Help Please! Advice needed: waiting for publisher's response

[Barbara]

Does anyone have any thoughts/experience on how long we should wait before we politely 'chase' a publisher who has asked to see our MS? I know they're big and busy, but is following up acceptable, or is it frowned upon? It hasn't been that long yet, but my inner impatient gremlin is wondering.

Also, since sending it, I've made a fairly important change in the first and second chapters; a change which I feel was essential for the development of the two main protagonists and their relationship. Do I resend the MS, or will that make them hiss at me in disgust?

Any thoughts, anyone? As a new-ish writer, I haven't dealt with publishers, hence don't know what the protocol is.

 

[Rich.]

Hi Barbara, I don't know about publishers, but I can tell you about agents – which I imagine is similar. Some of them tell you on their websites how long you can expect to wait before receiving a response. In these cases, where they hadn't responded within their published times, I gave them six extra weeks before prodding. In every case like this, prodding achieved precisely nothing.

In cases where no response times were indicated, I gave them three months before prodding. In every case like this, prodding achieved precisely nothing.

In one case, after an agent had called for the full manuscript, I prodded after three months and received a reply the same day. I was happily gobsmacked.

There were plenty of other cases where agents gave an indication of their response time and replied within those times. It's not all doom and gloom. But it is a painfully slow process (I received a rejection just the other day – eight months after the pitch).

The best advice I was given during my first (and only) submissions experience was this: forget about it, move on, write something else, stop hitting refresh on your email.

I found it utterly impossible to heed this advice. But once I get to submission process number two, armed with the much thicker skin from process one, I will.

As for your changes, I imagine resending would make them hiss. But that's just my opinion. Please don't take it as gospel.

Now, forget about it, move on, write something else, stop hitting refresh on your email.

 

[Carol Rose]

@Rich's advice is spot on. I would not resend. That makes it look as if you weren't ready in the first place. Write the next one, or send out the revised one to other publishers/agents, and then move on.

 

[Barbara]

Hi Barbara, I don't know about publishers, but I can tell you about agents – which I imagine is similar. Some of them tell you on their websites how long you can expect to wait before receiving a response. In these cases, where they hadn't responded within their published times, I gave them six extra weeks before prodding. In every case like this, prodding achieved precisely nothing.

In cases where no response times were indicated, I gave them three months before prodding. In every case like this, prodding achieved precisely nothing.

In one case, after an agent had called for the full manuscript, I prodded after three months and received a reply the same day. I was happily gobsmacked.

There were plenty of other cases where agents gave an indication of their response time and replied within those times. It's not all doom and gloom. But it is a painfully slow process (I received a rejection just the other day – eight months after the pitch).

The best advice I was given during my first (and only) submissions experience was this: forget about it, move on, write something else, stop hitting refresh on your email.

I found it utterly impossible to heed this advice. But once I get to submission process number two, armed with the much thicker skin from process one, I will.

As for your changes, I imagine resending would make them hiss. But that's just my opinion. Please don't take it as gospel.

Now, forget about it, move on, write something else, stop hitting refresh on your email.

Thank you, Rich. It's good to hear a voice of reason. We need one every now and then. I find rejection easy, the 'not knowing' less so, but yes, you're right when you say move on. This submitting business is all fairly new to me. The reason I was unsure is that there was nothing on their website about waiting times. They're actually closed for submissions but I took a punt with a 'cheeky' email, and was told to send my MS to them, hence I don't know what the 'protocol' is. That's also why I don't want to tread on their toes! It feels fragile, if that makes sense. But, yes, you're right. I've started novel number two as well as number three. That'll keep me busy. By the way, I'm just reading through your Haika. I have the day off so I should be able to get something back to you by this evening.

 

[Barbara]

@Rich's advice is spot on. I would not resend. That makes it look as if you weren't ready in the first place. Write the next one, or send out the revised one to other publishers/agents, and then move on.

Thank you Carol. I will do just that. Like I said to Rich just now: I'm new to this submitting business. So thank you. It's great to get input from more experienced people.