I thought my friend was extremely lucky when she bagged the first agent she approached. The agent was so keen she even rang at the weekend to discuss the manuscript.

Anyway, that was almost a year ago. Since then, the manuscript has been submitted to two major publishers but no more. The agent passed the manuscript on to a colleague for input in November last year and nothing more has been heard, despite my friend e-mailing and ringing.

Is this usual? Neither of us have any prior experience with agents but I would have thought that more publishers would have been approached by now?

Hi there,
Has your friend had any feedback from those two major publishers (via the agent) as to why they didn't take it on? Have future works been discussed at all, or is this particular book 'it' as far as contact with the agent goes? It sounds as if the agent isn't fully behind the book, which is very bad news. Not much more I can add other than this sounds unusual indeed. I hear from my agent regularly, with updates on how submissions have been received and questions about what I'm working on.
Myrtle

LuckyStar, a good agent should certainly have gone on trying beyond a couple of rejectsion, unless the feedback they got was so negative that they themselves have lost faith in it. Giving it to a colleague to judge is a good idea, but you should have heard something by now. Agents don't like giving bad news - by definition they're bouncy, enthusiastic types, or should be - and are always liable to just not get round to telling a writer that it's not working. They also tend to be busy, not natural administrators, and have to spend most of their time on the clients who are paying the rent.

It seems to me that your friend's got various options, if they're not answering phone calls and emails: she/he could

1) Write to the agent friendlily asking what their plans are for his/her work now, and saying that she/he would be grateful to know something of any feedback they had from colleagues or the publishers concerned. (But brace yourselves, as it may not be cheerful reading).

2) Write to the agent (politely - it's a small trade) saying that it's obviously not a novel they can find a home for, and that your friend would like it back, in order to try elsewhere. Say that if she/he hasn't heard within - say - two weeks, she/he'll feel free to offer it elsewhere. Not much chance of friendly helpful feedback after a letter like this, but you're within your rights to ask who they sent it to, as any new agent absolutely has to know this.

These are the ethical options, since a new agent won't want to be seen poaching off the old one. But they do include facing up to no longer having an agent for a while. I've been there, and it's not nice after the thrill of having got one.

3)Less ethical - but given how this agent is behaving, I can't say many would blame your friend - is simply to send it out again, wait till there's a bite, then ditch the old agent briskly. But I'd keep quiet to the new agent about the old agent until you know they're interested - at the first meeting, if not before. Your friend must tell them about where it's already been fairly soon, though. An agent reads a possible new MS already thinking hard about which editor will like it, which imprint, who's got money to spend, who's not got anything quite like it, etc... When the new agent realises you've been doing this, it might not be the absolutely best start.

A last thought. Does your friend have a contract or letter of engagement with the old agent? If not, asking for one could just propel them into action. If she/he does, a copy of that and a cheque for £85 or so will get him/her membership of the Society of Authors, and therefore unlimited free advice clause-by-clause on contracts, agents, editors, tax, copyright and everything else thereafter. Including how to handle this situation. They also have very good leaflets on issues like this, free to members, a few pounds to everyone else:

http://www.societyofauthors.net/index.php4

I hope your friend goes on knowing that having got that far - having had an agent that thrilled to start with at least - is in itself an achievement, and not one that's diminished by things not having got further this time! Good luck to them.

Emma

<Added>

Final thought. Is your friend's agent/agency a member of the Association of Authors' Agents? Lots of perfectly respectable agencies aren't, but the AAA does have a code of conduct about how their members should behave, which you can read on their website - sorry, don't have the link. Even if yours isn't, a clear knowledge of how a good agent should behave should strengthen your friend's case with this one.

Luckystar,

It's not easy to define who are 'good' agents and who might be 'of another sort'.

However the essential thing is that contact is made with this Agent or any other who leaves it this long to respond. However always remember to be diplomatic in any approach.

'Respect' is today's word in Political circles and it is useful to bear this in mind even when one knows that the Agent is a lying bastard, a crook or just a rather poor Agent.

Telephone, email or whatever... just make contact!

Len

Thanks very much for all these suggestions and information, I will pass it all on and remember it if ever I am lucky enough to secure an agent.

Gee, it's a long and hard path to success, isn't it?

Thanks.