Wow - what a day! Two rejections from slooooow agents. Erica at nearly 7 months, and another at nearly 9 months. In the time since I requested them, I got an agent on a DIFFERENT project. While I appreciate that some agents want to respond to everyone, after three or so months, unless it's a request, don't bother! We know it's a no.

@Whitegardenia, problem solved! She rejected me @79 days today. Adult/YA graphic novel.

FQ: 1/11/2021
closed/NR 4/4/2021

YA Fantasy

@missplum, simply withdraw your query.

Queried on 2/2/2021 on graphic novel.

So annoying that she's so slow on her responses when there are a gazillion agents at Aevitas and some of them are possibles if she passes -- but I can't query them until she gets back to me (100+ days if ever?) because of their rule against simultaneous queries.

FQ: 11/16
ER: 3/7

88k YA science fantasy

Profile Update: Closed to queries.

11/4/20 FQ
2/21/21 Form Rejection (same as the one pasted in the comment from 8/29/20)

Commercial Fiction/NA 60K

@JustinJoseph I would submit anyway. Consider it practice for real-life publishing ... which moves at a glacial pace. The worst you can hear is silence. But you won't hear, "Yes!" if you don't submit. At this stage in your career, you pretty much must collect rejections before anything else. Again, consider it practice for the day when someone on Amazon review says you can't write.

In the meantime, start writing another book. If it takes an agent 100 days to respond, you should have another project finished by that time. Once again, consider that practice for becoming a professional.

And good luck!

EQ: 2.3.2020
FR: 2.28.2020
Nudge: 7.28.2020 (responded apologizing for backup)
Nudge with revised MS: 10.29.2020 (she responded 11.25 confirming)
Withdrew my Full 2.16.2021

I realize it takes time to read Fulls but nearly a year is too long for me, especially when she closed to queries to catch up within that year and still never got to my Full. She may still be a great agent for others but at my writing speed I don't think we are compatible (I've finished two MS since her request). Best of luck to everyone else!


84K YA Contemporary Dark Fantasy

Form Q: 11/3/20
ER: 2/14/21

SF 83K

FQ: 1/19/21

YA, Cont 57K

@ohalen Thanks for that. Much appreciated :-)

I think Steinbeck is well within their rights to complain. This is a business. The nonsense and vague threats that “word gets around” is the reason writers have to put up with ridiculous practices like this. We’re people, too, and like Steinbeck said the year was hard….on *everyone*. Close to queries if you’re overwhelmed. Work on your time management if you can’t institute a somewhat normal response time when you are open.

Sometimes things fall through the cracks, unfortunately. Agents are only human. And I would like to extend a gentle reminder that they occasionally read their QT threads, too, and I have absolutely heard stories about agents refusing to even look at the next project someone sends along if they've reamed them out on QT before. And it's a small industry, so word gets around. Just a thought to maybe keep the venting to your friends or a more private group.