How long do I wait before I let myself get depressed?

What do you mean? It's ALWAYS a good time to get depressed! Why let that bottle of Jack languish unopened in the desk drawer!? Can't you hear him calling you? "jaaaaaneettt.... jaaaanet..."

But seriously-- just keep sendin em out. Buy those vouchers. Believe in yourself.

It's the ones you hear back from that claim to be interested-- it's bound to happen sooner or later-- that you can allow yourself to lose sleep over, not the ones you query in vain. Likely you'll query and re-query many times before someone bites.

Assume no one is interested (for sanity's sake!) and go write your next book. Then send out queries on the next book. Then write some more. They don't call it wash, rinse, and repeat for nothing.

I have found it helpful to research the agents thoroughly, especially by googling. You can find out a lot of info regarding what they're up to (conferences, working for their clients, etc.). It helps me gain a perspective on why it is I'm waiting so long (two months and counting, Rachel Vater!).

I've been submitting e-mail and snail mail queries for my novel since mid June. The response time in the summer was fantastic, just a couple of days for the e-mail queries, not more than two weeks for the snail mail queries.

But by mid September things came to a halt, with only a few replies from both formats finally trickling in now Yet, everything I've sent out just since the first of this month is getting almost immediate responses for e-mail, and I'm already hearing back from snail mail queries sent out just last week.

This is exactly the opposite of what I would have expected--summer and the holiday season slowing down. Perhaps that's what everyone thinks and it's best to be contrary

Don't get depressed, it'll slow you down--hinder your odds of connecting with the right agent. Strike a balance between moving on to a new project and continuing to send out a steady flow of queries.

Hang in there

Janet-
Put all that depression into your next book. I didn't get represented until book number 3!
Hang in there.

Janet, keep trying...Remember it only takes one person... kimmi

Buy stamps not IRCs - seriously, agents hate them. Someone has to go and stand in line at a post office to use them and this may contribute to long response times.

waylander said:

Buy stamps not IRCs - seriously, agents hate them. Someone has to go and stand in line at a post office to use them and this may contribute to long response tiems.

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It depends on whether you're submitting to American agents from inside America or outside America. From inside America - go stamps all the way. From outside America - stamps may or may not work, depending on what kind of stamps you buy and where you are mailing from.

Well, according to Tom C., you are not to allow yourself to get to that point...and what ever you do, don't take any meds for it.

Oh well. It was a thought.

jamiehall said:

It depends on whether you're submitting to American agents from inside America or outside America. From inside America - go stamps all the way. From outside America - stamps may or may not work, depending on what kind of stamps you buy and where you are mailing from.

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You can buy US stamps from the US postal service website, and UK stamps from the Royal Mail website. Simple.

I remember decades ago, a Toronto Star reporter wanted to find out if the stamps you use make a difference. So he put proper stamps on some envelopes, Green Shield stamps (remember them?) on others, and I believe, drew a picture of the Queen on other envelopes. Most of the mail got through. Not that I'm saying "try this at home", I just thought it was funny.

Sandi LeFaucheur said:

You can buy US stamps from the US postal service website, and UK stamps from the Royal Mail website. Simple.

I remember decades ago, a Toronto Star reporter wanted to find out if the stamps you use make a difference. So he put proper stamps on some envelopes, Green Shield stamps (remember them?) on others, and I believe, drew a picture of the Queen on other envelopes. Most of the mail got through. Not that I'm saying "try this at home", I just thought it was funny.

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Good idea. Next time I'll just draw a picture of George W Bush on my SASE. That should work!

It really is a numbers game, so the longer you stick it out, the better your chances! Don't get depressed, get more motivated to work harder! As JAlpha said, it slows you down, which is no help at all. You can do it!

Kristen

It took me about two years, two and a half manuscripts and about a hundred queries to start getting depressed.

But it's not all depression, all the time. The first request for a partial came after eighteen months and revised queries. I was elated for about a week. Then the rejection came.

Then, an agent I had queried finally replied after a year. She requested the partial. I was giddy. Then she rejected it. I was depressed.

I'm waiting for the next giddy session.

Take some solace in the fact that you are doing everything you can by putting your best efforts on paper and submitting them. It is a buyers' market, so many works worthy of publication are ignored. Not your fault! Keep submitting!!!!!