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If an agent or editor asks for your manuscript and you send it to them for their review, understanding that they are busy people, is there an accepted length of time where you can assume that they've passed on it? After a month? After six months?
Posts: 38 | Registered: Jan 2011
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Many agents don't respond to queries if they're not interested. But I haven't heard of an agent yet (not that there aren't any) that doesn't at least send a brief note if they've requested a partial or a full manuscript and then decided to pass. Different agents give different timeframes. If their website says how long it may take, go by that. Otherwise, I'd wait about two months. If I hadn't heard anything by then, I'd send a politely worded note just asking for confirmation that they received the manuscript.
Posts: 4633 | Registered: Dec 2008
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Thanks, I appreciate the insight. Now what if they'd already acknowledged receipt of the MS, how would you recommend sending the post two-month note?
Posts: 38 | Registered: Jan 2011
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At that point, I wouldn't. They've received the manuscript. They should get back to you with an answer. Check what timeframe they say to expect. If it's not on their website, they should have informed you what to expect when they requested the manuscript.
At this point, if an agent failed to send a reply, favorable or unfavorable, within roughly the expected timeframe, I'd cross them off my list.
Your agent has to be someone you can work with--and that does mean occasional communication.
Changes slightly if they requested and exclusive and you gave it to them. Then you have to decide if you want to withdraw the manuscript from that agent so you can go ahead and send it elsewhere.
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