Hi everyone,
I just wondered if anyone else had ever sent a website submission to Simon Trewin at PFD? I read his interview on the PFD website and followed the instructions to the letter! I emailed on the 8th June and haven't heard a thing back. Obviously this could because of holidays, tight deadlines and the general pressures of work etc. BUT due to my neurotic paranoia I started wondering if I'd got the email address right, so emailed his assistant on the 3rd of August saying that if I didn't hear back from her (terrified of being pushy) I would assume he's received my idea. His home page says he endeavors to reply in 4 to 5 weeks... can I assume by now that I don't warrant a response??! Thanks guys.

I'd leave any more chasing till at least 3 months have gone by, to be honest. These people are hugely busy. I'd also send out to at least 10 other agents/publishers at the same time, so I'm not relying on one person who might not want it or even reply anyway. And when one refusal comes back, send out another submission to someone else.

But most importantly: ***start on your next writing project!!***

Good luck!

A
xxx

Thanks so much! It does say on the PFD website that they like you to apply to them 'exclusively'! But I confess, I've snail mailed the full package out to at least 5 or 6 others! Thanks for replying, I'll let you know when I recieve the crushing blow of rejection... (already had a fair few.)

<Added>

Just realised who you are!! MANY CONGRATULATIONS on your success!!! x

Hi Amiria,

Don't panic - expect 6 to 8 weeks.

Like you I got anxious , sent an email and a letter(!) Submitted exclusively...

I did get a personal response - a rejection - but it was signed by the man himself...

Meanwhile as they've had it a few weeks send out to a few more agents - will make you feel better?

Sarah

Ooh, thanks, Amiria - not sure I'm worthy of caps though!! Simon T rejected my stuff some time ago!!

==:O

)

A
xxx

Thanks you guys,if (that should probably read WHEN) he rejects me, at least I'll know I'm in good company! xxx

I'd echo what everyone else has said, amiria. I dealt with the children's dept at PFD a little while ago and got a response (rejection) within the specified time period, which was a month. I'm not sure if it's the same for Simon T as 3 months are the usual. Might be worth a look though, if only to see where you're up to.

Nik.

I sent out about ten submissions to agents and Simon was the last to respond, about three months I think, but the letter he sent referred quite specifically to details in my manuscript, so I reckon he read it at least.

All excellent advice: expect three months, don't worry about exclusivity if it's sample chapters, dilute the agony with lots of submissions, start writing something as soon as you get home from the post office.

Emma

Thanks everyone, I only joined WW about a month or so ago and it really is great getting the feedback and support from other budding writers! x

don't worry about exclusivity if it's sample chapters

Really?
I was very pleased to read this as I was feeling reluctant to approach agencies which requested exclusivity. Maybe I will submit to Simon Trewin after all.

Hi Amiria

I sent a website submission to ST last year, heard nothing, sent a follow up email a couple of months later and had no reply to that either. At the time I was astounded that he could have passed up the enormous privilege of representing my masterpiece (yes, it was my first submission) so I went off in a huff, thinking he'd be kicking himself when it sold a million <insert hollow laugh here>. Now I think perhaps it might have been worth a quick phone call just to check...

Anyway, best of luck!

J

Actually JMAC, if he didn't even respond to your second email, I hope you sell a trillion of your books WITHOUT the aid of an agent! x

Thanks Amiria, I'm tempted to do just that, to really show him. So far I'm confident of having reached exactly 200 readers (although, alas, they'll only be reading one page each) - the last agent I sent the full manuscript to lost the return envelope and cheerfully recycled the whole ms as office stationery. Or so he told me.

Cheers

J

Maybe we should form our own agency...