How long to hear back from literary agents?

[WaitingforRainbows9]

Hi everyone,

I sent out my manuscript three weeks ago to about 20 agents (... and now I'm wondering whether that was wise considering it's the start of the summer lull). I've had one positive rejection, encouraging me to approach her with another project in future, and one form rejection. I'm trying not to get too despondent but I feel that if any of them wanted to see the full manuscript, I would've heard from them by now. Hearing something positive after 3 weeks feels less likely, although I know that things get more sluggish over summer.

I just wanted to hear other experiences: has anyone had a full request after more than 3 weeks?

Thanks!

I had one 18 months after submission, by which time I had an agent. 3-6 months is very normal.

Try to write the next MS and forget about the one on sub. That's what I did and that second MS became my first published novel.

@MeowCatPleaseMeowBack i love your username! And yes, 3 to 6 months much more typical than 3 to 6 weeks. @WaitingforRainbows9 , the only way I have found to get through the hell that is waiting to hear from a literary agent is to be very busy doing other things. Good luck!

Thank you, @MeowCatPleaseMeowBack and @StellaOlivetti, I'll try to keep myself busy and start on the next project. Was that 3 - 6 months even for a positive response?

So many of the agencies post that no response within 8 weeks means no, which means it's hard to get any closure (dispiriting after pouring such effort into the queries!).

I don't know the answer but I also have agent query for a novel out. A bit longer than you. I sent around three batches. I'm not very sure of how best to frame my pitch so tried a few variations. The first ones I sent out at the end of May -- 6 within a few days of each other, one was to an agent I had met. That agent replied after three weeks with a personal response, not for her but asked to forward it to a colleague unfortunately not for her either. Got a very quick form rejection for another one which was no surprise as I managed to cock up my pitch letter with some bonkers formatting. Another was a form rejection after 6 weeks which was bang on their when you should hear from us time period. Three from this batch no response.

The second batch was the middle of June with what I thought was perhaps a better synopsis butI've since changed my mind. Form rejection have come from two of those last week, both on Friday so I think clearing there mailboxes for the holiday. Five left no response yet from the seven in that lot.

next batch was the end of June. One sent a personal response not for her within two days, although she was supposedly on holiday and not looking at emails. The premise was intriguing but she was confused, it was too complicated. So there are four left out of the five in that batch.

I am leaving it now till September. Brainstorming ideas for my next project.

I don't have any beta readers to speak of so only two people have read it.

Not much help but good luck to you.

I hate to dash anyone's hopes, but in my experience when an agent requests a full it's usually fairly quick. I've had 3 full MS requests and all of them were within a week of sending the submission. All the ones that came after several weeks were rejections and in many cases, I simpy never heard at all. Twice I received form rejections after a year, which just seemed pointless and actually made me feel rage!

The key is to send in small batches so that if you do get feedback you can implement it. Also, keep your most favoured agents until last. I made the rookie mistake of sending my MS to all my top agents first, and I now realise it wasn't ready at all.

Good luck to everyone, it is a truly dispiriting process but the key is to keep on trying.

My experience has been a full request within a week, one around four weeks, and two that were well over a month, after I'd politely nudged. None of them resulted in an offer of representation ... I agree with @BecauseOfIndia It really is a dispiriting process. But you have to keep trying, keep writing, learn as much as you can about the art and craft of it all, and keep the faith that one fine day that call will come.