How Long Does it Take an Agent to Read Full Submission?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

It's been about three weeks since I sent off my full manuscript to an agent (this person requested it after the query). I know that's not enough time to read a novel at a busy literary agency. But what is enough time? Six weeks? Six months?

Either way, it's exciting to have an agent make a full request. It's an honor no matter the outcome.

[Grant McKenzie]

Every agency is different, Benjamin, but it is certainly encouraging when an agent asks for a full manuscript. My current agent is actually my third agent. The first one was completely useless, the second one couldn't sell my manuscript and thus gave up on me, but my third agent really believed in me and stuck with me until we finally sold my debut novel. Good luck.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

Wow, three agents. I guess you've got to move some dirt before you get to the gold. I liked everything I read about the agent I submitted to, so I hope it doesn't get to that.

[Dana King]

I wouldn't come back to them for an answer in less than six weeks. Even then, make it a polite, "How's it going?" kind of letter.

[I. J. Parker]

Dana is right. If the agent has an exclusive, you could have settled the waiting period ahead of time. If you don't get a satisfactory reply on a gentle hint after 6 weeks, you might ask what the time frame on exclusivity will be.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

I.J., can you elucidate "settled the waiting period ahead of time?" Is is standard practice to ask how long it will take? I think that would just annoy the agent.

[Dana King]

BEn,
I didn't ask about the waiting period once, for the same reason you note. A small, but respected, publisher asked for an excludive and I disn't want to annoy them. I pinged them after over six months had passed. That got them to tell me the book could go to the next step if I made some changes. I made the changes and waited six more months before repeating the cycle. After two years they fonally rejected me with a two sentence, grammatically incorrect note.

It's professional courtesy to get mutual understanding on such things. It can only avoid trouble later on. If they give you a hard time for asking--remember, you're not dictating, just asking what their expectations are so you can adjust accordingly--that in itself may provide you with valuable information.

[Benjamin Sobieck]

This agent did not ask for an exclusive, but I'm not querying others. I'll ask the agent after about six weeks if I haven't heard anything.

Two years seems a bit much. Bummer, Dana. Did you ever get that manuscript published?

[Dana King]

Nope. I wrote two more while waiting for that one, and left it behind as a learning experience.

[I. J. Parker]

Benjamin, you don't want your book tied up forever. If they express an interest, ask if it's an exclusive and if so, how long they will need. Two months strikes me as plenty long enough. If it's not an exclusive, keep shopping it while they are reading, but let other interested parties know that the book is out with another publisher. In other words, you cannot then offer an exclusive until the first guy responds. You can, however, contact him to say that someone else has expressed an interest.

[Karyn J. Powers]

I have one sitting with an agent since April. I waited six weeks and then just sent them a friendly hello and asked how things were going. They replied right away that they were working through a number of submissions and would get back to me. And so I wait... But not forever. I am sending out more query letters on a weekly basis.

[Bob]

Hi,
Congrats on getting a full request.

First, agents are busy people and a full follows a lengthy process. The agent will send it to a reader for comments, if those are possitive, the agent will read the full. If the agent thinks this is a fit and it can be sold, depending on the size of the agency, the MS is disributed to the other agents to be read and a meeting is held to slot the marketing process to publishers. If the concensus of that meeting is possitive, the agent will get back to you with an offer. Any negatives will come back to you with a rejection or request for revisions. This process can take up to six months if yours is considered a reasonable prospect. It can take less than a week if the reader/agent thinks this is a hot commodity.

If you have not agreed to an exclusive with the agency, then I would suggest you continue sending out queries.

Smiles
Bob

[Kris Neri]

From one day...to the rest of your life. I'd suggest you keep sending out the queries.

Congrats on having an agent want to read the whole mans.