How long is it supposed to take for an offer?

Sarah_Will_Write

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I am on sub, and it's driving me bonkers - how long does it usually take from the time you go on sub, until an offer? Does it either sell fairly quickly or not at all?

My agent tells me not to worry, and he knows better than me - I'm just curious to know some of the stories out there.
 

Old Hack

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Congratulations on getting so far.

It takes as long as it takes: I've had responses within a day, and I've had responses take months. There are no rules.

You might like to ask your agent how long she thinks it'll take. She's there for you to ask these sorts of questions.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Not all agented submissions ever receive an offer, no matter how good the agent is. And even with a good agent, a sale can take from two weeks to six months.

It's tough, but bury yourself in another novel and try to forget all about the one on sub. It can eat you alive, if you spend all your time thinking about it.
 

NicolaD

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It's tough, but bury yourself in another novel and try to forget all about the one on sub. It can eat you alive, if you spend all your time thinking about it.

This.

I'm also on sub, about the 8 week mark, and am getting a lot better at not refreshing my email every 2.5 seconds... :)

But I figure between general timelines, the hurricane, the election and the snowstorm, I'll cut the publishing industry some slack and just focus on what I can control - the wordcount for my second book.
 

Susan Coffin

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I have not been on sub yet, but congratulations on your success. I have always heard to forget about what you have out there and to start working on something else. Yep, it must be very tough. :)
 

Elizabeth Holloway

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Oh, I feel your pain. I've been on sub since August and... ugh! It's enough to drive a girl crazy! Working on my next project helps. And as each week passes, I think about it less and less.
Congrats, btw, and good luck!
 

Jennifer Robins

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new agent

I just got together with an agent for the first time. I have several works for her to represent and sub for me. She's not one of the best known NY agents, but there are good reports about her and she has experience in the agent and publishing world. I'm already working on a new novel and have outlines for more, so I think I can keep busy while I wait.
 

profen4

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I just got together with an agent for the first time. I have several works for her to represent and sub for me. She's not one of the best known NY agents, but there are good reports about her and she has experience in the agent and publishing world. I'm already working on a new novel and have outlines for more, so I think I can keep busy while I wait.

Congratulations, Jennifer. Here's hoping you have some good news to share soon.!
bo do nu quan lot nam tui ngu cao cap cho be thoi trang cong so gia re vay lien cong so nu chup anh thoi trang dep
 
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Jennifer Robins

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Thank you. She says I'm ready for the mid to big houses, so we'll see. It was my publisher at Astraea Press who told me about her after I had a review of one of my books done by this agent. (Outside That Door) It was a great five star review.