Topic ID: 31641
|
View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Heidigirl666
Praise the FSM and His noodly appendage
Novelist
Gender: 
Age: 20
Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 460
Reviews: 53
Country: Switzerland
366 Points
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject: How to give an agent a nudge? |
 |
|
I submitted part of my novel to a literary agent a while ago, and haven't heard anything in about five weeks.
I know they're probably just really busy (and secretly hoping it means it's getting properly looked at), and they don't seem the type to not reply at all, but I really do need to hear something so I can start sending it out to others (I would do it already, but this is my absolute favourite so I want to give it a try first before I go onto the rest of my list).
My dad reckons I should email them just to make sure they got what I sent them and ask how long it's taking for them to give a reply at the moment, but I don't know how!!!
Emails are such tricky things, especially if they're kind of formal. 
I need a polite, gentle way of emailing them without sounding pushy. I don't want to come across as all demanding like I'm going 'why haven't you responded to me yet?  '  I honestly just want to hear something, even if it's just a standard rejection letter.
So any ideas of how to word this email? |
_________________
Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good teacher. ~Flannery O'Connor |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Novelism
Novice
Gender: 
Age: 14
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 13
Reviews: 5
Country: *-UK-*
300 Points
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Don't worry, honestly. I can now you now that both publishers and agents akin, take a long time to reply. Leave it one more week, just one.
Then, email them. Of course, these people get hundreds, maybe thousands a year and then they have to read it, decide, make a letter, and send it.
Then you have the trouble of emails. They will get even more of those, and by the time they reply you may have already received it. Also send it to others. If they offer you it, you can always reject and get better deals on others, as they will have more reason to provide a lower price, more competition, see?
So give it a little time, and be patient! Good luck.  |
_________________
If a pianist is part of pianism, racist people believe in racism, and sexist people believe in sexism, what is a novelist?
"Novelism" |
|
| Back to top |
|
chocoholic
Give me the chocolate and nobody gets hurt
Master of the Forum
Gender:
Age: 14
Joined: 31 May 2007
Posts: 1528
Reviews: 489
Country: Raxacoricofallapatorius
1264 Points
|
|
| Back to top |
|
Avens Dolor
Senior Writer
Gender:
Age: 17
Joined: 16 Jun 2008
Posts: 104
Reviews: 45
Country: USA
474 Points
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Does their website state how long they take, on average, to respond to queries?
Be careful to wait until the end of that period before you send anything at all.
After that, send a brief, concise note asking whether your query was received. Include the date it was sent, and all of your contact information. |
_________________
Click to visit my author blog! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
