Help! How to handle an odd situation with a query

[Lex Black]

Hey, everyone.

So, a situation I've been wrestling with: an agent I submitted to in late 2022 got back to me early last year. "I am interested, but I'm changing agencies, please resubmit to me over there" sums up their response.

Fantastic! I resubmitted, making sure to include a note of "Hey, I'm the one you outright asked to send this again" in hopes of avoiding the slush pile.

...that was in March of last year. I've had no word since then, but my submission on Query Tracker shows no decision made as yet.

I'm at a loss here. Should I send a polite follow-up to this person as a reminder/request for updates? Or just trust that they're a working professional who has also changed agencies in the past year and they will get to me when they can through a presumably massive workload?

I considered putting this in the Back Room, but thought any answers might be useful to the community at large. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Lex

P.S.: Blarf. No, I'm not leaving without one.

 

[BrianY]

Lex, as a fellow author, I vote for sending a polite follow-up. Indeed, I suggest a polite follow-up every three or four months until you have closure. (Even if it's a form rejection.)

 

[Eva Ulian]

@Lex Black I'd just say since it's been a while, you were wondering if she had received your submission, as requested by her, at the new agency.
I don't bother following up anyone after a month or two since it's an obvious pass, (99% of the time a positive answer is made withing days not months): but in this case, she may not have got it because of her changing agencies.

 

[Hannah F]

I'd definitely do a polite follow-up. Nothing wrong with a wee reminder to a busy person.

 

[James Charles]

Hound them, Lex! (But nicely).

 

[Ed Simnett]

Polite follow up every 2-3 months until they respond? A passive aggressive, but potentially helpful approach, is to mention the agency switching incident, but not flag the time frame (which can only make them feel bad). Also just reattach the material, costs you nothing and makes life easier. #ymwv

Hey- I think my submission might have fallen though your agency-switching cracks- you mentioned you were interested when you are at Dewy Cheetem and Howe, but that I should resubmit to you at We Crush Your Dreams. Hope you have your feet under the table there now, I have reattached etc

 

[RK Wallis]

Polite follow up every 2-3 months until they respond? A passive aggressive, but potentially helpful approach, is to mention the agency switching incident, but not flag the time frame (which can only make them feel bad). Also just reattach the material, costs you nothing and makes life easier. #ymwv

Hey- I think my submission might have fallen though your agency-switching cracks- you mentioned you were interested when you are at Dewy Cheetem and Howe, but that I should resubmit to you at We Crush Your Dreams. Hope you have your feet under the table there now, I have reattached etc

I like @Ed Simnett's approach...

 

[Claire G]

Definitely a polite follow-up with your sub attached xx

 

[Lex Black]

Thank you, everyone!

Ok, so it's pretty unanimous that a follow-up is a good idea.

So...what if I already did?

From past October:

"Hello!

Back in March of this year, you responded to a query for my MS, "Ravenous Shadow," with a note saying you wanted to know more but were in the process of transitioning from one agency to another. I resubmitted through what I believe was the proper QM link at the time.

I wanted to touch base since I have just recently completed a round of revision and editing on the MS in question. It is still fundamentally the same project, but with the kind of nice little improvements one can only make after taking their eyes off of a literary work for a span of a few months.

If you are still interested and would like to see the new and improved version, please let me know at your leisure!"

...should I just give up on it at this point?

 

[Eva Ulian]

Hey, I think @Ed Simnett is on the right track - send it again!

 

[E G Logan]

...should I just give up on it at this point?

No.

What I would do is: maybe park this particular query out of the way and blast out a few more. Stick a note on the calendar for three or four months and come back to it.

But I would just counsel you that prodding a not-entirely-happy recipient can have less than ideal results. When I sent the message below, the whole thing blew up in my face.

"Dear XXXX Editors,

I have held off chasing this as I didn’t want to tempt Fate, but I feel now that I need to know the outcome, even if the answer is not what I had hoped.

However, if you are still considering it in any positive sort of way, please do continue to do so. (Just maybe let me know?)
Please bear in mind that I am entirely receptive to suggestions for changes and also that I see this novel as potentially the first of a trilogy, if not a series.

best regards....."

 

[Hannah F]

One more time I'd say.

 

[JohnBertel]

..should I just give up on it at this point?

No. Agent or not, if anybody requests you to send something they owe you a response.

Silly question, are you sure the agent is working at the new agency?

When I worked in IT support a client sent a birthday card to celebrate the one-year birthday of an open request. Maybe ...

 

[Barbara]

I'd say one more, well-worded, polite, and professional prod. Keep it short. Don't be self-depreciating. Just a short neutral 'hey, I hope it hasn't fallen through the cracks.'

If they get angry at that, they're not professional and not someone you'd want as an agent anyway.

 

[Ed Simnett]

One additional point (again one person's opinion). Don't keep piling on the same email thread, it risks calling out their incompetence. Don't mention the previous follow ups. Positive and polite are your friends.

As a general point, I suspect most of us here are more thin skinned than most agents, and will have a human tendency to mirror (think the other person is like us). A good agent is going to move on very quickly from a rejection, they can't/don't stew on things, and won't remember "that annoying author who had the temerity to ping me three times, when I didn't reply to them."

Bonus point territory. When are you sending the emails? This is maybe getting too much into tech sales voodoo, but think about which time the agent is in, and consider sending you email to hit in a period when it won't be part of a large batch on the receiving side. e.g. never send things at the weekend or overnight.

 

[Bloo]

Spidey sense tingles.

Please Google your MS. Make sure this agent is really an agent, and that your work isn't now in the wild.

 

[Lex Black]

Spidey sense tingles.

Please Google your MS. Make sure this agent is really an agent, and that your work isn't now in the wild.

They appear legit, though there's a known issue with the fact that the agency they joined doesn't appear to have much presence online.

...though I did go over their MSWL profile again. They state that if I haven't heard from them in 16 weeks, they are declining. I would take that at face value, but it's odd they never hit the switch on Query Tracker to send me the form "LOL NO THANX!" email.

I guess I should give up on this one, then. Thanks for the advice, folks.

 

[E G Logan]

Don't mention the previous follow ups.

Personally, I'd attach the full email string, so they get the context.
But hey! that's just my view.

won't remember "that annoying author who had the temerity to ping me three times, when I didn't reply to them

Maybe not, but maybe they will.
My argument is that the chases should be gentle, while still recognisably a slight prod. Never even come close to nagging...

but think about which time the agent is in,

Good thinking.