Following Up

  • By: Jessica Faust | Date: Sep 15 2011

We writers always wonder about how long it takes agents to respond (if they do at all) and whether to follow up and so forth, but I was wondering – what about agents and editors? How long do agents (or just you guys, since I’m sure it’s different for everyone) wait for a response from an editor before following up?

This is a great question to ask any agent when you get an offer of representation, because the answer is going to differ from agent to agent and situation to situation. Overall, I tend to follow up four to six weeks after a submission. How long I wait will depend on how quick other feedback is coming in, whether the book was submitted on proposal or full, how busy the editors are (sometimes I know that an editor has just returned from vacation or the time fell around a major holiday), generally how responsive the editors are (some tend to respond faster than others), etc.

Generally though, I will follow up in about four weeks.

Jessica

7 responses to “Following Up”

  1. Phil Hall says:

    Jessica, You replied to me the same day… I'd have to say you're doing pretty well on the reply front.

  2. Yup, same here, actually two days later. What I liked about the rejection letter I got from BookEnds was the candid tone of it. It's one of the few I keep. Although a rejection, I didn't feel rejected, but more determined to better myself. The QL got a major u-haul afterward.

  3. Phil Hall says:

    I keep all my QL replies, that's how I know who get's next "dibs" on book #2. "No reply = no interest" for them means "No reply = no second chance" from me.

  4. You know, it is always interesting to read your posts! Thanks a lot

  5. Shaik says:

    Very attractive post, lovely to find your blog! Thanks for the posting.

    Sample Cover Letters

  6. Nicole says:

    Good to know. I was always curious. (which is why I asked that question! XD)

  7. girlseeksplace says:

    This is good to know. I'm sitting on some submissions from earlier this year that I've written off at this point, but it's good to know for future reference.