Should I Submit My Query?

You're more patient than I am if you're willing to wait a full year for response from a beta reader. Personally I don't have that kind of patience. I think you should definitely have at least one or two readers give feedback before querying, but you should probably find readers who are available to read right away.

If it takes a year for someone to finish your book, that tells you something right there.

You don't want to start querying until your MS is as polished and perfect and you can make it. If you have a beta reader who you feel will give you feedback that will alter your MS, you're not ready to query yet.

Yes, agents ask for revisions but only on books they feel they can sell. Their revisions are to make a great book better, to improve it so they get a six-figure advance vs a five-figure advance. DO NOT fall into the trap of thinking that an agent will fix your book and make it professional level quality. It has to be professional level quality first.

I think Orion meant that if it takes a year for someone to read your MS, it might suggest the MS is tough to read. But I'm not sure that is entirely accurate. I think definitely sometimes that can be the case, but I had a friend that I gave my at the time unpublished MS to read, and she started it but never finished it. Now the book still got published, and others seem to say that it is good, and when it was out in book form my friend did read it and like it. I think sometimes being given a MS can seem daunting. It is also more awkward physically to read etc. It isn't quite the same as a book.

I guess the answer to your question is another question. Why did you send your MS to the betas in the first place? Was it to get some genuine input, or was it to just get a more "did you like it" kind of thing? Personally I give my work to betas with the intention of doing more work upon its return. If I had a work out therefore with betas, I would wait on querying because I would know I still had work to do on the MS. Now, in the case with the gentleman who was ill, you may have to forgo him as a beta, but maybe you could talk to the others, explain your situation, and ask if it is at all possible for them to focus at bit more on your MS so you can get it back soon.

As for "the agent will ask for revisions anyway" thing. That is a very dangerous train of thought. First of all an agent might or might not, there is no guarantee. But second of all you have to pull your own weight, you have to submit the work that is the best you can possibly make it. Yes an editor will probably see things you won't have, but you want the editor to be working with as perfect an MS as you can deliver them. Besides, don't you want as much control over your work as possible? Seems awfully odd to want to take what little we have and hand it over.

Aside from that, what's the rush?

I just want to say you were a bit harsh, Orion. There are lots of reasons someone might take a year, particularly if they were ill. Writers take enough harshness from the world (editors, critics, book buyers who don't know a good thing when they see it). Personally I wouldn't wait -- I'd find someone else I trust, and I'd make sure that it wasn't my book causing the delay. I've heard from others in this thread that some agents (at Trident, no less) who sit on full manuscripts a full year, and then offer representation! There are lots of roads leading to the same place.

P.S. I didn't mean "on this thread" I meant "on this forum." Well, obviously I guess. It's early here in California.

I'd like to echo what Toothpaste said. Although chances are, an agent will request some revisions, you should be submitting a polished manuscript. I assume that's why you sent your novel to Beta readers in the first place.

Madisonwrites, you need to get critiques from people who are not your friends or family. Perhaps joining an in-person writing group or book club might be one way to expand your circle of potential beta readers?

I'm with ICE on this one - family and good friends are great for support (if they are the supportive type) but not necessarily the most objective betas out there. You need to hand that ms over to people who aren't necessarily concerned with hurting your feelings (with constructive criticism, that is. ) but are concerned with helping you tighten what needs tightening in your ms.

I agree that getting crits from people who know writing is a good idea. After you move, look around for some state writer's groups, or local chapters of SFWA. Colleges often have groups. You can meet some folks and see who clicks with you.

Does Critters still run? (www.critters.org I think) That was a pretty good online crit community for SF/F and Horror.

I know RWA has several on line chapters - I would assume other groups do as well - so that's one avenue to check out.

We have a Share Your Work forum for critiques right here on this site, let's not forget.

Gosh I go out on tour and come back and yikes!
madison...
please don't read more into what I said then what is there. You were the one with the question. I do not use beta readers to say "gee it's terrific"
I use them for information on my plot pacing among other things. If a reader does not finish my manuscript in 6 months I consider that the pacing is off.
That is just me and the way I use my beta readers who by the way are not related, not writers but readers, and not close friends...
Re: querying. If the pacing is off it's just one more reason for an agent to reject you. The biggest mistake most writers make is querying too early. (Nathan has been posting about this on his blog this week as a matter of fact)
At 19 this is all the more reason to take your time and use online critiques such as what we have here.
You have a marvelous opportunity being in a position of finishing a book at your age- I congratulate you...
(RE: your question about LOTTERY- I obtained representation July 2006 and my agent sold LOTTERY at auction in December 2006 - it was published in Aug 2007. LOTTERY was my first book published but my third novel written...) It has since sold in 20 other countries.
Most of my editors did minor revisions...don't assume that agents will want to help you revise.