Time to Give Full Manuscript Request; Diplomacy

Others will come along with excellent advice, I'm sure, but I say you should never grovel. Be professional at all times, and professional means friendly without fawning.

A friend of mine always sends a stamped and self-addressed postcard with a full submission. This allows the agent or publisher to tick a box saying it reached them. Saves a lot of nail biting because at least you know it got there.

Good luck. I'll be watching the answers here, too.

Four or five weeks is nothing. Unless the agent said differently, after three months I'd send a polite email asking if they received the requested submission. It would be nice if they sent an acknowledgement, and some do, but they're in the minority.

Carmy said:

A friend of mine always sends a stamped and self-addressed postcard with a full submission. This allows the agent or publisher to tick a box saying it reached them.

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The problem with that is if the agent is behind in getting to your ms, they may not get to the postcard either. Or just never get around to sending it. Then you're in the same situation of not being sure if they got it.

The best thing is to send it USPS with delivery confirmation. This doesn't require the agent to do anything, but it lets you at least know the ms arrived.

I would say three months is the minimum for a follow up. Maybe four. Then, an email along the lines of, "I was wondering if you'd had a chance to look at it yet?"

I think what y'all are missing is that Swampy sent the submission by email. In any case, while email will often get you a faster rejection, it's not going to get you a faster acceptance. Not usually.

Swampy, I'd just send an email and/or call, saying roughly the following -- since I sent the MS via email, as requested, I just want to verify that it was received on XX date.

All you're doing then is just making sure that someone there got what THEY requested. You're not being a noodge, you're being professional and making sure.

Julie Worth said:

I think what y'all are missing is that Swampy sent the submission by email.

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Must remember. Read entire thread carefully before opening mouth. (Still, delivery confirmation is the way to go with mailed mss.)

Wait 90 days. 4 1/2 weeks is nothing!

J.

Since an actual agent isn't named here, I think this is more appropriate for the Ask the Agent topic--so I'm moving it there.

- Victoria

Each and every time I email my agent I ask to be notified whether they receive my attachments. They do so unfailingly.
I used to do the same with requested fulls by email. It was good, as once I neglected to add the .doc to the end and they couldn't open it.
Every agents assistant was gracious about sending a quick email to let me know they got it.
I have said this same thing before on posts and I think it's a good idea.
I suggest you write a brief email to verify that they got your full and check if the attachment was able to be opened.
JMHO

Swampy,
Always wait longer than the wait time given to you by the agent. If they say 4 months, you wait 5. Don't e-mail a nudge yet because it may prompt a rejection, trust me on that one. I did it a few weeks ago! The same exact thing! I just wanted to know if my work was received and I mentioned that it was not a nudge but received a rejection quite promptly afterwards, so don't shoot yourself in the foot. Good luck!

Still I think the issue isn't if they liked it, but whether or not they received it in the first place. I like the suggestion from Jeanne, about a very brief email on the subject of receipt, not anything further.

Good! Sometimes it's just that simple.