..is starting to get to me.

Lovely agent has had full for four weeks and one day.

Week 1: I am to be signed, tra-la, but not to get carried away in view of last disaster.
Week 2: She's engrossed - yes was busy last week but now getting down to reading it.
Week 3: I will hear any minute, Petal heard after three weeks and two days. (I think).
Week 4: She's read a bit more and hates it. It's been left in her old briefcase and she's forgotten all about it.

Can I email her? Politely and professionally, of course, not like mad obsessed person that I really am????

I'm beginning to think you should treat agents like you should treat a man. If he doesn't call, forget him.

Four weeks isn't long, funnyvalentine. Do something else. Write something else. Easier said than done, I know.

Poor thing FV, its enough to drive any of us insane.

I'm the worst person to advise because:

a) I'm unpublished and currently my novel is sitting on 6 agents desks, probably awaiting rejection, and:

b) I'm bloody impaitent and inclined to chase. This doesn't always work.

I must admit, concentrating on my next novel has helped to take my mond off things. I think if you can wait a while longer, I would.

Yes - I will wait some more. Sometimes I can put it out of my mind completely for long periods but, for some reason, the tension was getting worse, not better. Weird.

I think I decided it would be better to know one way or the other, but you are both right. One month is not long at all and I just need to get a grip.

I think it may also be the Easter holidays which are doing my head in because I can't write, so too much thinking/projection going on!

Thank you very much for your replies though. I do appreciate it. Good luck with your submissions Eve!

LOL, fv! - or rather not really - i know exactly how you are feeling and IT SUCKS.

But yes, 4 weeks isn't along. Perhaps a polite nudge after 8 weeks? (I know that isn't what you want hear).

Get on with another project and try to remain positive. Easier than said, i know.

I have to keep fighting with myself not to nudge agent about subs that have been out with publishers since the beginning Dec.

Biscuits help

<Added>

I mean easier said than done!

I think it's pretty standard not to expect a reply (and not to think about nudging) until three months have passed. Painful, I know. Hang in there.

things that do your head in:

a)waiting for response to your subs

b) school hols when you want to write but haven't the time or the space to concentrate

So considering you're juggling both at once, you're doing well to stay even close to sane

But ah, tomorrow.... the peace and quiet! The laptop waiting for our fingers to fly....

Hi - yes the waiting is awful, isn't it? I had to wait about three months both times after full manuscript requests.

I found doing something absorbing and active helped - gardening, cleaning, exercise, diy, etc - felt too exhausted after all that to worry too much!

Wishing you loads of luck.

I have to keep fighting with myself not to nudge agent about subs that have been out with publishers since the beginning Dec.

So sorry you're having to wait for this Petal - that's not a comfortable place to be. Thank you for your support though and I will keep everything crossed for you! It's not the rejection - I can handle that - it's the waiting to be rejected that get me...

Thank you Trilby for the voice of reason. Am now putting it out of mind for another eight weeks and will not even think of nudging.

Hi Freebird - still one more week of holidays here, but that's ok. If I am going to wait for eight more weeks, maybe I can nearly finish my ffd? 5000 x 8 = 40,000. That' not a bad word count is it? Will certainly keep my mind off it.

Thank you for your support Susie - but it's good to know you did hear back at the three month mark. Did they request this re-write? x

Thank you all for your support - I'd go mad without this site.

Four weeks (or even five now) really isn't long at all. Try to hang on even though it's hell and every week feels like a year. It so hard though isn't it. Loads of sympathy.

Naomi

Oh FV - sympathies! I agree though, a month isn't long. (Though it bloody well feels like it).

I waited for six months for a rejection on a full once! Some people are just very, very slow. I think it also depends on the set up of the agent - some have assistants who read the subs to filter them, so a "yes" has to get through a lot more hoops and a lot more readings than a no, if that makes sense.

And remember it's London Book Fair now - everyone will have been preparing for this and after this week, they'll be busy for a few weeks following up contacts etc - so I wouldn't worry too much. Even so, a nudge in a week or so wouldn't go amiss.

Thank you so much Naomi, SB and Florapost. All very helpful. It hadn't occurred to me that longer might be better! And good to know about the LBF too - am very not plugged-in.

I am feeling better about it this week and am much more able to get expectations under control. Would just like to not have any really, but that's quite difficult to do.

Thank you so much again and hope all your writing is going well.

Nothing I can really add to all the advice except lots of sympathy. Best of luck - for staying sane, and for a good result.

Emma

Thanks Emma!