In this week’s video, I’ll guide you through understanding the response times of literary agents and offer advice on following up with agents based on my experience as a traditionally published author of both fiction and nonfiction books.
Let’s help you find the right agent who appreciates your work and is eager to collaborate with you in your writing journey!
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
The question is, “How long does it take for an agent to respond to a query?”
Well, before I reply, let’s just set the groundwork here. Let’s assume that you are querying agents that are an appropriate fit for you. They represent authors in your genre, they’re open to submissions, and you’ve adhered to their policies—which can vary widely.
Some agents only want a one-page query letter. Some want a one-page query letter and a 500-word synopsis. Others want a one-page query letter and 10 pages of the manuscript. Everyone’s different. You need to do your research.
So, with that out of the way, now, what do they say about when they’re going to respond to you? Many of them publish that information on their website or in their listing. Whatever source you’re using, make sure it’s reliable—whether that’s Jeff Herman’s Insider’s Guide to Publishing, Writer’s Market, or another reliable source.
If they don’t publish specific information, remember they get so many queries. It’s probably not unrealistic to expect it to be several months. So, call it 90 days—three months—with a little grace period. There’s nothing wrong with following up.
For a follow-up email, include the name of the manuscript and add an extra line saying, “Just in case this query got lost, I thought I’d send it again.” Then, if you still don’t hear back, move on to the next agent. There are agents out there who are looking for you. And that’s who you want to work with: an agent who represents authors in your genre and is eager to work with you because they like your work.
I know you can do it—you’ll find just the right agent!
Any ideas you want to share about how long it takes to hear from an agent? Put them in the comment section; I’d love to read them. And if this YouTube shorty had value for you, would you like it? Would you share it? Would you subscribe to the channel? That opens up features for us that help us make these YouTube shorties even more valuable for you.
Thank you!
*Transcripts are software-generated. To report any transcription errors, please use my contact form!
