Requested Manuscript Turnaround

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

I just got a request from one of the big 5's to send in my ms. I have 2 questions:

1. I need to finish the ms and send it for editing, plus the proverbial cold feet. What is the usual window (time frame)?
2. Should I get an agent involved now, or should I wait and see if they say yes or no?

DamaNegra · Oct 1, 2006

Getting an agent now that you've got a proposal is much, much easier, but if it isn't a definitive yes I wouldn't go for it.

Now, the big question: why did you query for something that was not even completed in the first place?

Sassenach · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
I just got a request from one of the big 5's to send in my ms. I have 2 questions:

1. I need to finish the ms and send it for editing, plus the proverbial cold feet. What is the usual window (time frame)?

As soon as possible.

This is one of the downfalls of querying an unfinished ms. How much time do you estimate you need to complete it? I gather you're also planning to have a freelance editor go over it. Have you considered doing that yourself?

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Because I'm a jerk! Well, to make a long story short, I had written a shorter version for a radio show but was going to get paid only $300 and lose all rights to the article, and I thought about expanding it and trying my luck with a book publisher because I saw the potential of a series. I sent out the query, thinking, oh well, I'll get a rejection anyway, and in the meantime, I'll just work on making it into a novel. Well, lesson learned, I ended up moving, got pregnant, underwent surgery. . . .blah, blah, blah, and I was laid up in bed recuperating when I got the request to submit. I'm basically just plugging in my scenes, etc., I had all my plots, subplots, scenes, twists and turns all down and just didn't type them in. I should be finished in a couple of days because I can do about 50 pages/day (only because I also work full-time).

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Sassenach said:
I gather you're also planning to have a freelance editor go over it. Have you considered doing that yourself?

Yes, for sure, I'm going to have an editor check it out. I want to make sure that I do all I can to increase my chances of a "yes."

Ken Schneider · Oct 1, 2006

1. I wouldn't shop and ms until it was finished.

2. Normally, you need an agent to get one of the big five to even look at your ms.

3. What do you think an agent can do for you?

4. An agent is one who gets your ms read through their association and affiliations with the big publishers.

I'd wait until you get an offer to publish, then an agent can work through the contract negotiations with the publisher.

What agent wouldn't jump at representing an author with an offer, already. Most of the work is done by then.

The first thing to do is finish the work before they ask for the entire ms.

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Ken Schneider said:
1
3. What do you think an agent can do for you?

4. An agent is one who gets your ms read through their association and affiliations with the big publishers.

That's what I want to know. I have 2 agents that have some of my other works, one since 2004, the other since Jan of this year, and so far I don't know what they're doing on my behalf. I had gotten a couple of request from other publishers in 2004 so I turned the mss over to the first agent and I really don't know what happened. I hate it when I have to play "pulling teeth" in order to get any information from them (I know I'm not their only client).

I'm thinking now if this ms is accepted, ask an agent to do the negotiations for me for a flat fee.

DamaNegra · Oct 1, 2006

You've already got two agents? What do you want a third for? Don't hog up all the agents in the world, you'll leave none for the rest of us

Kidding. Actually, I'd ask one of my current agents to look it over for me.

Sassenach · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
That's what I want to know. I have 2 agents that have some of my other works, one since 2004, the other since Jan of this year, and so far I don't know what they're doing on my behalf. I had gotten a couple of request from other publishers in 2004 so I turned the mss over to the first agent and I really don't know what happened. I hate it when I have to play "pulling teeth" in order to get any information from them (I know I'm not their only client).

I'm thinking now if this ms is accepted, ask an agent to do the negotiations for me for a flat fee.

Your entire story is sounding less and less plausible with each post.

Who'd have two agents, not get info from them for two years, submit an unfinished, unagented ms to one of the big fives [do any of them accept unagented subs??], then expect an agent to do negotiations for a flat fee?

kuatolives · Oct 1, 2006

Sassenach said:
My bull**** monitor is pinging. Something's fishy about this entire story, or you're especially clueless.

Who'd have two agents, not get info from them for two years, submit an unfinished ms unagented to one of the big fives [do any of them accept unagented subs??], then expect an agent to do negotiations for a flat fee?

Who'd pay thousands of dollars in reading fees, representation fees, general screw fees, book doctors and voodoo doctors in a desperate attempt at getting published - thousands of people that's who. After knowing this everything else is believeable.

But to be constructive if I were the original poster, I'd refrain from submitting anything, finish the book to the best of your ability, then re-query whoever asked for the book and say 'Oh It's been X months and I haven't heard from you. Did you actually receive my book or did it get lost in the mail?'

Said publisher will either have no memory of the query in which case you'll have to go through the process again OR the post office bears the brunt of the blame and you re-submit a finished work.

aadams73 · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
That's what I want to know. I have 2 agents that have some of my other works, one since 2004, the other since Jan of this year, and so far I don't know what they're doing on my behalf. I had gotten a couple of request from other publishers in 2004 so I turned the mss over to the first agent and I really don't know what happened. I hate it when I have to play "pulling teeth" in order to get any information from them (I know I'm not their only client).

I'm thinking now if this ms is accepted, ask an agent to do the negotiations for me for a flat fee.

Two agents? Do either of them know about the other? And you have to pull teeth to get info out of them? I'm betting both these "agents" are on the Twenty Worst Agents list.

Also, you need to learn to edit your own work. Seriously. You have to know if what you've written is total crap. It's part of the craft of being a writer.

I smell fish, and it they're not smelling of flowers.

(I hear from my agent at least once each month, and if I have a question she gets back to me within 24 hours.)

