full manuscript review time

reenkam · Jun 14, 2007

What's the normal amount of time an agent takes on a full request? When should I send a email, making sure they even got the manuscript in the first place?

I don't want to obsess about it or anything...but at the same time it'd be nice to have some kind of general time frame that I could think about.

Also, if the agent is taking longer than normal, maybe even a significantly longer time, does this mean anything? As in, maybe they forgot? I'm just wondering because after looking at other blogs and such I found that the agent with my full has been known to reject and accept fulls from a week up to 2 months, generally. But it's been longer...so what should I think?

Ziljon · Jun 14, 2007

I think six to eight weeks is normal, and yet it's okay to give them a little follow up once a month (according to Nathon Bransford) just in case they've lost or misplaced your MS.

Just remember to keep your follow up short and simple. Don't apologize for following up, that just makes it longer. But don't be all high and mighty either. They know you're jumping out of your skin waiting, they won't hold it against you for checking in. Hell, they asked to read it, didn't they?

Give you joy, Sir, on your first full!

kristie911 · Jun 14, 2007

Just for future fulls...I always enclose a self-addressed postcard that the agent can just drop in the mail when they get the manuscript. It saves me having to worry if they received it. And the stress of wondering when to e-mail to see if they got it.

Good luck!

reenkam · Jun 15, 2007

Thanks both of you. It's the end of the 13th week now, so I guess I'll send an email asking about it after another week or so. At first I was kind of happy that it was an email submission, since that meant $0 spent, but now I'm thinking a postal one could have been more relaxing with the postcard. Thanks for the tip for future fulls, kristie911!

Maprilynne · Jun 15, 2007

Try this place. I LOVED it when I was looking for an agent. It gives lots of typical timespans and they have a ton of agents in their database.

reenkam · Jun 15, 2007

wow, thanks Maprilynne! Looks like the longest recorded wait for a full is 16 weeks...so I still have 2-3 to go. Great site!

clara bow · Jun 15, 2007

In my exploration of this issue, I've read about agents taking anywhere from six hours to a year. Just query widely and follow up about every three months (although a few agents might not even respond after requesting the full).

Mystic Blossom · Jun 15, 2007

Currently, I've been waiting for a little more than three months. So yes, it can definitely take some time.

reenkam · Jun 15, 2007

I hope it doesn't take a year......

I have queried other places, but I hesitate to keep doing so because there's always the chance that an agent has some good ideas or tips for my manuscript and I don't want to use up my list of agents, which isn't that large in the first place

I'll probably just get to more writing...that should taking up some time

Maprilynne · Jun 15, 2007

My agent (from Writers House, mega top-notch--I LOVE her!!) took just over ten months to review my MS.

Astro · Jun 15, 2007

Um- yeah. I'll raise you to 11 months. On an exclusive! (Don't tell me. I know. I should've set a timeframe But it was a request off my first query ever (with 5 pages included) and the request came 3 hours after I sent.Too excited and new to know better. )
I'm at at 13 weeks so far with another agent.

reenkam · Jun 15, 2007

I wonder if the length of the manuscript has a lot to do with it...though the one I sent isn't very long since it's YA...

I don't know...I'm willing to wait as long as it takes though. One of the agents that has it is my #1 "dream agent"

full manuscript review time

reenkam

aka cupcake

Ziljon

Tortilla di Patate

kristie911

Happy to be here

reenkam

aka cupcake

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

reenkam

aka cupcake

clara bow

Li'l Rug Bug

Mystic Blossom

My heart's a battleground

reenkam

aka cupcake

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

Astro

reenkam

aka cupcake