People with agents, a question

[wiltonism]

When you've sent them the second book, how long has it taken them to get back to you with comments.

I'm with a really good agent, but she's insanely busy and didn't read my first book for five months earlier this year. I then agreed a time to send her the rewrite after her comments, and nearly had a breakdown getting it to her for the deadline. She's now not going to read it for two months. I don't feel looked after at all.

Do I a) put up with this, it's normal, or b) make discreet enquiries with another agent or two.

FWIW, my last book got press coverage and was nominated for a prize but didn't sell that well, so I'm in the slightly dodgy middle ground.

I think my agent is quite unique so not easy to compare. She blocks a week of her calendar when I send a new ms and in that week she reads and edits it then she sends it back and we have a chat to discuss her edits and then I get on with it. I have a deadline of when the book has to be at the publisher so she can't hang around or I won't have time to do any of her edits.

I'm not sure my agent read the second book. I dealt with the publisher after that.

I did speak to my agent about the plot and how I would approach everything but that was done before the publisher agreed to it. Once that happened then I just dealt with the publisher I think and cc'd my agent in to everything.

Oof - that doesn't sound great tbh.

I'm in a slightly different position in that I only ever pitch ideas/synopsis/sample chapters to my agent and she submits it on that basis. So she can read that quickly. (I'm in a different genre though)

I'd be tempted to tell her straight that you're concerned her workload is making it hard for her to fit your books in and see what she suggests. 5 months seems poor.

Where is your publisher's editor and timetable in this? Did you sign a multi-book deal or do they have first look rights? Is the agent looking to have a locus before a polished manuscript is sent to the publisher? Apart from the deadlines, do you have a good fit with the agent and do they have good suggestions? If so then I'd have a face to face discussion about the best way forward given your discomfort in meeting your deadline but the agent slipping, presumably from competing priorities.

Good luck.