Problems with my new agent...please help!
- Thread starter tutter
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Agents differ, of course. Mine wouldn't do this. But some good agents speak a kind of code where "next week" = "three weeks from now." Once you get the code down, you may be fine. Or it may be that your agent's style and yours don't match. Give it time and see how it shakes out.
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Dawinsor--thank you for your response!
Yea, the agent himself is very nice, and he responds when I send him an email, but I'm not so keen to the entire, "I aim to get back to you tomorrow," and then not getting back to me tomorrow thing. Or the next day. Or the day after that. I can see that some agents seem to have problems with their schedules, but do you think this means that I'm being dropped to the back burner, or possibly abandoned? I sure hope not, as this was the guy who asked to represent me after a year of searching.
Yea, the agent himself is very nice, and he responds when I send him an email, but I'm not so keen to the entire, "I aim to get back to you tomorrow," and then not getting back to me tomorrow thing. Or the next day. Or the day after that. I can see that some agents seem to have problems with their schedules, but do you think this means that I'm being dropped to the back burner, or possibly abandoned? I sure hope not, as this was the guy who asked to represent me after a year of searching.
It's way too early to worry about what burner you're on, tutter.
Start a new project to keep your mind off things. Submission to publishers is often a long haul.
Start a new project to keep your mind off things. Submission to publishers is often a long haul.
Something else to remember is that if this is an active agent with active, selling clients, then they will be his priority. Sucks, but true. If a new contract needs negotiating, or if a client's sixth book needs to be read, those things are going to be higher priority.
This is a very RL busy time for agents from what I'm seeing on blogs and such. Give the agent a few weeks to catch up and see what happens.
If this agent has a good sales record, I wouldn't worry about it. It's the agent who always gets back to you right on time that's usually a problem.
Honestly, I think it's too soon to worry. I think the fact that he's replying to your status checks is a good sign that he really is just swamped and not deliberately avoiding you.
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Tutter, it's too soon to worry. Take a few deep breaths, work on something else, and have patience. The world of publishing runs at a different pace than the rest of the world, and next week doesn't always mean the next week.
I hear ya, and although I really hate this form of semi-limbo I agree with those who have said it's a bit too early to draw any conclusions. I can only tell you what I would do. I would leave him alone--no communication from you--for the next 4 weeks. If by that time I hadn't heard from him I'd make contact with a very carefully worded email asking what's going on and how he prefers future communication and when, be it from you to him or him to you. I say the later since it seems that you didn't discuss this issue before signing.
I wouldn't worry. Agents are busy people and stuff always pops up. It's likely that he really did think he would be able to get back to you by those times, but things just kept coming up. Also, remember, deals that are published/to be published often require things to be done quicker, and have to come first a lot of times. Give him until next Wednesday, that's an extra week, and then you can politely follow up. That's the price of having a good agent.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I know I'm going to sound like a party pooper, but dude, chill. Seriously. You are a brand new client; you're just one step above random queriers. Your status checks would drive me bonkers. He hasn't forgotten you. He's just busy. So get to work on the next project so you can keep him busy for the next new client who is wondering where the heck he is.
Your anxiety is totally understandable, Tutter. And you did exactly the right thing, by coming here and asking for opinions before doing or saying anything that might jeapordize your relationship with your agent, IMO. You're on a great track. You've signed with a good and reputable agent, by your own account, you seem to be knowledgable about his sales, and you're looking for information about a common concern from credible sources.
Publishing time is not like real life time. Poke around the forums here a little more. I think you'll find some comforting information. But, you seem to be doing this pretty well. I can't promise you won't have a problem with your agent, but I can tell you that what you're experiencing isn't uncommon. Good agents are often incredibly overworked. I do like that he responds to you quickly when you inquire. Good luck!
Publishing time is not like real life time. Poke around the forums here a little more. I think you'll find some comforting information. But, you seem to be doing this pretty well. I can't promise you won't have a problem with your agent, but I can tell you that what you're experiencing isn't uncommon. Good agents are often incredibly overworked. I do like that he responds to you quickly when you inquire. Good luck!
Tutter, this is way more normal than you'd think. 
I know it's hard to wait. Really hard. But I second (third, fourth) those who say start a new book. It's the only thing that keeps me sane. 
