Revisions but no contract - what to do?

Maprilynne · Oct 7, 2008

My agent said almost the very same phrase to me and I was absolutely spinning with confusion!! So I totally understand. But it sounds like she is on track to send out your stuff. But like Toothpaste said, you have to trust your gut. If the revisions are good, go ahead and make them!

Also, a few other questions to ask yourself: is this agent your first choice? Is she the one you want? If so, maybe you should just go ahead and keep working with her and see what happens. If she's not, I think it is unfair to keep working with her when you are really hoping to work with someone else. In that case, it might be best to go ahead and ask her to clarify, and if she is in fact offering representation (because that phrase "I would love to work with you," may have, in fact, meant, "I want to represent you.") And then take that offer to the agents above her on the list and see if they will offer instead. Because if, in two months, someone else offers representation and you take it, this agent may be hurt and frustrated thinking, "But I offered and he/she accepted . . . didn't they??" I think the wording Toothpaste presented was very well-done and if you are genuinely polite she can hardly say, "You're an arrogant snob and I am going to take my toys and play elsewhere!"

)

Hope that is somewhat helpful!

MsGneiss · Oct 8, 2008

Thanks Toothpaste and Maprilynne,

I think I will hold off until I send the next round of revisions to actually explicitly ask whether she will represent me or not.

I can't say whether she is a first choice or not - every one of the agents who are currently reviewing my manuscript are my first choices, and I will accept representation from whoever offers first. I think she ranks slightly higher over others because of the speed with which she works, which I understand, is quite rare in this business. So if she can sell my manuscript as quickly as she has reviewed it, I'd be a happy camper.

I'll keep you all posted about what happens.

MsGneiss · Oct 16, 2008

Well, some more updates. I was chicken, and didn't send Toothpaste's perfectly phrased email to this agent. Instead, I made the revisions, and sent an updated manuscript to the agent. This morning she sent the following response:

"I've sent it off to a reader and I'll be taking a look as well.
Things are crazy as usual, but this is high priority so we'll be back to you by next week."

Now, I appreciate being high priority. I know that I am not with any of the other agents who have had my manuscript, primarily because they've held on to it for so long (and also, because they never even bother to write back and confirm that they've received the document, as this agent did every time). She now has the third iteration of the manuscript. Her suggestions have been good, and I am 100% sure that they are making the manuscript stronger.

But I am the sort of person who needs to know where I stand and what to expect.

So, what do you think? What should I do? Sit tight and wait for her response next week? Is she preparing my manuscript to submit to publishers? Or what? Help!

Twizzle · Oct 16, 2008

www.bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/05/revisions-before-representation.html

www.bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/07/working-with-agent-i-think.html

congratulations on having such interest. that's exciting. but seriously, I'd say you really need to email the agent and have a discussion with her. good luck.

Julie Worth · Oct 16, 2008

(In answer to the first post.) If you agree with the revisions, then do them. When you finish, try it out on a couple of new agents and see what they think. Keep the agent who suggested the revisions in reserve. For the agents still reading, don't say anything to them about the revision unless they email you saying they're about to start reading. Then you might email back, saying, why don't I shoot this new copy to you, as I've cleaned it up?

MsGneiss · Oct 16, 2008

Thanks to both of you. I guess it's just waiting and hoping now.

Toothpaste · Oct 16, 2008

Seriously it's a week. Okay I know a week can sound like a lifetime . . . but seriously. A WEEK. I can't believe that it is almost the weekend already personally, I haven't got half of what I wanted to get done this week.

Like I've said before, there is no true path, the links Twizzle gave you are great, but still . . . none of us can predict what will happen next. We can and will cross our fingers for you. But right now . . . ya gots to wait.

Patience, young grasshopper, patience.

MsGneiss · Oct 16, 2008

Well, new AW friends - this is the sort of person I am. You tell me one thing, and I do the opposite. So when you said to email the agent and ask, I didn't. But when you told me to wait another week to hear back, well, I just couldn't. So I sent a polite email, much like what Toothpaste suggested last week, and here's what she wrote back -

"Apologies---I'm 99% sure that we're signing you, I just want to take a look a this last draft."

This is the closest I've ever come, so I am thrilled! Yay! Thanks for your advice, and I hope to be making a post in the Success Stories threads very soon.

Twizzle · Oct 16, 2008

that's just awesome. I'm glad you emailed her and obviously feel much better. crossing fingers for you!

Toothpaste · Oct 16, 2008

lol! Well I suppose we are a help in one way, after all if you didn't have the advice you wouldn't know what the opposite of it was!

Uber congrats! Still will keep fingers crossed for you, but still . . . yay!

Revisions but no contract - what to do?

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

MsGneiss

MsGneiss

Twizzle

Cluck that.

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

MsGneiss

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

MsGneiss

Twizzle

Cluck that.

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!