That's very good going, Vanessa. Pretty fast, I would say and it sounds extremely promising. (Fingers crossed for you.)

I once had a publisher say that they would not make an offer on a particular book, but then they were bizarrely reluctant to return the manuscript. They hung on to it and hung on to it. I should say the lack of offer was ambiguous. The editor liked it but said that she didn't see it as a first book, but might publish it as a second book, part of a package. So in the meantime, while I was supposed to get on with producing that non-existent other book, they sort of just hung on to the manuscript of the first one (Taking Comfort).

They had to give it up when they found out it was going to be published.

I'd do a Bushtucker trial if it meant the Senior Editor at Faber would take me seriously.

Hmm, Sappholit, that's an interesting approach. It might just work...

They had to give it up when they found out it was going to be published

Brilliant. Revenge is a dish best served cold and all that.

Yes, indeed!

Caroline, I think you may indeed be the winner here - your wait makes me feel very green indeed, getting antsy after 3 months!

MF, do I get a prize?

I can beat Caroline - I waited two years for a reply from Andersen Press about a picture book. After several letters of correspondence, they finally admitted they'd lost it - and then miraculously found it again the next day!

It was a rejection, of course. But when submitting picture books to some of the smaller presses, I used to routinely wait over 9 months for a reply (Little Tiger and Gullane were particularly bad)

<Added>

Just read the original post again and I fear both Caroline and I are disqualified since our responses in the end were rejections, not acceptances!

Ah, yes...you have a point there, Moondance.
If you'd like to come on over, by the way, I'll pass on this rather battered cup. Shame, because it looked quite nice on my mantlepiece.

I think the cup has to stay in the WW trophy cabinet for the time being, guys - it will be an inspiration to us all.

Perhaps I could tempt you with a consolation prize, tho? Erm...who likes pick 'n' mix?

sappholit - I'm with you on Faber. Even if they didn't offer the biggest advance I'd plump for them (should they make me an offer). My agent says she'll be submitting to them. Did yours give any reason about why she wasn't sending your script to them? Did she ask you if you had preferences?

And welcome to WW.

Sam
x

MF, ah, go on then. I'll have a bag please.

Hi, Sammy,

A few posts back I said something really sensible like, 'Don't speculate about what's happening. You simply don't know, and speculation will drive you mad.'

However, I am not heeding this advice. I am tearing my hair out every minute of every day, wondering what is going on. My agent shares nothing with me, just emails occasionally asking me odd questions like, 'By the way, Sarah, where did you go to school?'

Anyway, she submitted some time ago. She didn't tell me who to at the time, and has only just given me a list. There are seven publishers on it. Seven is a ridiculous number. (Why would anyone send to an odd number?) Thus I am convinced that she actually sent to eight - the eighth being Faber - and that they have sent it back saying, 'Please do not corrupt our beautiful offices with this crap again.'

However, it's ok, cos she also submitted to John Murray. Apparently, though I have never heard of him, he's a good chap and published Jane Austen.

But I am constantly speculating on everything. Like, 'By now, she must have had three rejections. Maybe one person has asked for information. Agent asked me for information about me on Thursday. She told them the information on Friday. Today is Tuesday . . . .'

You will notice that I am a regular on WW. This is because, at this point, I am nearly insane.

<Added>

Since posting the above, I have had first rejection. I've put details in lounge, under the very much freuqented 'Rejection Pledge' thread.

Does this mean that everyone else will follow suit and reject me, too?

Does this mean that everyone else will follow suit and reject me, too?

For what it's worth, my next novel, A Gentle Axe, was rejected by two publishers, HarperCollins and another whose name I won't even mention, and accepted by the third, which was Faber and Faber.

It all depends what a particular publisher is looking for and how well your book fits their requirements. So rejection is not in itself a judgement on quality.



<Added>

so, 'no' - I meant to say, in answer to your question, sappholit.

Oh. Ok. Cool.

You coming for lunch/coffee/beer on 10th December, roger? There's an invitation in the lounge.

Roger is right. One man's meat another man's poison and all that. I've found reactions to TA to be very extreme, from the very enthusiastic, to the almost insulting, but well, it really is a question of finding the right pair of eyes.

I've waited over a year to hear from an agent before, and then received a one line, email rejection. And what about all the agents and publishers that you never hear back from at all?

JB

Hi sappholit. I did see the thread about the meet up. I'm not sure, is the honest answer. I'd like to but it depends on other arrangements, as usual.

Oh please come Roger, I want to meet you too! And I'm travelling from Scotland. ALthough I have to be that neck of the woods then anyway but...that's not the point.