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Book 4 Submitted to Agent - Worried!

edited March 2017 in - Writing Tales
Hi All,
I finished writing my fourth romantic comedy and emailed it off to my agent on Sunday evening (5/3) - and I'm worried he'll hate it! My third novel (which he loved) is currently out on submission, but I'm just having a bit of a moment with my latest work.
He sent me a text yesterday evening to confirm he'd received my novel, blurb and synopsis ok and said that he was hoping to read through it this week and would get back to me - if possible, before Friday.
I suppose I'm just concerned that he'll compare it to my last book and won't consider it to be as good!
To stop myself from checking my In box every ten minutes, I've been concentrating on a greetings card brief that came in and I've just entered a short story comp.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks! X

Comments

  • I think it's probably normal to have these kinds of doubts. How did you feel after sending the previous one?
  • Bookworm, were you any less anxious with books 2 and 3? You have no reason to think he'll hate it, so go for a walk where you cant reach your inbox.
    You have an agent! I should be so lucky..
  • Oh, goodness, yu will feel like this, everyone does.
  • Thanks guys - He has only been my agent for six months. With my first two books, I submitted to agents - got positive comments but nobody would sign me. As with many other writers, I got enough rejections to paper a whole room, so I started approaching publishers and a London based digital publisher liked my first book, published it digitally and accepted my second.
    It was when I started submitting Book 3, that this agent came back to me, asked for the Full and then said he loved it and offered to represent me.-
  • Keep the faith, Bookworm. The agent liked your writing for Book 3, so unless you've had a major brain hiccup in the meantime, he's going to be fine with this one too.
    I suspect he's gone on the basis of the sales of books 1&2, too - you've got publishing history that he clearly checked out before offering to represent you.
    Calm down, breathe, and go for a walk. Or clean the house from top to bottom. That way you'll end up with a clean house, no matter what else happens.
  • Thanks Mrs Bear - yeah, keeping busy is the way to go, I think - I cleaned the house top to bottom yesterday, so will make sure I'm reading and writing other stuff too so I'm not hovering all the time over my in box....!
  • You're only human - it's natural to be on edge and hovering over that inbox! Good luck.
  • Thanks Lou - he said he was going to try and read it this week (that was on Tues) but I know the London Book Fair starts this coming Tues (14th) so that might not be possible for him. Haven't heard back from him yet....!
  • Keeping fingers crossed for you... try to ignore that inbox! :)>-
  • Thanks Claudia! X
  • I subbed a book this week too, though only to an agent from the WAYB.
  • Good luck, Lizy.
  • Good luck Lizy! I just got an email from my agent, to say he is about two thirds through reading my novel and is really enjoying it. He said he has a few thoughts/suggestions (which is fine by me) and that he should have it read completely by early next week.
    I'm grateful he got back to me today, as I would have been imagining him hating it over the weekend! Will let you all know how it goes and thank you all so much for your advice - it is much appreciated! X

  • That's great news, Bookworm!
  • So happy for you, BW - have a great weekend.
  • Sounds encouraging!
  • Thank you all - hope you have a great weekend too! Good luck again Lizy with your submission - let us know how you get on. X
  • I'm not holding my breath!
  • Phew! Will carry on crossing fingers for Lizy...
  • Hi Lizy - Just a thought - have you sent out your novel to more than one agent? When I was submitting, I fired it off to several agents at the same time. It made me feel a bit better that I wasn't putting all my eggs in one basket, if you know what I mean. X
  • Oh I do, bookworm! During my time living abroad i submitted many times. I even signed with an agent but publishers turned my book down, some because i lived too far away to get involved in pulicity! So i have a sheaf of refusals.
    I submit to 3 at a time usually, but I've had eyesight issues which limit screen time. I am working up to speed soon!
  • Well good luck Lizy and keep us posted!
  • You too!
  • Well, things have moved on swiftly.....on Friday afternoon, my agent emailed me to say he was dropping me!
    It has come completely out of the blue with no warning at all. Only last week, he said he was really enjoying my fourth book!!
    In his e-mail, he basically said he really enjoyed Book 4 but that he "hadn't fallen in love with it" and therefore he thought I should look for representation elsewhere.
    I remember bursting into tears in front of the PC and literally falling into a tearful heap on my Husband's shoulder when he got in from work.
    I still can't quite take it in but shock now is turning into annoyance and the "I'll show you" mentality.
    TBH, I think he is making up excuses to get me off his books, because he couldn't sell Book 3.
    Have started submitting my latest work to agents....off we go again.... X
  • So very sorry to hear this. I can completely understand how upset you must be.

    Well done for brushing yourself down and starting afresh. I do hope that you'll be able to find another agent. Onward and upward!
  • Thanks Nell. It's just the thought of having to go through all the submission process from scratch again but it has to be done, I suppose X
  • Good luck - let's hope you find someone even better.
  • Thanks Keith - I'll certainly try!
  • Sounds like a real sleaze act. You're right to adopt the 'I'll show 'em' attitude; works for most of us. Great motivator!
  • Thanks Paige - I think what threw me, was the fact he'd emailed me before to say he was really enjoying my latest work!
    As I said to Nell, what got to me after the initial shock and surprise of him dropping me, was the thought of "Oh no. Here I go again having to start over submitting."
    Got to be done though. X
  • Commented on your other thread, Bookworm.
  • Comment on newer thread x
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