Can anyone shed some insight on my situation? I recently had a very big agent request my full manuscript. After reviewing it for just over a month, he contacted me through email to say he thought my book was very well written and that he had read the entire thing in one sitting. He said if it was still available he'd be happy to discuss representation. I was so ecstatic, I nearly passed out! I wrote him back immediately saying I would love to talk about representation and asked him to tell me how we should proceed from there. When he didn't respond, I was anxious, and over the next two days, I heard nothing. On the third day, I called him and he sounded startled and a little put off. He explained that he was right in the middle of negotiating for one of his clients and promised to call me the next day. He didn't. He did, however, send me a brief email asking me to tell him a little more about myself and my writing career, which I did, though after emailing him back that day I still haven't heard anything and it's been almost a week. To make matters more confusing, a few days ago, I received my manuscript back from him in the mail (in the prepaid SASE I had sent with my novel when he requested it). The package was postmarked from the day before he'd emailed me asking for more details on my writing career, so I don't think he'd had a change of heart. It's hard to tell though because there aren't any notes or markings on the manuscript to indicate why he sent it back. So, here I was a week and a half ago thinking I'd landed a top agent to sell my new book, and today, I don't know what's going on. But after calling and emailing with no response, I am nervous to follow up or ask any questions for fear of seeming like an inexperienced, pushy, and/or needy author and ruining the whole thing before it starts! Any insights or suggestions?
This one boggles me a bit. First time I've heard of such a case. It is unusual, for sure. This agent acted normally up until the time he mailed you BACK your manuscript, with no notations or suggestions for rewrite. This is after he expressed interest in you (twice). Why wouldn't he keep it if he'd been pursuing you as a client? Doesn't make sense. If he liked the book, he has nothing to go on now, since he's given it back.
In the timeframe of your email and phone contact back and forth with him, is it possible that you came off too pretentious or forceful? Though you seem to be aware of going "easy does it", via your own admission, could you have left some type of a bad impression?
Next question: Who is this big agent? You might have clients here that know of him, or are repped by him. They might possibly know his habits and system for doing things. Then again, an assistant might have inadvertantly mailed the book back to you without his knowledge.
Hope you work this out.
Tri
In the timeframe of your email and phone contact back and forth with him, is it possible that you came off too pretentious or forceful? Though you seem to be aware of going "easy does it", via your own admission, could you have left some type of a bad impression?
Next question: Who is this big agent? You might have clients here that know of him, or are repped by him. They might possibly know his habits and system for doing things. Then again, an assistant might have inadvertantly mailed the book back to you without his knowledge.
Hope you work this out.
Tri
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Relax.
This process takes time. It is not unusual for an agent to say they will call and then take a few days. Take some time and write out a "resume" stating your goals, what other works you have and email this to him. If you are working with a big agent the down side is that you will have to stand in line for his time a bit and relax.
I got my manuscript back with a few notes and an editorial letter. It took me 4 months to get my contract with my agent-- and another two months before my novel went on submission.That being said my book sold in a week at auction.
My point with this is that you have to sit back and relax. Wait for this agent to reply to your emails. (in your subject line make sure you put RE: NOVEL NAME. Do not continue to email and call if you do not get immediate response. As a client whose book is in production I have more pressing needs than a new client. Stuff happens.
One of the first questions I asked was how often and what type of communication did my agent prefer.
Sit back and list questions that you have and email them all at once rather than "pester" one at a time.
This process takes time. It is not unusual for an agent to say they will call and then take a few days. Take some time and write out a "resume" stating your goals, what other works you have and email this to him. If you are working with a big agent the down side is that you will have to stand in line for his time a bit and relax.
I got my manuscript back with a few notes and an editorial letter. It took me 4 months to get my contract with my agent-- and another two months before my novel went on submission.That being said my book sold in a week at auction.
My point with this is that you have to sit back and relax. Wait for this agent to reply to your emails. (in your subject line make sure you put RE: NOVEL NAME. Do not continue to email and call if you do not get immediate response. As a client whose book is in production I have more pressing needs than a new client. Stuff happens.
