Slow Agents: Impatient Me

So I have these two agents who've recently left me somewhat hanging.

Dream agent 1: Some of you might know this story. I sent her the original query in May. She asked for the full in August. In October, she wrote to me saying she loved the manuscript and that she thought we might be a good fit. She said she'd have a definite answer for me within the week. At the end of the week, she apologized and asked for another week.

At the end of that week, she said she was still really positive about the manuscript but felt it needed some editorial changes. She sent me a really long email with everything she wanted me to do. I was disappointed, of course, but the edits were GREAT and I implemented them ASAP. I finished, sent it to betas, and got everything checked over and finalized and fixed in two weeks. I sent it back, got an email from her thanking me for sending it. This was Halloween weekend.

And then...nothing.

So. At the end of November I finished another manuscript. Among other things, I sent an email to Dream Agent 1 asking if she'd like to see it. She replied immediately, said yes, and apologized for leaving me hanging so long. With my new manuscript, I also queried....

Dream Agent 2: queried in the end of November, responded the next day asking for the full. I sent it, he emailed me the same day telling me he loved it so far and was hoping to finish it over the weekend. On Monday, he emailed me, said he LOVEd it with capital letters (which made my heart skip about skeighty-eight beats) and asked if I could write him a synopsis to show his film and foreign rights people, to make sure everyone was on board before he offered representation. Like Dream Agent 1, he used the word representation. We emailed back and forth, just chatting, and by the end of the day I was absolutely crazy about him. He was so enthusiastic and incredibly positive.

I ran home from school, whipped up that synopsis, and sent it out that evening. He emailed right back, thanking me and telling me he'd get back to me soon. That was December 6th.

Since then...nothing. I sent him an email two weeks ago, and haven't received an answer.

As for Dream Agent 1, I email her every month or so and she apologizes profusely and tells me she'll have a definite answer for me within the month. Today's officially a month since the last time she told me "within the month."


Guys.

I'm going crazy.


Does anyone have advice? Or like...insight into what the hell might be going on? When is it okay to email these agents? When do I give up hope completely?


(For the record, yes, I have more queries out, and yes, I have about 10 partials and fulls out with other agents. Annnd yes, both these agents know exactly how old I am--though I'll probably be an old woman before either of them decides to take me.)

thanks...

Thank you, blacbird.

I've thought about that. But...can I honestly say someone else is interested at this point? It's been so long since I've heard from either of them, it honestly feels like deception. Of course, if you guys think otherwise...

Ziljon said:

It could be that they're both in cahoots; their plan is to mess up a little girl with big talent and so earn points with their master, the devil.

Click to expand...

This is what I'm thinking!



Jo, I know it's hard to tell from these summaries, but I'd say Dream Agent 2 is probably more interested than Dream Agent 1.

maddythemad said:

Aw, Hannah, that sucks. I had that experience with an editor, and yeah, it was extremely frustrating, upsetting, and disappointing. But just because they have been slow up until now does not mean they won't suddenly come to you with an offer! I'm sure they have just had a lot of other stuff they had to work out. And if not-- their loss. Someone else will notice how fabulous you are.

(And I started FIGHT CLUB today!)

Click to expand...

That makes everything better.

But...DA2 is my favorite...

wayndom said:

The only thing you can do is query other agents. From the sound of your story, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding an agent -- maybe not your dream agent, but a good one, nonetheless.

Keep querying until someone definitely wants to represent you, then, if you still want Dream Agent #1, call her and tell her to shit or get off the pot. Though I have to say, she sounds awfully flaky. And there's another consideration: If she's unable to commit to your novel now, she still won't have that level of commitment if she accepts it because someone else wants it. You don't just want a good agent, you want an agent who's totally in love with your book -- 'cause that's the kind of commitment that's necessary for an agent to sell the book to publishers.

So keep querying. You'll get there.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. I'm still sending out queries all the time...still getting requests, and still getting rejections. But I'm honestly terrified of falling into this same situation with another agent. This whole thing is like a frickin nightmare, really. I never ever thought you could get this close and still feel like you're stalled in the garage.

And I know these agents don't sound great right now...but I swear they're both agents at established, well-known agencies that you've probably all heard of. They're at agencies that are churning out six figure deals in their sleep. According to the interweb, their clients are deliriously happy...and I'm basically all alone in my limbo.

Six weeks from when she told me a month, or six weeks from now?

wayndom said:

No, but you can honesty say, "I need an answer now, or my request for representation is withdrawn." If she asks if someone else is interested, tell her that you feel she's had more than enough time to decide, and the time has come.

From everything you've said about these flakes (and no matter how good they are at selling books, they're flakes), you don't really have anything to lose at this point.

Cutting her loose could be very good for your mental health. But if you do, don't look back -- don't follow her career, track what she's sold, etc. Forget her, and get on with your life. If you could do this well at 16, you have nothing to worry about in terms of your future.

Click to expand...

As much as it scares me to admit it...you definitely have a point.

So maybe I give her two weeks (for that cushion-past-the-deadline thing) and then email her? Tell her I really need an answer?

I think I'm eating crow right now....

But thanks for the encouragement and thanks for the advice, brokenfingers. I'm just so muddled up right now...I feel like there's something more constructive I can be doing at this point besides writing/querying/status-querying/ripping my hair out.