Can anyone give me some advice on this subject please?
I recently emailed an agent who I would dearly love to represent my novel, and he responded immediately, requesting the full ms.
4 Weeks later, I'm waiting for his response, which is fine. My difficulty is that I have since redrafted the opening quite a bit, and would like to ask him to read the revised version before he makes any decisions, but I'm worried this will be viewed as unprofessional, or pestering.
Any advice?

<Added>

full mss even.

I would contact him saying that you have since re-read your novel and noticed a few things you'd like to change, can you send him an updated version. This will also jog his memory of your book then.

Good luck

Kat

Yes, I agree with Kat. Good luck!

A
xxx

Kat, HollyB,
Thanks for your advice. That's kind of what I wanted to do, I was just scared I'd put him off!
Thanks again,
Saz

I understand completely about being seen as an over zealous writer.

A womans mag have got a story of mine that they've had since early October.
I've sent them emails which they ignore, and phoned on Friday. Someone promised to call back but didn't so I phoned again this morning. Again someone promised to call back - again they haven't. Do I phone them again or what?

Kat

<Added>

I don't want to jeapordise my chances, but they should phone back if they promise to. I can't keep phoning Scotland during the day!

Kat,
I don't know what to tell you. I'd probably leave it a couple of days before contacting them again. Do they have an email address you could contact them on? That would save you having to call.
BTW, I've taken your advice and bitten the bullet. Just waiting for his response now...
Saz

Oh Poo!

Just got a call to say they've decided it's not suitable after all!

Now was that because I had enquired about it?

kat

No, Kat - it's because they can't see talent when it comes knocking ...

Send it out immediately to the next mag!

Good luck!

A
xxx

There's nothing wrong with enquiring about work submitted - it shouldn't affect the agent's decision to take you on. I've experienced the same thing - it's almost as if sometimes agents don't have the guts to reject something straight away until they're pushed into a corner - many seem to be just as confused and uncertain as us literary types. Keep on submitting. I remember getting carried away when a big agent requested my full MS, dreaming of a million pound advance - then it was rejected three months later.

It's now been over 5 weeks since the original submission, and almost a week since I asked him to take a look at the revised opening. Still no response!

Trying to take this as a positive sign, but my naturally pessimistic nature is starting to set in.

Saz

Sazzy, he may have put your new email together with the MS, thinking he'll let you know when he's looked properly at the whole thing - (in an ideal world he should at least have acknowledged it of course, but it's not an ideal world). They're busy with the London Book Fair at the moment, too, which may not help.

It's hard to know what to do, but if it were me, I'd leave it another couple of weeks - i.e. till after the fair - and email saying you just wanted to check if he got the previous one, as you'd be happy to send him the revisions. As Kat says, that ought to jog his memory. Some are just much more disorganised and/or busy than others. (I've had keen phonecalls months after I sent my sample, and guilty phonecalls from assistants - 'we've just found it buried in a pile in his office'. I wouldn't have thought, though, that a revised or otherwise opening will be the make-or-break factor at this stage. If he loves it except for the opening he'll ask to see the new one, and if he doesn't quite, then the changed opening won't convince him anyway.

Kat, how annoying! But it sounds as if it got proper consideration, anyway - I doubt if your call tipped the balance. Unless you're nursing secret doubts about some aspect of it that you should listen to and get revision, I'm sure the advice to get it out there again is the right one. It's the best cure for that oh, poo feeling.

Emma

<Added>

Tut! 'get revising'

Thanks Emma,
I had planned to leave it another weeek at least. I hadn't realised about the book fair, that makes me feel a little better.
This is the first time I've been in this situation (an agent looking at the full ms), and it is difficult to know how to react. It is so easy to get yours hopes up when you get that first request, but I more painfully aware that there is still a long way to go at this stage.

I really appreciate having more experienced people to turn to when I get disheartened. Thankyou all for your advice.

Saz

<Added>

your hopes
am more than

I shouldn't be allowed near a keyboard when I'm feeling like this!

Yes, the Bookfair is 5-7th March. Then they all stagger into the office with a PDA-full (or a Moleskin-full, it's a traditional trade) of people to ring and things to send, so it can be worth leaving it a day or two longer.

Emma