Silence = Rejection?

You jumped the gun. One month is WAY too soon to be nudging for responses. A May nudge would have been closer to normal.

I'm not a pro, but I would keep sending my stuff out. I'd give a nudge though...

If it's really bugging you send her another SQ. You have nothing to lose. If it's a no, it's a no, but you never know.

I don't want to spill good milk after bad...or rain on your parade or anything..........but sometimes it takes them months and months and months. I know that is not what you want to hear.....but keep sending it out. (Oh, and good luck with your work.)

It isn't a rejection until she says so.
I've had agents take over a year over my full manuscript. You have no idea what is going on in her office/life - her assistant may have just left, her mother may have got sick, her biggest selling client could have had a crisis. Any of these things could have prevented her from getting to your manuscript.
Keep sending queries to other agents and send a polite status query once a month until she replies.

funtastic50 said:

Even though she's had it since Feb? That's three months now.
What'll I do?

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Query another batch of agents and give this one some time to read. Yes, it might a couple more months. Yes, it can get frustrating to the writer. However, you need to remember that reading new material is not going to be her first priority. Agents are busy with their existing list of clients, conferences, family, etc.

I used to edit a scholarly magazine and the article submitted to us were about 35 double spaced pages. Believe it or not, we used to tell submitters to allow us three months to reach a decision on that number of pages. So that's not a terribly long time for a whole book.

yeah, and if you think waiting on the agents is bad, wait until you get up to the editors

Unless the agent specifies otherwise, I was under the impression that 3 months was the standard minimum, after which you could begin sending status queries. Like many other folks, I've had fulls out for a year or more.

A long wait doesn't always mean bad news either.

Perhaps the agent is spending time getting to know your story, thinking about changes it may need, how it might be pitched, etc.

Since you've already made a few inquiries, and the first one was a bit early, I'd suggest waiting more than a month before making another one. If she's trying to decide whether to make an offer, you don't want to seem like you'd be difficult to work with. This industry moves so slowly, and she needs to know you'll pretend to be patient in the future (waiting for editors to get back to you, etc.)

As the others said, don't stop querying. Write something else. Eat chocolate. Remember your family? Spend some time with them. Try not to spend too much time alternately worrying that this publication thing will never happen and fantasizing about the offer and the subsequent fabulous book deal and the bookstore end-caps displaying your beautiful book . . . OK, so that's what I did. I'm sure you're much more sane than me.

Happy waiting.

funtastic50 said:

Does everyone agree that silence equals rejection? How many times do you prompt an agent before you give up?

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NEVER give up. The very fact that you got a request for a full, puts you in an elite group among the faithful.

Little Bird said:

Sometimes agents will want you to make certain changes to your manuscript, and mine wanted me to know what those were up front. She took the time to look at my manuscript in depth and write up the suggested changes and the reasons for them.

Perhaps the agent is spending time getting to know your story, thinking about changes it may need, how it might be pitched, etc.

Happy waiting.

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I'd love to know, in very general terms, what sort of changes she suggested? Changes to plot? To character? Aesthetic considerations, such descriptions of fashion worn by characters?

I know nothing about how the industry works, but can't help thinking that it should be an editor's job.

This isn't my thread, but my agent requested changes so I can answer this She suggested I change my ending because my stakes didn't escalate any further. Stuff happened, but it didn't matter any more to the protag than what she'd had already been though. So I raised the stakes again and made it much more personal to her. It was totally the right call too. My agent's suggestion was wonderful and the book is better because of it. She also suggested tightening up a few spots here and there and clarifying a few things overall. Pretty minor stuff really.

It is an editor's job, but a lot of agents are hands-on types. The better the book is when they submit it, the better chance they have to sell it. And the more money they can get for it. And trust me, the editor will edit when they get it too You don't get off that easy, LOL.

Hi Rufus.

To follow up further with Danthia's comments, not every agent will request changes. Some agents will only sign authors with highly polished manuscripts that don't require edits before submission. Some agents are eager to work with authors to get a great manuscript out of a good one.

My agent and I discussed the changes he'd like to see happen with the book. Two of them were major--one I had no problem with, but the other I didn't like. We came to a compromise on the changes, and the book is better for it. So remember, even if an agent asks for a change, that doesn't mean it's set in stone.

That's really interesting. For my own work, when I finish the rewrite and give it a polish up (I've already had some feedback which I agree with totally) I will still be happy to make some changes based on an agent or editor's suggestions if the suggestions are about, as said above, raising the stakes or tightening things up a bit. There are changes I wouldn't like to make though, such as the fashions and the presence of werewolves and zeppelins etc.

I suggest you just become an alcoholic. Drinking helps the time go by quicker. Of course, there are some negative side effects, but at least you won't be bored while you wait.

Mel...

funtastic50 said:

Does everyone agree that silence equals rejection? How many times do you prompt an agent before you give up?

An agent requested my full in Feb, I prompted for a response in March, she told me she had to put it down reluctantly to work on something else and would be in touch the following week, she wasn't. I sent her another email in April - and I haven't heard anything back. Should I just forget about her?

I am still querying, flicking those letters out left right and center.

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Wait a minute. You've got a real live agent reading your full, and you're getting antsy? I've had three queries out since February, too -- just queries, mind you -- and haven't gotten a peep in response. And no, none of the agencies say "no reply unless interested."

Nobody likes their chain being jerked around by the industry, and I can understand your impatience. But put it in perspective. Most of us would kill to be in your shoes.

Keep those queries going, and in the meantime count your blessings.

Great that the agent requested your full. If, since your last SQ, it's been at least 4 weeks, I think you should send her a very brief SQ. Meanwhile, just keep querying.

funtastic50 said:

Even though she's had it since Feb? That's three months now.
What'll I do?

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Three months isn't as long as it feels and is not at all atypical. I wouldn't worry yourself.

Redzilla said:

Unless the agent specifies otherwise, I was under the impression that 3 months was the standard minimum, after which you could begin sending status queries. Like many other folks, I've had fulls out for a year or more.

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Where on earth did you get that idea? I've been in this business twenty-plus years and I would say there is no "standard minimum."

Status queries, in my opinion, do nothing but confirm the ms is still with the agent. If you've moved or changed phone numbers or email addresses, it may make sense. Otherwise, I fear asking too often will just get you a quick reject.

Z

Define "too often".
Another agent who posts regularly on this site has said that a polite status query once a month is in order.

So here's my question, in a similar vein.

In June 2008 I sent an email query to an agent. That agent requested the full within 20 minutes. I sent it the very next day, by email.

In July, I saw a post that the agent had had some email issues and I had had some as well, so I resent the full with a "my apologies if you've received this before, but with the email issues, wanted to be sure you had my requested full." No response.

A few months go by, another similar post that the agent had had some internet/computer issues. My own computer had crashed as well. I resent again, with a similar, this is what happened, my apologies if you've received this before, but with the computer issues, didn't want to fall off the radar, here is my requested full.

No response.

I sent a status query in February, and another in April. No response.

I know agents are swamped, and I know this one is as well. But am I wrong to chalk this up to a rejection and move on?

It's not rejected until they say so
Keep sending queries and send an achingly polite status query to this agent once a month