I know it's hard to wait. Really hard. But I second (third, fourth) those who say start a new book. It's the only thing that keeps me sane. 
Definitely what they said. Your agent may have very good intentions in making those time-based promises, but competing priorities are getting in the way.
Congratulations on landing an agent! Now. Relax. Seriously. Get to work on a new project and let your agent do-do that voodoo he does so well. As they've said above, publishing is on its own timetable so kick around the forums and meet some great new people.
I know I've paid my dues because I've begun to translate a publishing pro's "I'll get back to you shortly" to "Shortly, that is, from a geological perspective."
And because I've learned the sovereign cure of working on the next book, the wait really doesn't bother me anymore. The other day I realized one of my fulls has been out nearly four months. Wow, seems like I sent it yesterday.
And because I've learned the sovereign cure of working on the next book, the wait really doesn't bother me anymore. The other day I realized one of my fulls has been out nearly four months. Wow, seems like I sent it yesterday.
Two and a half weeks? Try four and a half months!
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I wonder what's a reasonable time frame to wait for notes on a novel after signing with an agent.
I did have one meeting and eventually got notes on the first 25 pages.
They were good notes, but still....
And this is by no means a Hall of Fame agent.
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I wonder what's a reasonable time frame to wait for notes on a novel after signing with an agent.
I did have one meeting and eventually got notes on the first 25 pages.
They were good notes, but still....
And this is by no means a Hall of Fame agent.
It took about a month for detailed revision notes from my agent--I hadn't signed at that point though, and he's known for quick turnarounds.
I'd say give it 4-6 weeks minimum before checking up.
I'd say give it 4-6 weeks minimum before checking up.
Okay, it takes about a half a day for an agent to query a dozen+plus editors on a manuscript s/he is representing, that's including interruptions. It doesn't count the time s/he takes doing research to make sure the right editors get the right query--a few days, perhaps, depending on how many interruptions the agent gets--usually a lot.
But it only takes a few seconds for the agent to bcc his/her client as to when and where the queries went to. And another few seconds to bcc the results when there is a yes or no answer to seeing a full.
A good agent will keep a file on all queries and the results of each query and mail a copy of that file twice a year to his/her clients.
A very big agent may have a hard time finding time to do the little things that make a client happy.
But it only takes a few seconds for the agent to bcc his/her client as to when and where the queries went to. And another few seconds to bcc the results when there is a yes or no answer to seeing a full.
A good agent will keep a file on all queries and the results of each query and mail a copy of that file twice a year to his/her clients.
A very big agent may have a hard time finding time to do the little things that make a client happy.
Dear AW's,
As of two and a half weeks ago, I accepted representation in person from what I found to be a responsible and well-credited senior agent with loads of posted sales to speak for. To say the least I was ecstatic! But then some funny things started to happen. First, the aforementioned agent told me he would be in touch next week (this was two and a half weeks ago). By last Wednesday I hadn't heard anything, so I emailed him to politely ask what was up. He responded by saying he was a little behind because he was going to writer's conference in Texas for the weekend, and would be giving me a call early next week (that's this week), and sending me notes on my MS before then. Well, by Tuesday of this week, I hadn't heard anything, so I wrote him with a polite status check. He then replied by saying he aimed to have something in my hands by Wednesday morning (two days ago), and to stay tuned. Since then, I haven't heard anything.
Basically, I'm trying to decipher whether I have a reason to worry or if this is just normal agent behavior--saying "I aim to get back to you tomorrow,' and then not getting back when tomorrow comes. I know we're on the cusp of a holiday weekend, and maybe I'm still in that 'It's too good to be true' mode, but I can't help from being freaked out by these constantly shifting deadlines.
Please, all you wonderful, knowledgable folks out there, put my weary mind to rest.
Warmest Regards,
Tutter
I find my agent responds very well when I give her a few extra days, then ping her an email, then follow up with a call in which I give her a massive pep talk (yes I know it should be the other way around but I'm not Stephanie Meyer) and then she actually normally does what she says she'll do. Like with anything, I find everyone wants to be something else. Agents often want to be writers, producers want to be directors, and writers want to be producers and directors (I'm talking movies here obviously). It's all quite fun really if you play the potential crossover opportunities to your advantage.
I would tend to disagree. I've found very few agents who aspire to write. And, though it may work for you, that sounds like an easy way to piss an agent off.