I would like to know if anyone else as experienced submitting work ( novels ) exactly as requested by editor or agent . The correct format , word count, query letter etc, but received no acknowledgement of even receiving the submission.
Should I query this ? Or just wait endlessly?
Please advise

Oh, it's sooooooo frustrating.

Was it electronic? Did they say that they'd acknowledge? If so, you can certainly ask them to check it did get through. If not, I know people have checked and survived, but for myself I'd probably leave it the minimum time that they might have read the sub (eight weeks?) before checking, while muttering "Glacier time, glacier time" under your breath.

If it's by post, did you put in a postcard for them to send back? That's normally the only way you'd get an acknowledgement.

But this kind of silence is a perennial and reasonable frustration by for writers - I expect you've seen this thread about one of the agencies' electronic systems:

http://www.writewords.org.uk/forum/48_440588.asp

If anyone knows the definitive answer to "chase or don't chase", they'll be leapt on with gratitude.

Meanwhile, I assume you've got other subs out there? Good luck!

Emma



Edited by EmmaD at 09:26:00 on 10 July 2013

Meanwhile, I assume you've got other subs out there?

This is something I've been meaning to query - I've seen several references to multiple submissions, but don't know how much this is the norm, acceptable, expected. In one way it seems bad-mannered (to someone my age, anyway) but if that's what's done, then nothing to lose. Would appreciate some guidelines, please.

Given how long it takes them to answer, I think it's ridiculous to expect us not to do multiple subs. It's in their interests, but it's not in ours. Why should we, after all? It's in our interests to have as many people see the work as possible, and they don't have any right to make a blanket demand otherwise.

If they ask, specifically, for an exclusive, then that's different. I still wouldn't give them more than a week, though. Again, why should you?

If it's a competition, I always calculate what I would do if there was a clash. But, again, I see that it's annoying for them to love something, and then find it's been bagged by someone else. But it's hard on us when they might tie a story up for months.

Thanks Emma - that's made the position perfectly clear (now all I have to do is have something to submit!)

There are several factors to bear in mind here. First, agents/editors don't have a great track record of responding to submissions. Second, it's probably true that the volume of submissions has increased over the past twenty years or so (everyone's writing a book). Third, it looks as if they're getting worse - quite a few established writers are finding they're not getting responses these days (one theory about this is they could be scared of turning down what turns out to be a blockbuster, i.e. safer not to respond at all - can always claim later you didn't see it).

Fourth, have you done everything you can to make your submission attractive and professional? The industry doesn't owe us anything. It's up to us to deliver a submission/proposal that can't be refused. Which means, for example, a query email that's concise, exciting and professional. In this respect, I wouldn't be too slavish about meeting their submission criteria 'exactly'. Yes, they want submissions to be in a form that's simple to deal with. But they're also looking for creativity, both in your writing and in how your book could be sold. Which means taking the lead to an extent.

would like to know if anyone else as experienced submitting work ( novels ) exactly as requested by editor or agent . The correct format , word count, query letter etc, but received no acknowledgement of even receiving the submission. Should I query this ? Or just wait endlessly? Please advise

Hi Thea

I wouldn't wait forever.

I subbed my first novel about five years ago which almost got there. I did not chase. All subs were snail mail and all returned answers - one even returned the full by courier but it had someone else's name or some mix-up that was more than a bit surprising at the time - from 6 weeks to 2 or three months later. I had put in the return prepaid postage for all of them.

I am subbing on my new novel since end May in a mix of e-mail, electronic form(nightmare) and snail mail. I read somewhere that agents find e-mail easier to ignore because in their logic the writer has invested nothing in the process -haha - no 9 plus pounds a pop for three chapters plus printing and envelopes!

I started this novel on an MA, was encouraged by grades, and was feeling a bit more confident etc, however, the silence from the sub process is horrible It seems worse this time. I have had electronic Thanks Yous - that's it. I thought I was waiting longer, but I checked and two of my subs are coming to the 8 weeks they promised a response by, so I am going to chase. Two others I only sent 3 weeks or so ago by snail mail. It is such an effort of nervous tension to get the stuff ready and out to them - in the right format they are so fussy about blah blah - and then to have NO response - it's like being ignored in the playground. LOl!

Some agent I read said wait the required time they estimate to respond by, and then do a polite chase every month. Problem is they all say different things - just like give us the end of the synopsis or NO, don't tell us the end, or make it like a book blurb or NO, please stay factual....

We just have to do lots of inner work to get through this, I guess.

Thank you all for your responses. Glad to know I am not alone ...but it is so frustrating!
I shall chase a couple who have had my submission for months! Also I intend to go for multiple submissions .
Good luck to you all.
Keep determined and patient x
Thea