Hi friends,
Here are some things that I have learned so far from obsessive and paranoid Googling (publishing-related, of course):
– The average time lag between submission and a book deal is 4-6 months. It can happen faster (we’ve all heard THOSE stories) and it can happen slower (a year is not uncommon).
– The level of respect your agent commands in the industry is reflected in how quickly people read and respond. (If you’re getting a lot of rejections and quickly, this is a GOOD thing.)
– It can take three to four months, sometimes more, from offer being extended to deal being finalized and you being able to publicly speak about it.
– Agents are not unlike freelancers in that their Inboxes are often filled with multiple rejections for multiple projects, on the way to that one yes.
– This is my own observation, but an agent’s inbox must be an incredibly strange place to behold—full of either hopeful queries or end-of-hope rejections.
– Most editors at large publishing houses don’t buy more than 4-6 books a year, which means that of the thousands of writers who managed to finish a book, land an agent, and make it to their Inbox, they’re going to pick possibly three or four a year.
Interesting, no?
It’s why you can’t take any of it personally or as a reflection on the quality of your book.
Remember that next time you’re collecting rejections.
I’ll see you again tomorrow.
Cheers,
Natasha