think the time taken can vary depending on genre and hype. My agent sent my novel out in January 2018 and it got a lot of interest from editors within the first few weeks, but none of those editors could get it past the sales and marketing teams, who ultimately have the final say in what gets bought. It was really gutting and I spent a lot of time and energy worrying about it which I don’t recommend!! My agent gave me an overview of the feedback but I wish with hindsight that I’d asked to have all emails forwarded to me.
Then in February I had a meeting with an editor who I loved, and a few weeks later her boss said they wanted to make an offer but there was some stuff going on with the publisher that was delaying them. I finally got an offer in April after a lot of angst.
But I know others who have had multiple offers within a few weeks and others who are still waiting to hear back after 6 months, so it’s a bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question I think!
The main thing is to keep busy during the process and if you’re waiting for a while not to let it suck you into a downwards spiral. Just get on with writing the next book :D

I'm starting to get feedback (and passes) from editors having asked, maybe unwisely, for my agent to forward whatever she got and trying hard not to let it depress me. It's either 'I like it, but I don't love it enough to buy it' or they want it to be an entirely different kind of book altogether. I'm a bit taken aback at how depressing it all is.