Partial-to-Full Ratio?

Okay, pulled out some stats,

Book One- Version One:

Queries: 113

Partial Requests from query: 13
Full Requests from Query: 2

Full requests from Partial: 2

Fulls still under consideration:3

Book Two:

Queries: 56

Partials Requested from Query: 14
Fulls Requested from Query: 2

Fulls Requested from Partial: 1 (so far)

Conclusion? Book Two had a better query, but Book One had better sample chapters.

For whatever the hell that is worth.

Maprilynne

1. First year 20 queries no requests for partials or fulls.
2.rewrite
3. second year Book one: 30 queries. 6 requests for fulls - (I always included the first 5 pages of my manuscript so all my requests were for fulls - no partials)
4. did not query book 2
5.book three 10 queries - four requests for full one request for partial - two offers of representation (not on partial)
As I said in another post when agents are excited by a novel premise they by-pass the partial.
IMO these kind of questions are fruitless information. Requests for fulls and partials depend on the strength of your writing, your genre, the kind of research that you do on the agents you query. Lots of things.
There is no "average."
There is no point at which it becomes more likely that you will obtain representation because of the number of queries/partials/fulls you have sent out.

Pisarz said:

On average, how frequently should a partial turn into a full? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts as based on either personal experience or statistics that may be floating out there. I have no idea what the norm is

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The answer is: it depends. Obviously if your query is poorly written and your idea is cliche and weak, then a person may never get any requests. But if everything is fabulous...well, you know.

My own personal stats for my first book: 24 queries, 6 requests for partials, 6 requests for fulls. Two offers of representation. I got the second just a day or so after I signed on with my current agent. (Yes, I withdrew my ms, but we sort of passed each other)

I never heard a thing back from two of the queries.

So, it really depends. There is no "norm"

More relevant is from the agent's perspective. Of the fulls and partials they read, what percentage do they offer to rep? I believe it's a pretty low percentage, but don't know for sure.

This year my stats are as follows:
45 queries
13 requests for full
9 requests for partial
1 request for synopsis
2 partials requested full
15 no response to query

8 still reading....

Pisarz said:

I don't expect every partial to turn into a full, but it does help to get a sense of what's par for the course and what's a screaming siren telling me to plunge back into heavy revisions because what I have is substandard.

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That is the only "Give me stats" reasoning that I have had any respect for. We talk about sending out ten queries and if you get no requests, the query needs help. I just had never taken it to the next step that if you have ten partials and no further ites, the partial needs help.

You run out of agents kind of fast that way though.

Maprilynne