DOES A NO RESPONSE ON MY FULL MEAN IT'S BEING REJECTED?

Aldrey

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How long did the agent who offered you rep have your full? I am dying to know. Four agents have my full. One has had it for 3 months, the next one for two months, the third for 5 weeks, and the 4th for three weeks. All the 'How I got my agent stories' indicate that when an agent is interested, they move fast. I have already given up on these. I believe if I ever hear from them it will be a rejection. I'm sure some won't respond at all. What have others experienced? Thanks for your feedback.
 

Shoeless

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I wouldn't panic just yet. While it's true that there's a new crop of agents that sometimes does actually not respond to full requests, most agents will still respond with some kind of decision, even if it's just a form rejection. Keep in mind that some agents also have a backlog. I know of at least one literary agent who, even when a request is made, may not actually get around to reading the requested materials for months. The time of year can also have an impact on how long reading a manuscript takes since certain months are packed with events that agents may be attending.

I only got offered representation after seven months from my initial query, and it was only at the fifth month that a request for a full was made. So in my case, it took two months from full request to an offer, but others have taken even longer than that, while others have had offers made within days. Everybody's road is different.
 

lizmonster

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I wouldn't panic just yet. While it's true that there's a new crop of agents that sometimes does actually not respond to full requests, most agents will still respond with some kind of decision, even if it's just a form rejection.

Is this new? I feel like this isn't new. I first queried in 2013, and NRs were common then (although most of the agents I queried noted it on their web sites with a timeframe).

Also, Shoeless is right - delays don't mean anything. I can't remember how quickly my former agent requested a partial, but it was months after that before she requested the full, to the point that I'd pretty much written her off. Just because you hear about the insta-request people doesn't mean they're average, or even common. Take heart - it's a long slog, and most of the time delays just mean people haven't reached your query yet.
 

Cyia

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If it's been three months, you can always nudge, if you want to, but no-response-means-no is increasingly common. It was pretty common in 2011, when I first hit the query-go-round, too.
 

Girlsgottawrite

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If these were just queries, I'd say let it go. But for a full, if it's been over 3 months, you should definitely nudge. Things happen, emails get lost or looked over. I would go ahead and send the oldest one an email, but give the others some more time. They may still get to you. :)
Good luck!
 

Aldrey

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Shoeless, thank you for the feedback. The one I'm concerned about is the 3 month full. I don't feel comfortable nudging because I did so twice. I think this one may be a rejection because almost three weeks ago she said it was being read at that very moment that I'd nudged. Nonetheless, I will sit tight. It's difficult.
 

Aldrey

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Lizmonster, thank you for your feedback. I know I need to hang on. I'm trying. To be honest, I've already cried my eyes out, I've already been devastated. I had to do that because it's been too difficult to hang on. I've quiered my novel for nine months. I've been waiting nine months for something to happen, and I'm nearing the end, and I've run out of gas. I've pretty much convinced myself all four will be rejections. I've cried. That way when the rejections roll in it won't hurt, and if I'm lucky to get an offer it'll be a surprise.:cry:
 

Aldrey

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Cyia, I think no response means no also. I did ask 5 week agent if I was still being considered. CRICKETS. Looks like she might be a no or perhaps she hasn't seen my nudge yet.

- - - Updated - - -

Marissa D, I hope you're right!
 

Aldrey

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Girlsgottawrite, thank you for your feedback. I don't feel comfortable nudging the 3 month agent. I've already nudged twice. I think it's a no, because when I nudged three weeks ago, she said it was being read at that moment. If it was currently being read, I don't see it taking three weeks to read a 95K manuscript.
 

Aldrey

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Cyia, I think no response means no also. I did ask 5 week agent if I was still being considered. CRICKETS. Looks like she might be a no or perhaps she hasn't seen my nudge yet.

- - - Updated - - -


 

Putputt

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Lizmonster, thank you for your feedback. I know I need to hang on. I'm trying. To be honest, I've already cried my eyes out, I've already been devastated. I had to do that because it's been too difficult to hang on. I've quiered my novel for nine months. I've been waiting nine months for something to happen, and I'm nearing the end, and I've run out of gas. I've pretty much convinced myself all four will be rejections. I've cried. That way when the rejections roll in it won't hurt, and if I'm lucky to get an offer it'll be a surprise.:cry:

Oof. Querying is tough. Since you're nudged the agents, I wouldn't nudge them again. Work on a New Shiny. It was the only thing that saved my sanity whenever I queried/went on sub.
 

Aldrey

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Putputt, I've already finished the new Shiny! Lol. I don't want to start a third book yet until 1 and 2 or underway. If things don't work out w/1, I plan to enter 2 into pitch wars in July.
 

Anna Spargo-Ryan

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The waiting is hell, but as others have said, most of these are pretty normal wait times (so far). Lots of agents also look at nudges in chronological order, so they might not have got to yours yet. I'd probably tell my heart to let go of the three-month agent, but you just never know.
 

P.K. Torrens

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Aldrey - Having 4 fulls out is a feat itself! Good job :)

Nudge all at 3 months and see what happens (that’s what I heard people do). Puttputt is much more experienced than me so do listen to her. But, I do wonder how many nudges go into the “I’ll answer this email later” pile and later never arrives for the agent.
 

Aldrey

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Thank you P.K. Torrens for your kind words. I will nudge the other 3 @ 3 months. I've already nudged the one at 3 months too much imho.
 

cool pop

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If you nudged the 3 month agent then I wouldn't nudge again because they might put you into the "stalking author" territory and that won't be a flattering representation of your personality. I think one nudge is enough and if they don't get back to you at least a month or two after the nudge then move on.

Unfortunately, some agents won't respond when it's a no. Many agencies don't have the manpower or the time to alert authors concerning rejections.
 
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Thedrellum

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It took two months for my agent to request a full, and another month to offer, but she also does everything pretty much in order of arrival.

If you have the extra funds, joining QueryTracker could set your mind somewhat at ease. They keep stats on the response times of agents, which was helpful to me in querying to let me know whether (in general) I should let go of hopes regarding one agent or another.
 

Dmbeucler

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I have an agent who has had my full since June of last year. Nudge about every 3 months (and not earlier unless they ask you to follow up sooner). Then let it go, write something new and keep going. I'm not writing off my full officially till it's been a year, it could turn into something, but at this point all I can do is focus on the things I have control of, namely my own writing and querying widely.

Best of luck out there.
 

Aldrey

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Thank you, cool pop for your response. I agree. I won't nudge 3 month again. I hope they respond one way or the other. I nudged 5 weeks and it was cricket time. She might be a no. I hope not.
 

Aldrey

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Thank you, Thedrellum. I am a Query Tracker premium member. However, stats are not provided regarding how much time passes bewteen a person getting a full request and then an offer. Sometimes members will mention it, but most times they don't. I find tons of people listing the date of the request for the full and then there's nothing else after months and sometimes years have passed.
 

Aldrey

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Sheryl Nantus, they all requested fulls. I started querying my novel in June 2017. I've been quering for 10 months and during that time I wrote the second standalone novel to my proposed series. I am in the final editing stages of that novel and I do not want to start a third one while I have two novels in limbo. My hope and dream is to be under contract when I write the third book.