death of equery

Dragonfly45 · Oct 30, 2007

If an agent has specified on website or otherwise that they only respond to equeries if interested, how long do you guys go before assuming your query is dead in the water?

Azraelsbane · Oct 30, 2007

I just stick the agent's name and the date mailed in a file and forget about it. No use guessing if they're going to respond or not. I go into e-queries expecting no response. Then again, I'm about as pessimistic as they come.

blacbird · Oct 30, 2007

Azraelsbane said:
Then again, I'm about as pessimistic as they come.

No you're not.

caw

Carmy · Oct 30, 2007

It depends on the agent and agency.

I've read on AW of authors hearing from agents ten months after they equeried. In general, if I haven't heard back within three months, I assume rejection.

JoNightshade · Oct 30, 2007

Meh, I'm not pessimistic, but I do the same thing. If they don't answer, they don't answer. Why do we need to keep track?

reenkam · Oct 30, 2007

But what if you want to query them on another project later.

Some agencies get testy about that if they're looking at your first, still. Even if it is months and months later.

Azraelsbane · Oct 30, 2007

reenkam said:
But what if you want to query them on another project later.

Some agencies get testy about that if they're looking at your first, still. Even if it is months and months later.

While I do keep track of my queries, I have to say if an agent and/or slush reader remembered reading my name on a query they likely didn't finish anyway, I'd give myself a gold star. Hopefully it means my spectral self is haunting their dreams.

I think it's safe if it's been say, 3 months, even if they haven't responded. I mean...there's still 3 months worth of mail between the first and the second, so if they remember a name from an email for that long of a stretch, calculate the date in their head and then auto-delete/reject I'd say it just wasn't meant to be.

KAP · Oct 31, 2007

45 days.

Birol · Oct 31, 2007

Do the guidelines tell you anything? Have you attempted to follow-up with them?

swvaughn · Oct 31, 2007

blacbird said:
No you're not.

caw

He's gotcha there, Az.

Novelhistorian · Oct 31, 2007

Huh. My experience has been this: If I don't hear a reply on an e-mail query within three weeks or less, I won't hear at all. But even that length of time is rare for me. Usually, it's three days or less. But I send many more queries via snail mail than e-mail, so the sample is fairly small.

death of equery

Dragonfly45

Purveyor of the Sparkly

Azraelsbane

Agony is defeat

blacbird

Carmy

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

reenkam

aka cupcake

Azraelsbane

Agony is defeat

KAP

Hangin' with the gargies

Birol

Around and About

swvaughn

adrift

Novelhistorian