Submission response times

***RomanceWriter*** · 08-26-2009, 11:48 PM

HI, for those that have submitted to Samhain, Harlequin Nocturne, Dorchester and/or Tor...how long did it take to get a response to your query/sample chapters? Either rejection, request for more or contract.

**AngelaA** · 08-26-2009, 11:53 PM

Harlequin Nocturne was three months. Tor was about four months. Samhain was a couple of weeks.

***RomanceWriter*** · 08-26-2009, 11:57 PM

It's only been a month for me. The wait is a killer!

**Robin Bayne** · 08-27-2009, 12:11 AM

Congrats on sending it! While you wait, start your next story!

***RomanceWriter*** · 08-27-2009, 12:16 AM

Wishingful thinking...but I'm writing a series off the book I've submitted. It's stand alone, but I love writing about that world. I'm onto the third book now.
I also have a couple YA romances that need a MAJOR overhaul so I don't want to go there right now, but eventually will.

**romancewriter** · 08-27-2009, 08:05 AM

I've heard of wait times being anywhere from a couple of hours, for eSubs, to a year or more. Unfortunately there is no rhyme or reason to wait times. There are way too variables. Everything from number of submissions to the alignment of the planets. Writers will continue to speculate the grand why about their wait times, I do it, too, but basically it's a crap shoot.

Just out of curiosity where did you submit?

Oh, and great screen name. LOL

***RomanceWriter*** · 08-27-2009, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by romancewriter

I've heard of wait times being anywhere from a couple of hours, for eSubs, to a year or more. Unfortunately there is no rhyme or reason to wait times. There are way too variables. Everything from number of submissions to the alignment of the planets. Writers will continue to speculate the grand why about their wait times, I do it, too, but basically it's a crap shoot.

Just out of curiosity where did you submit?

Oh, and great screen name. LOL

So you're the one with the great screen name I wanted

I have submitted to Dorchester, Tor, Samhain, Harlequin and a handful of agents. It's been five weeks now. I've gotten some equery rejection from agents so far, but haven't heard back from the ones I've mentioned yet. Still holding out hope.

**Deb Kinnard** · 08-27-2009, 05:32 PM

For those of you with access to AOL chats, this Sunday night at 9 Eastern, Janet Butler will run a chat on "Why does it TAKE so long?" and hopefully answer some questions. Janet is an editor with a press that primarily does nonfic, but her finger has been gently on the pulse of the romance fic world ever since she won the Golden Heart.

Tune in if you can. Promises to be a lively session.

**LorelieBrown** · 08-27-2009, 05:55 PM

At the time that I submitted to Samhain, they wanted the whole ms attached (not sure if they do now) so there was no partial request. Just two months to an offer.

When I submitted to Harlequin, I had a full request based on a conference editor appointment. It was 9 months to a very in-depth rejection. (The letter was full of advice and lovely stuff about my book, plus the very interesting [to me] info that it had gone through a "freelance reader," whatever that is.)

**Erin** · 08-27-2009, 09:34 PM

I submitted to Harlequin Teen (query & synopsis) in May and haven't heard anything yet. I think each line is different.

**romancewriter** · 08-28-2009, 07:15 AM

I've had wait times with Harl/Sil ranging from a few weeks to nine months on a full request. I've heard of wait times of a year or more with the same editors. Best of luck with your submissions.

**MissLadyRae** · 08-28-2009, 09:41 PM

For Samhain, I remember it usually took around 2 and half months or so for a response on partials (but this was 2008, not sure if it's still the same today). For Tor, one MS is going on about 4 or 5 months out and still waiting for a response. My last Tor submission went on almost about a year but I never received a response. Harlequin Nocturne I haven't tried but the Bites took a month or two with the pitch contest (felt like much longer though :-)).

I heard Dorchester takes about a year nowadays, does anyone know if that's still true?

***RomanceWriter*** · 08-28-2009, 10:25 PM

Wow, what long waits! It's torture I tell you.

**Erin** · 08-29-2009, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by MissLadyRae

I heard Dorchester takes about a year nowadays, does anyone know if that's still true?

Dorchester has had my REQUESTED sub for 2 years. I gave up on it a long time ago (even after I was asked to resubmit via email last summer after approaching the editor at the RWA conference).

**Susan Gable** · 08-29-2009, 06:42 PM

Right now, Dorchester is having some major financial issues.

As in, they've stopped paying their authors. I heard that at RWA directly from a Dorchester author herself.

From other info I've gathered, it seems they were hard hit when Anderson folded recently. (Recently is a relative term -- I can't remember exactly when that was.)

So...for the moment, until they get their money ducks back in a row, I don't know that I'd be in a hurry to submit to, or hear from, Dorchester.

<sigh>

Susan G.

**Susan Gable** · 08-29-2009, 06:44 PM

Tor has had a partial of mine since August of 2006.

I'm pretty sure the program it was requested for never got off the ground, but I never got a rejection.

LOL.

Susan G.

**veinglory** · 08-29-2009, 06:51 PM

We need something like this for romance publishers.

**MissLadyRae** · 08-31-2009, 12:03 PM

Well, I guess Dorchester is off my list lol. I'm glad I'm not the only non-response receiver for Tor (although it's a bummer, too).

Veinglory, that'd be great! I hope someone makes that. It would help tons.

**Dee Carney** · 09-01-2009, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by veinglory

We need something like this for romance publishers.

You know...I'm a bit of a math nerd. I'm pondering the feasibility of this spreadsheet on a web site. It shouldn't be too difficult...

I'm going to think about it a little more, but don't be surprised if the call for data comes within the month.

**romancewriter** · 09-09-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Erin

I submitted to Harlequin Teen (query & synopsis) in May and haven't heard anything yet. I think each line is different.

I checked the guidelines for Har Teen the other day and I believe they only accept agented submission. I checked because I was thinking about submitting to them. Of course you may already know this, and you may have submitted through an agent, in which case, just tell me to butt out.

Sandy

**Erin** · 09-11-2009, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by romancewriter

I checked the guidelines for Har Teen the other day and I believe they only accept agented submission. I checked because I was thinking about submitting to them. Of course you may already know this, and you may have submitted through an agent, in which case, just tell me to butt out.

Sandy

The guidelines just changed within the last couple of weeks. Up until then, they were taking unagented subs (query & synopsis only), which is what I sent. I'm still working on the agent!

**romancewriter** · 09-11-2009, 09:03 AM

I was thinking they may have changed because I thought they were open submission. I asked on the Harl boards about it and no one could remember how long ago they changed the submission guidelines. They should still consider yours since you submitted prior to the change. Good luck!

**Erin** · 09-11-2009, 07:23 PM

I had just checked the Harl Teen guidelines again just 2 weeks ago and they were still taking unagented. So the change happened recently. I would think they'd still consider mine since I subbed when they were open.

**Write4Life** · 09-13-2009, 01:12 AM

I submitted to Harlequin Teen (query + synopsis) 3 months ago and I still haven't heard back. Anyone know how long it takes? I'm starting to think that I should forget about them and look at other publishers.

**Susan Gable** · 09-13-2009, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by Write4Life

I submitted to Harlequin Teen (query + synopsis) 3 months ago and I still haven't heard back. Anyone know how long it takes? I'm starting to think that I should forget about them and look at other publishers.

I know authors already multi-pubbed with HQ who aren't getting responses to submissions in less than 3 months.

Patience, grasshopper. It's not easy, but it's necessary in this biz.

Susan G.