Would you prefer to know or not know

I'd like to be quietly and conservatively (ie, just the facts, no drama) kept abreast of wheather it's sitting stalled in limbo or if there is any activity at all.

Sure I'd prefer to know, but it ain't gonna happen. The trick for me would be coming up with distractions enough to put my mind elsewhere, most productively, in another bit of writing, I suppose.

But, yes, I have a tendency to pant after the details. In all sorts of situations. It gets me in trouble, so I'm learning to stifle.

I'd like the agent to give me a periodic report, and call or email me whenever there is activity; but no, I don't need to know all the minute details and not every day. I should have complete trust of the agent.

I'd rather worry about my writing on the day-to-day basis.

I wouldn't/didn't want to know.

Getting an agent is not the most nerve-wracking part of the process. That would be when the book is out on submission to publishers. I would be afraid that, if I knew every minute detail of the agent-getting process, that would actually make me more nervous when the time came for my agent to submit (assuming of course that I landed the agent).

For instance, the agent e-mails you and says, "My superior is worried that the book might not be marketable, but I'm still fighting for it." That sounds like an innocuous enough e-mail, right?

Well, flash forward two months and that comment takes on a tremendous weight when you're waiting to hear back from editors.

At first, I asked my agent to send all correspondence from editors, but after too many "close but no cigar" instances, I told him to send me rejections only. This was VERY helpful. Some editors gave my agent feedback which I was able to use when it came time for revision.

Sitting back and waiting for that phone call is pure torture. But the first sting of the first rejection from an editor makes things more realistic. You can then start to plan on the changes you can make to your novel instead of whistling Dixie with hope in your heart.

Good luck!

I want periodic updates with who, what, where, and why. I don't necessarily want the blow by blow or minute by minute update.

My agent gives me a general idea of what's going on but doesn't share the blow-by-blow, which I think works best all around.

I would fall gently asleep each night, at one with the idea that someone else was now handling things. Agent.

What a pleasant dream!

I usually just get PDFs of rejection letters. I figure she's doing her job so I can do mine. I usually check in when I'm sending a new book idea or proposal and we go from there.

My agent doesn't tell me anything unless I ask. I don't know how I feel about that.

I'd rather know a little, but not a lot. I'd like to know that the book's out at X number of places, and what a few of them are. That kind of thing is nice to roll around in my head, a couple of tangibles. Only when the rejections or offers come in would I want more specifics.

I actually would like to know every tiny detail, but that's out of curiosity and not a need to hover over my book.

A part of me would want to know every tiny detail. I have the same problem as Perks.

As long as I'm not left in the dark I'll be happy though. So maybe an email or something once every one or two weeks.

Meerkat said:

I would fall gently asleep each night, at one with the idea that someone else was now handling things. Agent.

What a pleasant dream!

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I'd have to agree with that! You've done the hard work, now sit back and try to relax!

I would prefer to have an agent at all.

Of course this would mean I have something to send them.

Will Lavender said:

Getting an agent is not the most nerve-wracking part of the process. That would be when the book is out on submission to publishers.

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Oh my God. You ain't kiddin'...

This is freaking torture. I am so so so sorry to sound like I'm whining when I do have an agent, and I should be grateful damn it children are starving in third world countries right now what's WRONG with me...

I digress. I'm absolutely thrilled with my agent. She's fantastic. She keeps me updated on who has the manuscript, what they say about it, all that jazz. I am elated.

And at the same time, I want to claw my eyes out. Argh! It's summer, editors are taking vacations, things take longer to get moving. We had a great start, editors loving the manuscript but unable to take it on, because *gasp* IT'S YA and I didn't mean to write YA, it just sorta happened. So all the first-round submission editors have wonderful glowing reactions to a book they can't buy. *SOB!*

Today is the 4th of July. It's a holiday. No one is reading manuscripts today. Every single day since I officially went on submission is soooooo looooooooong...

Yes, I am writing the next book.

What was the OP again? Oh yeah. I'd rather know. Despite the agony of waiting, I would definitely rather know the essentials: who-what-why. This would be unbearable if my agent weren't so friendly and informative.

I'm going to go stick pins under my fingernails now. It's less painful than waiting...

I would rather know what's going on. The more info, the better.

Editor

popmuze said:

I'm convinced my last agent sent my novel out to a couple of places without having read it. I'm also convinced my last editor never read my manuscript before it was published. Unfortunately, I never confronted either of them at the time. It seemed like an embarrassing question. I'm with a new agent now and that editor is out of the business. But I still have trouble asking the appropriate question at the appropriate time.

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Didn't you receive a copyedited manuscript from the editor? I don' even know of a small publisher than doesn't do this.