Omg things are happening (agent interested)

[TellMeOnAMonday]

Started sending submission early July. Loads of rejections. Then a request for a full towards end of Aug. Carried on sending submissions and nudging people who have not responded. Now have had six requests for the full, one subsequently rejected, and one of whom wants to meet to talk representation.

I am beyond excited and also steeled for rejection as I know people who have got this far then not been signed, and people who have been signed but whose books have not sold. But also - omg omg omg.

[thecatinthetwat]

Wow! Fantastic op. You’re obviously very tenacious which means you will succeed op. so excited for you!

ps. don’t dampen down your excitement in case it doesn’t work out. Enjoy it!

[Luckydog7]

Amazing! Can you say what genre you have written in? How long did it take you to have something to send in?

I hold out hope of publishing one day but considering I'm too shy to let anyone read my work it looks unlikely!

[TellMeOnAMonday]

I think it’s bookclub though maybe a teensy bit literary

[TellMeOnAMonday]

It took about five years!!! But I didn’t do anything for whole pandemic as brain too cluttered with homeschool etc

[LouisaMayAlcott]

How exciting, I'm keeping everything crossed for you!

[SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge]

Thank you for sharing some lovely news, it gives us all a boost!

well done OP!!!! Enjoy it.

[GallowsHumous]

Well done OP! I'm massively jealous, I've sent to 8 agents now, 2 rejections and silence from the others. Hope your chat lands you a contract and then fingers crossed a bidding war from publishers follows for you.

[AppropriateAdult]

Whoop whoop, OP! Brilliant brilliant news, well done! I posted a similar message back in early July and, all going well, will sign contracts with a publisher this week.

I don't think there's much chance of them not wanting to sign you if they've mentioned representation in the email, so you should absolutely start the celebrations now

[TellMeOnAMonday]

@GallowsHumous tbh I sent to ten times that!! 😳

oh that is exciting @AppropriateAdult. I now have meetings with two. On same day next week. One seems v keen and loves it as it is. One likes it (with structural changes to be discussed). So I guess it’s a case of listening to their thoughts and seeing what feels right.

It is v exciting but also I find the idea of having to decide between two stressful. What if I make the wrong decision!! Meanwhile, no firm offers anyhow…

[SmugglersHaunt]

Well done! Even if (and it seems unlikely) you don't get picked up, you've still had all that feedback - so it's only a matter of time

[CheckoutOneIsClosing]

How did it go @GallowsHumous ?

[TellMeOnAMonday]

Sorry you asked Creative Gallows not me but I was OP so saw thread and thought you might like update. I ended up meeting with four agents back in October. Signed with one who I was
most excited by even though they thought it needed more substantial rewrite than the others. Finished that few weeks ago and it’s now with them so I am nervously waiting for their views on it. The worry and stress stays at every step of the way it seems…

[CheckoutOneIsClosing]

Oh for goodness sake, what a tangle I'm in, sorry to both Gallows and Tellme, I was trying to ask you Op, but am also interested in you of course Gallows.

Op that's fantastic news, amazing update! What are the next steps? Have they started speaking to publishers?

[GallowsHumous]

Oh @TellMeOnAMonday that's a terrific update, well done you! Absolutely fingers crossed you get picked up by a publisher offering a huge advance for you. Lovely start to the year.

My update isn't remotely exciting. Every few weeks I send to a couple of other agents but so far not so much as a nibble of interest from anyone. Think the tally is 11 rejections, of which 5 were just no reply at all. Got 2 still out there and probably should send to the next few on my list, but I'm wondering if maybe my work isn't good enough. It's a tough game isn't it. I'm just glad not a soul in real life knows I've been sending it out, I suspect dealing with pitying sympathy from well meaning friends would be brutal.

[TellMeOnAMonday]

I honestly sent it to about 80 agents. I think it’s a number game. I am still getting a trickle of rejections even though I obviously don’t care now.

TBH I don’t have a sense of how many rounds of rewrites my agent thinks I need before it is really to try to sell. I am desperate to ask, but too scared to ask!