Sean R. Robinson

Oh gosh! You completed your novel. You submitted it to an agent. You followed the Submission Guidelines to the letter. What happens next?

This depends a lot on the process of the agent in question. As will the response time. But we’ll be general here.

When an agent receives a manuscript they’ll read it. They’ll read the Query Letter, the synopsis, and whatever sample you sent. Depending on the Agent, they may ask for more. Sometimes twenty pages, or the first few chapters. Others will ask for the whole thing.

This is a place where you need to pay attention. Does the agent ask for exclusivity? If you are being exclusive, it means they want to be the only one reading your submission until they say yes or no. Be professional here. If you agree to be exclusive, you cant change your mind later.

The agent will then say whether they are interested in taking you on as client.