Responding to an R&R

ink wench · Feb 1, 2011

I'm coming down the revision homestretch for an R&R, and it's occurred to me that I don't know the etiquette for re-contacting the agent. A few questions...

1) Do I reply to the last email the agent sent so that she has her comments to me for reference, or do I send a new email?

2) If I send a new email, is it basically a query again with just a reminder about the R&R?

3) Should I take the time to explain the revisions I've made so she knows I've addressed her issues, or do I just say I made changes?

4) I assume I shouldn't attach the MS until she tells me she'd still like to see the new version. Unless I'm wrong?

Thanks!

stormie · Feb 1, 2011

If she made the suggestions and asked you to resubmit, respond using her original email and mention you made the revisions (no need to go into detail), and with the ms. as an attachment.

charmingbillie · Feb 1, 2011

I would also vote for replying to the original email. You'll save them having to look it up.

This wasn't for an R&R, but when I did my revisions for my agent, I did send her a very brief summary of the major changes or major places I changed things. I figure it doesn't hurt and it may help if they're going to take a quick look before they read through more carefully. And it's communication! How can that be bad?

ink wench · Feb 1, 2011

Thank you, both!

CB, I sort of remember reading one agent's blog post about how she likes to see what you revised spelled out, but I can't remember exactly. So I might err on the side of caution there, especially since it's only the second half of the MS that's drastically changed.

stormie said:
If she made the suggestions and asked you to resubmit, respond using her original email and mention you made the revisions (no need to go into detail), and with the ms. as an attachment.

Well, it was more of a "if you revise, I'll take a second look."

And her comments made so much sense that I stopped querying so I could address them.

stormie · Feb 1, 2011

Best of luck

Becca C. · Feb 1, 2011

I'm basically in the same boat, but it was more of a "I want to ask you to work exclusively with me but that's not fair but please let me see it again pleeease?" kind of situation xD There wasn't just one email between me and this agent, though, there were a bunch, so I figure I will just start a new one when the time comes to contact her again.

Toothpaste · Feb 1, 2011

If there's already an email thread, that's the best to answer to. It reminds the agent of the context of your submission, and it shows you were sane enough that she felt safe to have a back and forth with you (

).

I tend to send a little bit of explanation about my changes in any revision request, especially if I took the spirit of the suggestion as opposed to doing literally what was asked of me. But don't go into too much detail. Don't cite page numbers. It's more of a:

So you asked me to add more dragonflies, and what I decided to do was actually beef up the secondary dragonfly character and put him in more scenes. I think this really works because you still get a sense of dragonfly culture without confusing the reader with suddenly a whole bunch of new characters.

That kind of thing.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 1, 2011

Honestly, it's usually best to just write a new e-mail saying you've made the requested changes. As an editor, and as a writer, I've found it best not to remind anyone of the exact list of changes they requested. Instead of simply reading the new version based on quality, the temptation is to read it while comparing everything to the list of asked for changes.

stormie · Feb 1, 2011

Jamesaritchie said:
Honestly, it's usually best to just write a new e-mail saying you've made the requested changes.

Oh, geez. And here I was the other day agreeing with you on that rare occasion and being all happy inside.

Seriously, I do disagree on the new email. Agents are busy. The best way is to respond to the original email with the responding message at the top. This way it's proof of that agent requesting/suggesting a rewrite and resubmittal.

But wait--I do agree that the complete list of suggestions don't have to be listed. (It'd be in the original email anyway.)

ink wench · Feb 1, 2011

Toothpaste said:
If there's already an email thread, that's the best to answer to. It reminds the agent of the context of your submission, and it shows you were sane enough that she felt safe to have a back and forth with you ( ).

But seriously, thanks!

stormie said:
Seriously, I do disagree on the new email. Agents are busy. The best way is to respond to the original email with the responding message at the top. This way it's proof of that agent requesting/suggesting a rewrite and resubmittal.

But wait--I do agree that the complete list of suggestions don't have to be listed. (It'd be in the original email anyway.)

Yeah, this makes sense to me. Thanks again.

Becca C. · Feb 1, 2011

I'm glad I've read this, sending in the thread of the old email does make sense. What if there were a couple attachments in the past, that won't matter, will it? If I don't attach anything it shouldn't show that little paperclip, will it?

Kristoff · Feb 2, 2011

Becca C. said:
I'm glad I've read this, sending in the thread of the old email does make sense. What if there were a couple attachments in the past, that won't matter, will it? If I don't attach anything it shouldn't show that little paperclip, will it?

Nope, it won't show up.

But won't you be attaching your R&R?

IHeartWriting · Feb 2, 2011

Don't forget that you can tweak your subject line while staying with the thread. I've had agents specify changing the subject line when resubbing. Something like "requested resubmission -- title" will stand out from all those that say "query -- title".

Good luck!

ink wench · Feb 3, 2011

Iheart, good point! Hadn't thought about that, but yeah... makes sense.

So you should go ahead and attach the MS, huh? I figured I'd need to ask if she still wanted to see it. Because, you know, now that she's had time to think about it she's probably wondering what in the world she was thinking when she said she'd take another look at my crappy story, or she's signed someone with something similar but way better in the meantime, or the one editor she thought might like it just died....

Don't mind me. This is just how my mind works. But really, just attaching it without asking again seems presumptuous.

stormie · Feb 3, 2011

IHeartWriting said:
Don't forget that you can tweak your subject line while staying with the thread. I've had agents specify changing the subject line when resubbing. Something like "requested resubmission -- title" will stand out from all those that say "query -- title".

Such a little matter that means so much. Yes. Change the subject line, so that when she sees the email listed among all the others, yours she right away knows was requested/ revised material.

Toothpaste · Feb 3, 2011

Here's agent Jessica Faust explaining why she prefers people to respond to an email thread rather than send a new email. Granted she's only one person, but her reasoning is the same as that which I offered and in general is pretty sound to the point that I think probably many other agents would agree: http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2011/02/email-thread.html

(in fact this blog post is so timely, I have to wonder if this thread maybe inspired her to write it)

Anne Lyle · Feb 3, 2011

I went the "reply to email but with no attachment" route, because the agent hadn't asked outright for the ms, just said to get back in touch when I'd finished it (I was doing an R&R for an editor). My feeling was that a full ms is a big file, and I didn't want it to disappear into a spam filter!

Responding to an R&R

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

stormie

storm central

charmingbillie

Are we there yet?

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

stormie

storm central

Becca C.

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Jamesaritchie

stormie

storm central

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

Becca C.

Kristoff

IHeartWriting

Lurking in the shadows

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine

stormie

storm central

Toothpaste

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Anne Lyle

Fantastic historian