Good & Bad Times to Submit to BookEnds Agents
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Oct 18 2016
What months would you consider good submission months/bad ones?
We received this question in a blog post and it made me think how different this can be for everyone. Not everyone celebrates Christmas for example, so that might be the perfect time to sit and read submissions. Maybe you plan a big Spring Break trip every year so the month of April is bad. Rather than answer broadly, I’ve asked each of our BookEnds agents to give their own thoughts (even if they are all exactly the same).
Jessica Faust: I tend not to read any submissions in the month of August. This is the time of year when I take my break to recharge and read only published books. While you can certainly submit in August, it will likely sit in August and sit through the month of September when I’m focused on my clients and getting back in the swing. It’s October when I am likely to really sit down and get my reading in. The tough part about this question is when a good or bad time is depends not on the calendar, but on what is happening in my business. Lately, for example, I haven’t been reading as many submissions since I’ve been busy with my clients. I took on a few new people earlier in the year and have been focused on getting them into the hands of publishers. Next year, I could spend September and October desperately seeking new clients. So for me, submit whenever you want to submit and I appreciate your patience as you wait on my clients and other work.
Jessica Alvarez: I’d say that July, August, and December tend to be when I’m slowest at looking at submissions. Between conferences, vacations, and holidays, I usually fall behind on submissions in those months. Though, that’s not always the case. January and February tend to be big submission-reading months for me. Every January, the BookEnds team meets to review our accomplishments from the previous year and set goals for the new year. It always gives me a boost of energy to find great books and new clients. But go ahead and submit whenever you’re ready. I might be slow from time to time, but I do read and respond to every submission.
For more information, check out this video on our YouTube channel:
I’ve read a few of these posts by different agents and I think the best answer is to submit when your ms is ready. It will get read, whether that week or in 3 months, but it’s better to send when you are ready to send because otherwise you risk over-polishing, or not letting it go (and therefore not working on something new), or losing your nerve.
As Jessica F said: when a good or bad time is depends not on the calendar, but on what is happening in my business. Agents might recommend a month to submit (or not to submit) but life gets in the way, and that’s something writers can’t predict.