ORION · Oct 1, 2006

You ask whether you should "get an agent involved now." You have two right? Call them and ask them your questions. Why are you asking us? I presume you have a signed contract of representation. Does it apply to all your work or do you have one agent for non-fiction and one for fiction?
OR
Do you mean you have QUERIED two agents and they still have not gotten back to you as far as whether they have rejected your work?
All of this is a moot point since you have not finished your manuscript.
That appears to be your first goal.
Worry about the rest later.
JMHO

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

aadams73 said:
Two agents? Do either of them know about the other? And you have to pull teeth to get info out of them? I'm betting both these "agents" are on the Twenty Worst Agents list.

(I hear from my agent at least once each month, and if I have a question she gets back to me within 24 hours.)

Both are aware of each other because my contract with each specifies that they represent "just those books I give to them." That was the way I wanted it since I write across genres. Also, it was very good for me because one doesn't represent children's fiction and the other does.

Yes, I do hear when I ask a question with the first, but not unless I ask. They are both on the up and up because neither has asked for money up front, and both have a list of credible and bestseller client list. The first agent when I first approached them flatly told me that they only represent "famous" people, and I have seen them on TV with thier "famous clients." Well, I was so dejected when they told me this that I locked myself in my bedroom and prayed for days. At the end of my days of prayer, they called me and said they'd like to represent my work, which was a published children's book, (to market it) and after carefully looking over a few of my other works, decided they would represent me. We've had a few close calls with publishers, and as we all know it's not an easy process, but they've asked me to hang in there.

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Sassenach said:
Your entire story is sounding less and less plausible with each post.

Who'd have two agents, not get info from them for two years, submit an unfinished, unagented ms to one of the big fives [do any of them accept unagented subs??], then expect an agent to do negotiations for a flat fee?

Sassenach, I don't have to prove anything to you. Obviously you haven't done a lot of research because there are agents that are willing to let you do all the work and then do the negotiations for a flat fee. If you're interested, I'd send you a list. And yes, there are times when even these Big 5's do have open calls for "certain" manuscripts. Try researching outside the box sometimes.

Sassenach · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
The first agent when I first approached them flatly told me that they only represent "famous" people, and I have seen them on TV with thier "famous clients." Well, I was so dejected when they told me this that I locked myself in my bedroom and prayed for days. At the end of my days of prayer, they called me and said they'd like to represent my work, which was a published children's book, (to market it) and after carefully looking over a few of my other works, decided they would represent me.

I don't read a lot of fantasy, but yours is very good! So many twists and turns.

bestseller said:
And yes, there are times when even these Big 5's do have open calls for "certain" manuscripts.

Really? I've never heard of that happening. Can you be more specific?

Silver King · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
I was so dejected when they told me this that I locked myself in my bedroom and prayed for days. At the end of my days of prayer, they called me and said they'd like to represent my work

I'm not trying to be a smart aleck, but really, even the Pope doesn't lock himself in a room for days praying. And if you think we'll believe Divine Intervention is responsible in this instance, you're merely waving a magic wand over the less credible aspects of your posts to make them seem plausible.

Atlantis · Oct 1, 2006

I have a question. Who exactly are "the big five?"

kuatolives · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
Well, I was so dejected when they told me this that I locked myself in my bedroom and prayed for days. At the end of my days of prayer, they called me and said they'd like to represent my work, which was a published children's book, (to market it) and after carefully looking over a few of my other works, decided they would represent me.

Boy do I ever feel like a jerk for all this rewriting. You mean all I had to do was pray to God!?!!? You must live in the states, I hear they're all blessed by God down there...something to do with their passports or something.

aadams73 · Oct 1, 2006

The Big Five: Random House, HarperCollins, Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster and Time Warner Trade Books

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Wow, you guys are very encouraging to a fellow writer. I guess I know where not to take my questions next time. I place my faith in God and don't have to prove divine interventions to anyone. That is why I guess I still receive royalties twice a year for a book that was published 9 years ago, and Who else can provide me a day job as a technical writer, doing something I enjoy doing daily, and make six figure salary? Only my faith in God. I guess all that too may sound far fetched knowing anything is possible in the world of writers. Yet all will be revealed in time.

Kuatolives & Orion, I think you two are right in that I make finishing the manuscript my priority, contact the publisher and then go from there.

Silver King · Oct 1, 2006

By the sound of it, this thread should be ported over to the Religious and Spiritual Writing forum.

I don't doubt anyone's faith in God, in any form, only I take exception when it's used as the ONLY means to bolster claims which are unsubstantiated.

Carlene · Oct 1, 2006

What's the name of the book you published nine years ago? I'm sure a lot of folks on the board would lover to read it!

Branwyn · Oct 1, 2006

Praying hasn't worked for me--yet. I sent a ms to a few of those Big Houses and had them returned, unopened. :Shrug:

It seems you're doing something right--so keep at it. Do you have an editor?

bestseller · Oct 1, 2006

Carlene said:
What's the name of the book you published nine years ago? I'm sure a lot of folks on the board would lover to read it!

Why so they can come back and tear it to pieces and tell me I didn't write it? If you're interested in finding out more, Carlene, send me an email outside of this thread, and I'd be glad to send you the link to the Publisher's website.

Ken Schneider · Oct 1, 2006

bestseller said:
Wow, you guys are very encouraging to a fellow writer.

No, but we are informed of how the publishing industry works.

Never, never pay an agent. They make thier money by taking a percentage of either and or your advance and royalties.

I have never heard of any of the big five accepting an unagented submission. Unless, they have published your bestseller before.

Could you tell us which of the big five,so that the rest of us may submit?

Requested Manuscript Turnaround

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