If you submit and a successful agent contacts you the next day and then within three days has you under contract, that is a good thing. Then the agent sends you copious notes, also good. However, due to inexperience or ignorance, you turn out the changes overnight and FedEx a new manuscript back to the agent a day later. By the time a month has passed from the original submission, you have FedExed three "new" versions of the manuscript and your agent is exhausted. A year later, nothing has happened with the book and you part ways. So, I did that.
It is now twelve years later. In that time I have written three textbooks, a memoir, 5 scientific journal articles, and one monograph. All of these are published. One last thing: I earned a doctoral degree from Kings College London. The point is, things have changed. I have more writing experience now and have a better idea how to work with reviewers.
I have also written or started to write a number of books. Two of these are complete novels, and two others are non-fiction proposals. I have submitted three of these without encouraging results. The fourth, I am just starting to send out today. It is evident that people engaged in any kind of work can improve their skills with practice. Therefore, lack of response at one stage of one's career should not deter further attempts. And this brings me to my question.
As I go through agent bios in a search for the right agents to query, I have run across the agent who actually had me under contract twelve years ago. She still looks like the right agent, though there are others who appear to be just as appropriate or even more so. Do I send to her? Or does the failure of the first book taint all hope of future collaboration? My impression is that I shouldn't. Therefore, I won't submit to this agent unless an agent on this forum sees this and tells me it is not an issue.
AP
It is now twelve years later. In that time I have written three textbooks, a memoir, 5 scientific journal articles, and one monograph. All of these are published. One last thing: I earned a doctoral degree from Kings College London. The point is, things have changed. I have more writing experience now and have a better idea how to work with reviewers.
I have also written or started to write a number of books. Two of these are complete novels, and two others are non-fiction proposals. I have submitted three of these without encouraging results. The fourth, I am just starting to send out today. It is evident that people engaged in any kind of work can improve their skills with practice. Therefore, lack of response at one stage of one's career should not deter further attempts. And this brings me to my question.
As I go through agent bios in a search for the right agents to query, I have run across the agent who actually had me under contract twelve years ago. She still looks like the right agent, though there are others who appear to be just as appropriate or even more so. Do I send to her? Or does the failure of the first book taint all hope of future collaboration? My impression is that I shouldn't. Therefore, I won't submit to this agent unless an agent on this forum sees this and tells me it is not an issue.
AP