One of the first questions I asked was how often and what type of communication did my agent prefer.
Sit back and list questions that you have and email them all at once rather than "pester" one at a time.
It does seem a little bit odd to me. Busy or not, if he tells you he will "call you tomorrow," then he should. I agree with Orion that you don't want to pester him, but I also think you have a right to be wondering what happened. I don't think you did anything wrong, so just sit tight for a couple more days, and let's hope he gets back to you.
Fingers crossed, g-bug!
Fingers crossed, g-bug!
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True, but isn't it more common for an agent who is interested in talking to you to set up a definite time by email? Such as, "Does Thursday at three your time work for you?"
I do agree with Orion, however. If the agent is interested, you will be contacted. If for some reason there's been a change of heart, no amount of calling or emailing will change that. And you don't want to put someone off by being too forceful. I know it's hard, but sit tight.
Doesn't sound strange to me. Every time I talk to an agent, they quickly figure out I'm an idiot.
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Hm, I think Orion's nailed right on the nose.
This may be the most important part of our writing careers, but it's just another day at the office for the agent.
Give it two weeks, I'd say, then drop an e-mail.
and RELAX.
I repeat two things over and over again every time I start to get over-excited. "If you want to be a pro, try to act like one." and "If you get into the end zone, don't act like it's your first time." (that second one is Tom Landry, for you football fans.)
Just relax, take a breath, and have some patience. If it was you in the middle of negotiations, you'd want your agent to put other things on hold for a little while, wouldn't you?
This may be the most important part of our writing careers, but it's just another day at the office for the agent.
Give it two weeks, I'd say, then drop an e-mail.
and RELAX.
I repeat two things over and over again every time I start to get over-excited. "If you want to be a pro, try to act like one." and "If you get into the end zone, don't act like it's your first time." (that second one is Tom Landry, for you football fans.)
Just relax, take a breath, and have some patience. If it was you in the middle of negotiations, you'd want your agent to put other things on hold for a little while, wouldn't you?
I can only imagine how nerve wracking this is for you, g-bug, but along with the others, I advise holding off contacting the agent again for a few weeks at least.
I second that - I would give it a few weeks. If they read the whole in thing in one sitting that's good. Trust me an agent won't tell you they love it if they don't. They don't tend to be wishy-washy. I'm a children's book writer, so I don't know how long an agent takes when deciding on a novel. If it all falls thru rest assured fate is just holding out for Mr. Right Agent . . . I know the nervous feeling of course . . .and it goes away when that top agent calls and says "Let's do this!"
I never thought I'd have the agent I have. Being beside so many big fish famous names makes me feel like an unimportant guppy! Althought my agent doesn't treat me that way - I know they have a lot more needs than I do. These things can take time. Closing deals is stressful on the agent I'm sure - so perhaps he just forgot to include the letter. Sometimes they simpy return them and send an email response later on.
I never thought I'd have the agent I have. Being beside so many big fish famous names makes me feel like an unimportant guppy! Althought my agent doesn't treat me that way - I know they have a lot more needs than I do. These things can take time. Closing deals is stressful on the agent I'm sure - so perhaps he just forgot to include the letter. Sometimes they simpy return them and send an email response later on.
Agent
The odd part is that he returned the manuscript. In thirty years, I've never known an agent to return a manuscript he wanted to represent, unless it was accompanied by long, detailed explanations of what he wanted changed.
This is just not normal. I'd get the guy on the phone. Be polite, but he's returned your manuscript, and you need to know why.
The odd part is that he returned the manuscript. In thirty years, I've never known an agent to return a manuscript he wanted to represent, unless it was accompanied by long, detailed explanations of what he wanted changed.
This is just not normal. I'd get the guy on the phone. Be polite, but he's returned your manuscript, and you need to know why.
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What are the possibilities that he contacted the wrong author? Manuscript confusion? Maybe he mixed up the email addresses and now realized his error and is just avoiding dealing with the embarrassment.
Does it happen?
Does it happen?
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G-Bug only posted one time on AW, to ask this question. Just another one-shot wonder. Sometimes I wonder in cases like that if the content of the post is true, or just someone off their meds.