Hi all. It's been 3 months since I submitted my full MS to an agent. What's my next move? Do I follow up now? If not now when? And how? Phone call? Email?
Thanks.
Thanks.
When/how do you follow up.
- Thread starter MightyScribbler
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Hey,
You could always send a "thanks for reviewing my manuscript and please let me know if there's anything more I can provide" email or letter. Don't call--an agent will feel put on the spot.
Email or mail the agent depending on how you submitted in the first place.
By couching your nudge in a "thank you and can I help" letter you won't come across as nagging.
Good luck!
You could always send a "thanks for reviewing my manuscript and please let me know if there's anything more I can provide" email or letter. Don't call--an agent will feel put on the spot.
Email or mail the agent depending on how you submitted in the first place.
By couching your nudge in a "thank you and can I help" letter you won't come across as nagging.
Good luck!
i'm in the same boat. The first agent to ask for my MS still has it. According to their site if you don't hear back within 3 months it's ok to send a letter of inquiry. So I have a few more weeks before i do that.
Yep. Three months is long enough for an agent to sit on a whole ms. Write or email and ask if the mansucript is still under consideration.
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But don't really expect much. An agent has my full and after a little more than 3 months I did a follow up. They hadn't made a decision, yet. It's been more that four months, now. I'm going to email again at five...
After a phone request for the first 3 chapters, I got a phone request for the full with a 30 day exclusive. The thirty days were up on the 9th of July.
I don't want to bug them, but when should I send a follow-up e-mail?
I don't want to bug them, but when should I send a follow-up e-mail?
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From what I remember reading around these boards, if an agent requests an exclusive they really should get back to you asap and you have every right to email a follow up post exclusive deadline. It's been more than half of the exclusive time past now (did that make sense?) so they should definitely have gotten back to you. I think you should send a short email of inquiry.
jmo, though
jmo, though
Prawn, definitely inquire, and also, start querying again! The exclusive is over and it's time for you to get back in the game and (hopefully) get some leverage, because even if the first agent comes back with an offer you want to be able to tell them you have some other interest.
(PS everyone says the publishing world slows down in July and August so it's not as if you'd be bugging them the week before BEA, you know?)
(PS everyone says the publishing world slows down in July and August so it's not as if you'd be bugging them the week before BEA, you know?)
Thanks for the advice! I am on vacation with the fam until August 3rd, so I am going to give him until then to reply. I can't send out any queries until I get back, so it is no skin off my nose if it sits on his desk (or in his waste bin) another week. I will send him an e-mail when I return, and start querying again after that. It's my my first novel and my first request for a full, so it is a learning experience for me.
P
P
Some places don't let you know for almost a year whether or not if they want it. I've learned that. I've also read in a submissions guideline that one place will refuse your work if you enquire on the progress. I didn't submit to that one cause it was a little scary. After 3 or so months, I always enquire on the progress. Saying that you will send more information and asking if they want any help sounds like the way to go because it doesn't sound pushy for an answer. I think the agent would like that. They want writers who are willing to help in any way they can.
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