August is a dead month in publishing?

Depends on where your agent is, I guess...



*referring to other post by OP*

August is "dead" in that I, as an agent, am not sending out new submissions the last couple weeks of August until after labor day. There are just too many people on vacation, it's a pain in the ass to get anything through, and it feels like a "fresh start" in Fall.

That said, I and most other agents are absolutely working -- since the phone isn't ringing off the hook and there are far fewer fires to put out, this is a perfect time for us to read all the stacks of things that have been waiting for attention and basically "clear the decks".

As far as I'm concerned, it really doesn't matter when you send your query. It goes in a line with all the others, and I get to it when I have time to get to it, in the order received. So if you query now, you'll be that much further ahead than if you wait until September. But ultimately, I'll look at everything. *shrug*

I read an article from an agent wherein it states that acquisition meetings pretty much don't happen in August as editors are prepping their fall lineup. It would be interesting to know what happens to the agented manuscripts that are sent at the beginning of summer, as in April or June.

Thanks Jennifer for your insight!!!

If you go on twitter today, agents are putting up their manuscript wish lists #mswl and telling writers what they're looking for. I'm not an agent by far, but it seems that they must be working if they're telling people what they'd like to see in their queries.

Every month is a dead month. If you believe all you read about this subject, you can find some "expert" who will give you a reason not to send out a query during any one of the twelve months. It's all nonsense.

Whether your query gets acted on or not, it's still ahead of those who wait, and publishing is often first come, first served. I've never had an agent who didn't send submissions out during every month of the year, and I've sold things to publishers every month of the year except, I think, March. In fact, August has been the second most productive month I've had for sales. Who knows, maybe this is because no one else is sending editors anything to buy during August.

I don't know an editor who doesn't keep is solid touch when on vacation. They read e-mails, they read submissions, they make phone calls, and do everything else they possibly can.

Seriously, look around and check out all the months you aren't supposed to send out queries or other submissions. If you follow all the advice written by those in the industry, you'll only query on the sixth Thursday of the thirteenth month of the year.

Keep querying. I've had requests through the holiday seasons (Christmas to New Year's) as well as in the summer. As well as any other time in the year.

DanielaTorre said:

I read an article from an agent wherein it states that acquisition meetings pretty much don't happen in August as editors are prepping their fall lineup. It would be interesting to know what happens to the agented manuscripts that are sent at the beginning of summer, as in April or June.

Click to expand...

I went on sub in mid May and my book just sold, in mid July. We heard from each of the eleven editors we subbed to, too, in that time. So the summer is not dead, in my experience!

I wrote a blog post about this many moons ago - and it still holds true: http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2010/11/but-what-about-second-week-of-april.html

Agents ARE working, and signing people up, and going through their slush pile . . . unless they aren't. In which case, they will look when they come back.

I know my agent is working hard right now. When I talked to her last week, she had five mms to read ahead of mine.

For my company, August is a CRAZY month. The Sales and Marketing Departments at Publishers are definitely at work in August, and probably going as mental as we are.

Basically, August is when we go through all the new and upcoming titles for the whole of the fall leading right up to Christmas get a buying plan together for ourselves, get our catalogues distributed and start talking to stores about their plans.

My guess is that acquisitions is quieter because so much of the house focus is on promoting acquired books in the run up to Christmas, and getting books in production ready to go.

Agents must be spending time catching up on queries because I got three rejections in less than 24 hours. I hope I don't get swept overboard while they clear the decks!

I know for publication in literary fiction reviews/journals, it seems most are dead in August and submissions open on Sept. 1 (coinciding with universities being in full swing, no doubt).

My editor just sent a note out asking folks to get their submissions in asap so she could load up her kindle before she left for vacation, so there's also that aspect.

There will also be some business initiated in meetings at several big conventions in the next few months, another reason to get submission materials ready. But that goes for year-round schedules, too.