Cath, coming in on the end of this - congratulations! How exciting! (And isn't it like life that the news you've been waiting for always brings a dilemma with it!)

It sound as if you've done all the right things, so this is really just to say, well done, and very, very good luck with the next stage!

For what it's worth, when it comes to agents, I would say that no, they don't need to become your best pal or drinking partner; the thing to try to work out when meeting them is whether you and they see eye to eye about your novel. The real thing you need to judge is whether what they say they love about it is what you think are its best and most important aspects. If so, then they'll be trying to sell it in the terms that do it most justice, rather than trying to push it in a direction which isn't true to it, or to what you feel you are as a writer. You want someone to be your support long-term, too, and that will only work if your aspirations for your writing make sense to them, and vice versa.

If you've written a gritty exploration of thwarted love, you don't want someone who keeps telling you that they love the ending, and could you just tweak it a bit to make it happier. And while you're there, perhaps make him a bit taller and darker and handsomer?... There are people on WW who've had the guts to turn down an offer of representation for those sorts of reasons, and I salute them, and am absolutely sure it was the right thing to do.

Very, very good luck - this sounds like the beginning of something.

Emma

No further word from first agent. If I haven't heard anything by the end of tomorrow I'm sending it to the second....

Cath

adda goil

Still waiting! Yawn. Well I doubt the first agent is interested any more seeing as she's read my manuscript, knows someone else requested it but still hasn't got back to me....

Actually, it's early days, Skippoo! Be patient - sometimes you can wait for up to 3 months for a reply, which can still be positive!

A
xxx

With agents (and anything else in publishing) you have to think of how long it ought to take, double it, add half as long again, and then wait...

Emma

Cath,

I'm with you on the painful wait for a bloody answer. A few days ago I heard 'so-and-so are sure they want to publish blah; they'll get back to you tomorrow'...TOMORROW, TOMORROW, TOMORROW, it's a very loose term in the publishing world.

Don't give up hope!

Myrtle

Myrtle, it's agony, isn't it! I'm an incredibly impatient person by nature, and like a character in a smug Victorian children's novel, the trials of getting published have taught me Patience... Though I'm still not very good at it.

Cath - everybody's busy with the Book Fair. Don't panic, be patient... so hard and so necessary. But if you push them, they may say no, just to get you off their back.

Emma

Cheers, people. Didn't think of the Book Fair. I haven't contacted any of them again, I'm just waiting. Luckily, there's plenty going on in life to distract me at the mo!

Cath

Good luck, Cath.

I read one of the chapters and was tremendously impressed. Don't remember that I commented, but you've got something good there.

Hope you hear soon. Keep us posted!

Liesl

Good luck, Cath! I can't wait to hear the outcome of this, it sounds so promising. But it really is torture waiting, isn't it?
Since First Agent has read it and says she will be in touch shortly, then surely that has to be a good sign, for after all, a 'no' takes only moments to decide upon and write, so it sounds like it wasn't a 'no' in her mind after reading it, which I'd be very happy about.
Fingers crossed for you!

Hi Cath,

Everything crossed for you! They say no news is good news?

Agent 1 must still be thinking about it and if agent 2 is interested too then you're on your way?

A bit like being on a train and not knowing how far along the line the station is - but knowing you will get there?

All the best,

Sarah

I agree that if you haven't had a quick 'no' after she read it then there may be hope. Could be all sorts of reasons why she hasn't replied.

I was in the same boat - had arranged to meet Agent A, meanwhile Agent B phoned me, asked for whole mss. When I told her that I was already talking to Agent B, she said she'd read the mss and get back to me before my meeting with him. Two days later she emailed me with the sad news that she enjoyed the mss but not enough, so she advised me to go ahead with Agent A (who I signed with, btw).

My point is that Agent B knew immediately that she wasn't keen enough on the script. She knew someone else was interested, so moved over.

(Btw, I shared her feedback with Agent A, which proved to be quite important.)

Good luck either way. I haven't read this famous story but I look forward to seeing it in shops one day!