Uploading multiple versions of a full

[Diospyros kaki]

So, an agent has had my full manuscript for about 5 months. She was only open a short time and requested a ton of full manuscripts during that time, so I don't have high hopes, but she is sllllloooowwwlly working her way through them according to the data on query tracker.

After about 3 months, I'd gotten some nice feedback from a very helpful new beta reader and uploaded a new version (this doesn't require actual contact, since it's through query manager).

Now I kinda want to do that again. But will uploading multiple versions look unprofessional? They haven't been big changes, but, as much as I can get objective distance, I do think there have been improvements and obviously I want her to read the best version.

 

[Maryn]

I suspect it will seem like you queried too early, and that's going to look unprofessional. In your situation, I might continue to revise the manuscript to make it better, but allow the agent to make their decision on the one I uploaded.

For future reference, it's strongly advised you complete all beta reads, revisions, etc. before you query or sub. Once you have, turn your attention away from that book and start another. If you get a brilliant idea about improving the book you already queried, jot it down, but don't revise it just yet. Keep working on the new book.

Only when/if the queried book has no takers should you change it. (And of course you create a new document for it, not overwriting the version you queried.)

Maryn, who's done extensive critique only to have the author inform me they rewrote it completely

 

[Diospyros kaki]

I suspect it will seem like you queried too early, and that's going to look unprofessional. In your situation, I might continue to revise the manuscript to make it better, but allow the agent to make their decision on the one I uploaded.

For future reference, it's strongly advised you complete all beta reads, revisions, etc. before you query or sub. Once you have, turn your attention away from that book and start another. If you get a brilliant idea about improving the book you already queried, jot it down, but don't revise it just yet. Keep working on the new book.

Only when/if the queried book has no takers should you change it. (And of course you create a new document for it, not overwriting the version you queried.)

Maryn, who's done extensive critique only to have the author inform me they rewrote it completely

Yeah. These are not extensive revisions. But you've confirmed for me that any benefits to improvement on the manuscript (Oh no, somewhere deep in the manuscript two nearly consecutive paragraphs begin with the same word!) would be outweighed by the optics of the situation.

I don't really think it's possible to "finish" a manuscript, but I also need to intentionally stop tweaking so I don't drive myself batty like this.

 

[anaemic_mind]

I haven't even got to the querying stage yet but happened to watch a video yesterday that touched on this issue.

 

[Maryn]

There's definitely a point where you are changing your "finished" book but not improving it. Been there, done it--more than once, too.

Maryn, older and slightly wiser

 

[Fuchsia Groan]

I’m not an agent, but I review books, including some self-published books by local authors. One time, just as I was finishing my review blurb, the author sent me an updated copy of her already-published book! I had to recheck everything just in case the text had changed. I wasn’t happy.

So my feeling is, it usually makes more work for the person at the other end without making a significant difference in that person’s overall view of the ms. An agent will be able to tell if a story is working for them even if it has a few errors here and there.