Help! Manuscript request - still waiting!

Read It Like You Stole It!

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Request for full manuscript

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Judith Baker

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I don't suppose anybody has any ideas how long the normal time is for agents to get back to you after they've requested your full manuscript? I emailed mine in February and have still heard nothing. I emailed a week ago and asked (politely) if they'd had time to consider it. Still nothing. They're a reputable company active on twitter so I know they're still in business but am at a loss as to what to do next. Just sit tight and wait for the all too familiar rejection letter I suppose. I always imagine if an agent likes it they would contact you straightaway. Or am I being incredibly naive?
 
It must be so nerve-wracking for you. I can only imagine to wish to be in your position.
Have a look at what they might be up to on twitter. Maybe an event like a book show they are busy with etc.?

In the mean time have you written anything new since February? That is what I think I would be doing - easier said than done though eh ;)

I've got everything crossed for you including hair into plaits :D...courtesy of my daughter :)
 
Haha thank you for your words of support and wisdom. I am on with writing other things but would still rather they contacted me to tell me either way. I'm braced and ready for rejection as always!
 
That does seem to be a very long wait. It could mean they're still discussing it or it could mean they've lost it!
Here are a few words of wisdom(?) on coping with rejection on my first blog post. May help, may not, but good luck with your writing anyway.
 
Thank you! I know they have it as I got a brief acknowledgement email a week after sending it but since then, nothing. The plot thickens...
 
That's not an excessive time to wait, but would be reaching the more 'common' limit (even if there is no such thing). Some can take up to 12 months but that's rare. Meanwhile, I hope you are sending out synopsis/es to other agents, otherwise the time is wasted.
 
I believe it is considered in good taste to inquire as to whether an agent has received your manuscript after as little as six weeks...
 
Thanks everyone. I've sent an email but still no reply so not holding out for a positive response...
 
Hope you get the answer you'd like soon. Waiting's tough.
 
Coupla years back, I got a full request from a regional publisher, then about six months after, I got an acknowledgement and a projected read time frame. I waited three more months, but before I emailed the editor, I checked with someone inside the industry nearby their locale and was told the publisher had gone out of business two months prior!
 
/Ah that's soul destroying isn't it? This is quite a high profile agency and I'm beginning to think they've 'lost' me in their slushpile. Although I have to say, getting a read time frame from any agency would be a huge help wouldn't it? In a perfect world eh?...
 
/Ah that's soul destroying isn't it? This is quite a high profile agency and I'm beginning to think they've 'lost' me in their slushpile. Although I have to say, getting a read time frame from any agency would be a huge help wouldn't it? In a perfect world eh?...
Aren't you technically out of the slush pile once they request full MS?
 
Well I thought so but it's been so long now I'm guessing they also have a growing pile of requested full manuscripts to wade through that is increasing each week...
 
Well I'm sure it's shorter than the slush pile. Once someone has made a request you must be doing many things right.

Every time this thread has a new post I get excited and hold my breath. Really rooting for you.
 
Thank you. I watch each day for that email coming through and will breathe a sigh of relief when I get it regardless of what it says. I just need a reply now. It's too stressful by far this waiting malarkey!
 
Did you grant them an exclusive and if you did what time limit did you set?

If you didn't give them an exclusive then I hope you continued to submit elsewhere. Nothing makes an agent sit up and take notice than an e-mail from an author letting them know they've got interest elsewhere.

Either way you're right to nudge after three months. It's unusual for an agent not to respond on a full and there could be a good reason for it. Give it a couple of weeks and prod again but in the meantime keep sending it out.

If one agent is interested enough to ask for a full then there's a good chance another will be.

Good luck
 
Judith, if you haven't already, I suggest signing up on Query Tracker: https://querytracker.net/

The basic version is free. It helps you to keep track of your queries and more. For instance, you can see see how many other QT members have queried the same agent and the percentages of rejections/acceptances. You can see the number of open submissions. The number of closed and the dates. It breaks them down by partials, fulls, acceptances, rejections and whether or not the rejection was a form letter.

In your case, it could give you an idea if the specific agent/agency is always so slow. You might see other authors have waited 6 months for a response, giving you reason to hope. Then again, you might come to realize that the agent usually responds lightning fast to manuscripts she decides to take on. Either way, it will give you a better sense of where you are in the process. Oh, QT also helps you find agents and publishers suited to your genre so you can query more efficiently.
 
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I just stumbled across this, source https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/107819409769369111413
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To be fair, I think we all have the dream of doing a Julia Roberts one day - "Hello, is that [Insert name]? You probably won't remember me, but you failed to reply to my manuscript three years ago. I've just left the gala premiere of my opening movie in L.A and thought you ought to know that the champagne was lovely."
 
To be fair, I think we all have the dream of doing a Julia Roberts one day - "Hello, is that [Insert name]? You probably won't remember me, but you failed to reply to my manuscript three years ago. I've just left the gala premiere of my opening movie in L.A and thought you ought to know that the champagne was lovely."
Haha yeah. That one would be awesome
 
The number of agents who don't respond is almost as big as those who do. Well at least Julia and I have a couple of things in common, actually exactly two, but that's another story ;)
 
Let me give you an inside tip – but don’t tell anyone I told you :)

The thing about submissions is that they always – invariably - come at the bottom of an agent’s to-do list.

A new agent – someone who doesn’t have any clients and isn’t working on any deals – will respond with lightning efficiency. The rest will reply according to how busy/intense they are.

I’m doing a lot of film deals at the moment - which are incredibly complex, involve lawyers on both sides, and all your time and focus. You can guess how far behind I am on submissions.

What you need to do is to move it up on the agent’s list of priorities.

Agents hate losing out on great new material to another agent...

Have I given you a clue...?
 
Yes, don't send it so Pete, he's up to his.... neck .... in lawyers. Or is it, write a GREAT story? ;) As for Judith, it's almost July, so it will soon be 5 months. Kinda long after a request for a full manuscript, but some do take up to a year!
 
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