Two agents have passed on the full of my manuscript but have said variations of "I'd love to see this again if you decide to revise it." (Which of course I'm doing.) When I resubmit, do I just re-send my query and ask if they still want to see it again? Assume they want a partial or a full and just send that? I don't want to over-step, but I don't want to get lost in the slush pile either.
The best course of action is to ask.
Here's how to do that: COPY and PASTE the email they sent you about revisions. Paste it at the bottom of the email. Above that you write: Dear Snookums, I've taken your advice and revised. The full ms is 138,004,201.01 words. May I send a partial or full?
Here's a reminder about the novel: and that's where you paste the query you used when you originally queried (making changes as needed to reflect the revisions)
If your query had a packing list it would look like this:
1. Subject line: revised (per your advice) ms: TITLE
2. Dear Snookums, I've taken your advice and revised. The full ms is 138,004,201.01 words. May I send a partial or full?
3. Query, tweaked for revisions
4. Agent's email to you about revisions
5. YOUR signature.
Just a reminder to all you eager beavers out there: the ONLY time you send a revision is when the agent has requested it. Just cause you've revised doesn't mean I've changed my position on whether I want to read the full. I pass on good, publishable material every day. Some books just aren't for me. A lot of those books do quite nicely too.
10 comments:
The Great Godiva should bless you again and again for all the wonderful advice you give here! Thank you, Janet.
(We should start a petition to make you QOTKU!)
Hey LynnRodz...QOTKU on bumper stickers that won't peel off, as ass tattoos and mile high letters written across the sky in carcinogenic jet exhaust, yes I will sign the petition:)
Janet I am so bummed I missed your Sharque Week Superbowl Ad and Sharque-nato half-time performance.
Well..as they are saying in Denver this morning, there's always next year.
Lynn Rodz;
You start in Paris and I'll start down here in Bordeaux...That way she'll have the French Contingent* for the U.N. We can meet halfway; in Tours.
(*The French Connection's (3)...lesser known sequel.)
Cheers Hank...er um Henri'
Carolynn and Hank, I think we're on to something here! I particularly like the bumper sticker idea, but I'm not sure those ass tattoos will do much to further the cause!!!
Well LynnRodz and Hank on behalf of the three of us I hope I spelled QOTKU correctly.
So, this is what happens when I have half the day off, it snows all morning (all sky writers are grounded)and rather than spend the entire time writing or getting an ass tattoo,I dig out my Visa card for something else.
Hahahaha. Is this a great day or what.
Thanks so much - this is EXACTLY what I needed to know. Now I just have to finish revising :-)
@Carolynn... We in Cleveland say that every morning.
Hey Michael,good day as in Cleveland Ohio?
I used to live in the mid-west...you folks are way too nice and you live to damn far from salt water. I'm used to having doors slammed in my face and swimming where the fish eat you.
Love your blog...I'd like to ask a question...where do I do so?
Linda, the Shark doesn't swim around in circles when there's a whole big ocean out there!
You can find the answer to your question in the comments on Friday. (January 31, 2014)
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