If you have submitted work to an agent in the past how long did you wait to hear something?

[user48675]

Just as the title says really. Good news or bad news how long did it take for you to hear something back from agents?

As little as two weeks, as long as several months. I’ve had replies from agencies I’d genuinely forgotten I’d sent to.

And sometimes you never hear back at all.

Thanks Fuchsia. I hope you've had some positive replies...if so, I would imagine they would come sooner rather than later or am I mistaken in this belief?

Fastest about two days - one positive (full request) one negative (form rejection). Longest was over a year - form rejection (I'd long since written the submission off). More and more agents simply don't bother to respond - they're usually upfront about this in their submission guidelines, though. Average response time of those who bother I'd say is about six weeks.

Is your book out with three agents now, User? I remember you said you'd sent it off to some more. Fingers crossed for you.

No, the agent I ended up signing with only showed interest after I’d had an offer of representation from someone else, and emailed to let anyone who still had it know. Not especially fast.

I've submitted to about 4 so far Preparing - one of those was an instant rejection. I should continue submitting as I know this is a really low number but part of me wants to just move onto self publishing because I really don't think anyone is going to take up my novel and I'd like to get the ball rolling with SP sooner rather than later.

I know how you feel . Have you started researching/preparing for self-publishing? It could be something to keep you occupied while you wait to hear from your subs.

Between two hours and five months, but 50% didn’t respond at all.

Both my quickest response and my slowest response were positive (full request with R&R and eventual rejection/full request, offer). Most of my form rejections came around the 4-6 week mark.

I don’t know if this means anything except they get to it when they get to it.

Yes Preparing, I've started to research. I've saved some money, so I can have someone prepare the book for me because I want it to look professional, checked for typos that sort of thing plus I need a front cover. I would prefer a local company to get involved but how then do you arrange to sell via Amazon if not Amazon print on demand? Any advice please... or maybe I need to start a new thread?

Yes, it might well be worth starting a new thread to ask for self-publishing advice specifically. I haven't got as far as researching self pub, other than very vaguely. I thought I'd go down the Amazon Kindle route for ease, and design my own cover (use photo I've taken myself and blur it to look arty!) but haven't got further than that.

Anyone else? It has probably only been about 3 weeks but it feels a lot longer!

I doubt if you can sell via Amazon if it's self-published by not through Amazon, can you?

Is it a novel? Why not go through Kindle self publishing? They print on demand, too.

Have any of you tried smaller independent publishers?

blackrabbit, I have taken things into my own hands recently and decided to self publish. I am paying a copy editor to tidy and someone else to do a book cover. I don't expect to cover the costs really, but having written it, I want my novel to be the best it can be. Also, I never heard back from the other 3 agents. It's a bit discouraging that the only reply I got was an instantaneous no but I think I sent it to completely the wrong agent. I got disheartened by the whole thing and I'm actually glad I've got the ball rolling so to speak and no longer jumping through hoops, there is something liberating (if costly) in that.