When an Agent Updates You

Undercover

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I received a full request late June (When I queried in April) and expected to wait forever like usual, and if I didn't hear from them, nudge at the 3 month mark.

Well the agency showed their enthusiasm after about 2 weeks, updating me that they were still reviewing it (which was great to hear) then 8 days later, a specific agent said, again, they were all reviewing it and will get back to me. So here I am getting more and more excited because of these two updates. It sounded like they were all passing it around within the agency. But now it's going on 3 weeks. (which isn't long at all) but the updates got me in a dither.

Rarely have I ever had an agent update me. And never had I had an agent update me twice. I was feeling really hopeful. But now it's getting into 3 and 4 weeks. I was thinking of nudging her after a month has gone by if I don't hear back. Would that be a good time? Or should I just let it go longer? Is it a good sign that the agent is updating me like this? Or is that a common thing when a full is pending?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I just wish I wasn't so psyched up for this one. I'm feeling like a rejection will be hard to take on this one. The only other thing I can hope for is an R&R.
 
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Thedrellum

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First of all, congratulations, Undercover!

Man is it exciting/frustrating to be almost there with an agent. In your shoes, I'd probably check-in at the month mark. You're not going to alienate them with a short note if they're interested in your book.

However, I think the best advice would be just to focus on writing something new and continuing to query the manuscript to other agents. Receiving updates on your novel is nice (and stressful) but nothing really matters until you receive an offer or an R&R, and no action on your part is likely to spur them to read/decide quicker.

Best of luck with both the novel and the waiting.
 

Treehouseman

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I'm really interested in answers to this thread.

I've had two different agents update (without prompting) me that they were reading my full manuscripts this week. I'm wondering if this should mean anything? Like Undercover, this is unusual, although I had another one last year send a form "we're behind" at the three-month mark of a full.
 

Captcha

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I don't think I've heard of this happening... it certainly never happened to me!

It's got to be a good thing, right? I mean, maybe not GREAT, but they're interested enough to be keeping you in the loop and letting you know about their progress.

Weird that it's happening with different agents at the same time - wonder if there was some sort of agent seminar that gave them the idea?
 

Undercover

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Thanks guys. I think I'll just wait the one month mark if I don't hear back.
I appreciate the comments.
 

JanetReid

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I love this! We get hammered for no communication, and now hammered for too much! Oy!

I tend to update the writers who have requested fulls with me. I do this cause I know that waiting just sux, and knowing I'm not dead, nor fled, can be reassuring. "Can be" not "IS" of course.

Read no more in to these emails than the agent is still alive and still interested. Don't expect a reply soon. If at all possible, quit fretting (yea, right, ok, how about just fret less!) and start work on the next book.
 

Sage

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Cheering you all on!
I really thought I had posted in this thread, huh.

Well, the gist of my post was that for your sanity's sake, don't read anything into any response until you have a rejection, offer, or R&R. They could be letting you know that they have it (I've gotten "I got it!" emails weeks after I sent a full) or they could have started but then life or work got in the way or they could be considering an R&R or any number of things. Trying to second guess them will make you crazy.

Right now what you have is no news. It's not good news, but it's not bad news. It's no news.