Eric at Pimp My Novel and Rachelle Gardner both blogged this week about the thing called "Publishing Time" or why is publishing so slow?." Eric compares it to African Time, some might compare it to Mexican Time, in so far that different cultures view time and value time in a different way.
I don't think any of us would question that agents and editors are super busy people, so I would say that the sense of slowness is really just experienced on the writer's end. We are the ones waiting for a response, they are in the process of prioritizing their responses.
I like to call it the Sister-Wives Syndrome. One husband-several wives; one agent/editor-several clients. If you have an agent you know what I mean. If you don't, then this is a head's up for you when the time comes. You, as the writer have one relationship--you the client with your agent. One thread of importance to you.
Your agent has several threads, all like the one, the only one, that you have. So just like the husband trying to keep all the wives feeling attended to, the agent is also tending to several clients. That means he or she is reading other people's manuscripts, not just yours. Not only that, she's looking for new clients, so that means more reading. So if you add all that reading, plus the pressure to read the latest publications coming out of the shoot, and well, have some kind of personal life, you can understand why it's taking her so long to get back to you.
And why the editor is taking so long to get back to them.
Then there are all the conferences that agents and editors go to each year, which is actually a double whammy to the author in waiting. Not only do conferences and lead up times to conferences take away valuable reading time, time they could spend reading your manuscript, they are also making requests for new material for them to read.
Then there are the seasons: Fall and Spring are busy in publishing but things grind to a halt over the Christmas holidays and almost just as slow over the summer.
It's a miracle really, that any thing you submit gets read at all! (kidding. sort of.)
So what's my point? I guess that when you're the writer in this equation, you need to have the patience of a saint. But it helps when you understand why things feel like they're running at a snail's pace.
How about you? Are you waiting for something?
Luckily I'm not really waiting for anything at this stage. Just some opinions on my new WiP...
ReplyDeleteI'm using it to learn patience so that I'm somewhat prepared for agents...
;-)
This is exactly right. So true, it hurts. ;)
ReplyDeleteAh so true. They are perhaps the busiest people I have ever met and I do not envy them their job. Patience is so important to us writers because of it!
ReplyDeleteSo so true. Thanks, Elle.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a writer but this is very insightful. The husband with several wives explanantion of an agent and his clients is great. Thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteIt is a slow process, thanks for the heads up. Here in Cyprus their favourite saying is siga-siga...slowly-slowly. They never rush(unless they are in a car on a tight bend), they take it as it comes. I am waiting for agent responses, but am writing to keep my mind sane.
ReplyDeleteI have been forewarned. I still plan on writing and submitting. After all I do need something to complain about :)
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Very accurate post. Honestly, sometimes the waiting is so hard for me that I think I could make a living off of being impatient:)
ReplyDeleteYou explain everything so well concerning the multiple threads agents and editors have with numerous writers.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I'm waiting, the only thing to keep my mind off the wait is to write something new. Waiting is agonizing, but I've gotten used to it.
Ahh. Patience is a virtue - and one I need a lot of practice at. All good things come to those who wait. Still doesn't make it any easier.
ReplyDeleteYou make some excellent points and the importance of being patient. I think that sometimes agents are testing our patience in the beginning a little to make sure we can hold up under the pressure:)
ReplyDeleteYou said it! And once your agent submits it to a publishing house, that publishing house sends it through more than one reader, then takes it to acquisitions. From what I understand even if said editor really likes it, he/she has to convince the others as to why they need to buy it. There are MANY considerations, such as "What have we published recently?" and "Does this fit what we want to stand for?" And that's not counting the months it might linger on the editor's desk (or e-mail inbox) in the first place while she tries to get around to it with the heaps of things she has coming in every day.
ReplyDeleteI did all this without an agent in the 90s. I targeted publishers that didn't require agents (mostly category romance -- Harlequin, Silhouette, Bantam Loveswept before it folded). I saw how the editors make people wait. You send your ms. and hear nothing. Some editors get back to you within the month, some take MONTHS. Some even take more than a year. And I didn't even have a relationship with these editors. It's all about their personal work style and how much they can stand having a lot of things waiting...and how busy they are in the first place.
I'm not waiting right now--I still need to edit then submit, which I'm hoping to do in August or Sept.
ReplyDeleteThe waiting is THE hardest part by far and I'm VERY impatient to the point I drive myself crazy. LOL