Hi everyone, this question may have been asked before but I was just wondering if anyone knew how long to wait when an agent has your full manuscript before contacting them to follow up? An agent has had my book for just over two months - they said for me to wait until I hear from them and so I've been sitting on my hands trying not to email, but just wondering if I should send them a follow up message? It may be one of those 'how long is a piece of string' answers but just wondering if any of you have any thoughts or experience that might help me - thanks, Helen
I think you've just got to keep sending it out there. If it's good enough for one to request the full then others will too.
Have you sent it out to any beta readers to see if there are any obvious flaws?
Thank you Louise and Peter for your detailed answers - it is a hard thing, this waiting game! This agent took six months to get back to me after my initial submission which is why I think I need to give them more time. I've just done a round of submissions to some more agents and am hoping someone else requests the full for just that reason, Louise, so I can give them a little nudge. But I am curious as to whether there is a standard time for responses to full manuscripts as opposed to the lottery of initial submission. Anyway, thanks to you both.
Were it not for the agent asking (telling?) you to wait until you hear from them, I'd be tempted to send a nudging email after twelve weeks. In this case I probably only do that if another agent also asked to see the full MS. Then I would email agent A and say something along the lines of, 'awfully sorry to bother you blah blah but wanted to let you know that agent B has requested my full MS.' There's nothing like a bit of competition to act as a spur!
FWIW, I've waited between two weeks and a month for agents to get back to me on the full MS. Anything over three months probably would have me raising my eyebrows but, as Peter says, what can you do?