KathiLS
Registered
Hi all! I'm new to the forum, but have checked in on this thread from time to time to see if there are any updates as I have a ms with Baen. I'll share my ongoing time-line with you. It ain't purdy, but I've come this far so intend to see it out. Most likely. I think. Anyhow...
Date of original submission: 3/28/15 (Yes, 2015)
All but forgot about it and was on the verge of self-pubbing when I received "selected out of the slush pile for closer examination" on 9/24/15
6/9/16 I queried as to the status and was told "we're down to about 30 'good enough for a second look' manuscripts ahead of yours."
1/4/17 I queried as to the status and was told "we're down to just over a dozen ahead of yours."
6/22/17 I received an email that my ms was "strongly recommended by our first readers...made it to the Publisher's desk" and was in the hands of the senior editor. So I asked for some idea of how long the process would take from that point and was told, "Unfortunately, it's harder to estimate the timing from here forward. At this point, four of us have read your book and I put together a comprehensive report on it with inputs from the others. Now it's in our publisher's hands, and she will weigh our recommendation against a lot of factors -- the number and kinds of fantasies versus science fiction novels we have coming out each month over the next couple of years (most of which are coming from established authors by way of existing contracts), the prevalence of similar thematic elements from your novel in others we have recently published or have in the pipeline, the sales performance of novels similar to yours, etc., etc. -- as well as her opinion of the story itself.
How long will that take? I've seen the recommendation-to-acceptance loop get closed in a matter of weeks, and I've seen us hold on to recommended MSS for years -- literally, years -- out of a hope that the right slot will open up in time. That stems from our reluctance to say "no" if there's a chance that we might say "yes."
I know that doesn't really answer the question, but it's the best I can do. "
So, from first submission to now...1012 days
I feel I've stuck with it this long, I don't really want to pull the plug now. Though there are days I am sorely, sorely, sorely tempted.
~Kathi
Date of original submission: 3/28/15 (Yes, 2015)
All but forgot about it and was on the verge of self-pubbing when I received "selected out of the slush pile for closer examination" on 9/24/15
6/9/16 I queried as to the status and was told "we're down to about 30 'good enough for a second look' manuscripts ahead of yours."
1/4/17 I queried as to the status and was told "we're down to just over a dozen ahead of yours."
6/22/17 I received an email that my ms was "strongly recommended by our first readers...made it to the Publisher's desk" and was in the hands of the senior editor. So I asked for some idea of how long the process would take from that point and was told, "Unfortunately, it's harder to estimate the timing from here forward. At this point, four of us have read your book and I put together a comprehensive report on it with inputs from the others. Now it's in our publisher's hands, and she will weigh our recommendation against a lot of factors -- the number and kinds of fantasies versus science fiction novels we have coming out each month over the next couple of years (most of which are coming from established authors by way of existing contracts), the prevalence of similar thematic elements from your novel in others we have recently published or have in the pipeline, the sales performance of novels similar to yours, etc., etc. -- as well as her opinion of the story itself.
How long will that take? I've seen the recommendation-to-acceptance loop get closed in a matter of weeks, and I've seen us hold on to recommended MSS for years -- literally, years -- out of a hope that the right slot will open up in time. That stems from our reluctance to say "no" if there's a chance that we might say "yes."
I know that doesn't really answer the question, but it's the best I can do. "
So, from first submission to now...1012 days
I feel I've stuck with it this long, I don't really want to pull the plug now. Though there are days I am sorely, sorely, sorely tempted.
~Kathi