How Long Does It Take an Agent
to Sell a Book?
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
I consider it part of my job is to help writers manage their expectations about how long does it take an agent to sell a book. But many writers, upon hearing this, tend to bristle. Some clients come to me with the attitude of: “I'm passionate about my story, but I know there are things that need work. I want to learn, develop, and make it better.” Often maybe they have already received writing notes from a writing buddy or critique group or have gone through an unsuccessful submission round. Or maybe their project simply isn't meeting their goals, and they don't know what to do next. That's where I come in as a book editor: as a second set of eyes, and a source of industry advice. I’d much rather work with this kind of writer instead of the other kind—the one who only cares about the sale.
Why It Might Not Be Time to Talk About How Long Does It Take An Agent to Sell a Book Yet
There are also, alas, those writers who don’t think their work needs any additional feedback. They’re more interested in the submission process and the (in their minds) inevitable book deal. (Then bestseller status, of course.) These writers believe their work is perfect, so all they want from a freelance editor is a stamp of approval. Or maybe they hope I will provide a personal recommendation to agents, or that I'll start agenting again (I left my job as a literary agent in 2013) because I simply must have a piece of their hot project. Their primary concern isn’t in making their craft stronger, it’s how long does it take an agent to sell a book, because they were ready to be a multimillionaire bestselling author, like, yesterday.
In any case, success in writing requires continued hard work and dogged determination and other holistic writer tools—not just shortcuts or ego strokes. The “get rich quick” mentality, luckily, doesn’t really exist in publishing because people are well aware that “rich” and “quick” don't describe writing or book publishing. As an editor, I strive to give helpful, actionable feedback. It’s not my job to say: “This is awful, it’s a lost cause, and you should probably stick with your nine-to-five job.” I recall meeting a writer at a writing conference who shared an unbelievable story. “I haven’t written anything in twenty-five years. An instructor in college told me I was horrible at my craft, and the damage it caused was so great that it killed my passion.”
She missed out on decades of writing in her life because of one person's opinion (she believed this person because they were in a position of authority). I understand that others perceive me as an expert too, and thus, I aim to never abuse this power to bring long-term discouragement to a writer. My notes prompt writers to reach higher and remain dedicated to their calling, rather than snuffing out their writing spirit. (It’s natural to feel despondent when you get writing notes, but it should eventually result in a renewed sense of determination.)
On the other hand, do I joyfully applaud each manuscript? Not at all. Even published authors have their fair share of blind spots. I try my best to evaluate each piece with proper respect and consideration, regardless of the skill level of the author or the development level of the manuscript. This is simply part of the writing journey.
I believe writers should strive to grow before they strive to sell. That’s why it’s often not time to talk about submission or how long does it take an agent to sell a book at every point in the process of how to write a book. Sure, it’s easy to wonder, but the answer is: it all depends. Some books sell in a day (usually these are anchored by celebrity names) and some take months to sell (usually because a lot of publishing editors are black holes and take forever to respond).
Dealing with Unrealistic Expectations for How Long Does It Take An Agent to Sell a Book
On a regular basis, I deal with writers who are unable to reconcile their ambitions with the state of their current manuscripts. Whether they are aiming for success at their first writing conference, trying to break into multiplatform publishing, or ignoring conventional query letter advice by putting the cart before the horse in their pitch, writerly impatience is absolutely everywhere. Writers are busy building websites, creating merchandise, and have maybe even self-published.
But there’s often a lack of focus on the manuscript itself—it's almost as if the actual product got pushed aside in the writer’s hurry to the next step. This is not the strongest approach. As a writer, your focus should be manuscript, instead of wondering how long does it take an agent to sell a book.
If you have your priorities out of order, this shows me that you are more interested in becoming “successful” (most writers who could use this advice also have completely unrealistic expectations of what publishing can do for them) than spending time working on their writing itself.
This is what I often end up telling writers: "The only way to make your work stand out is by producing something worthy of attention.” It's easier said than done, of course. I understand wanting to be impatient. That's why I'm an editor; I'm here to assist writers by helping them craft and shape their work. Each person has a different style, and some need extra help in understanding how things should be done, long before they wonder how long does it take an agent to sell a book.
That's when I come in and put together the key elements in the manuscript to make it shine. At the same time, though, I’ll never miss an opportunity to set reasonable expectations. You will thank me later.
For those eagle-eyed readers who are wondering just what kind of editor would write an article with the clunky phrasing of “how long does it take an agent to sell a book” over and over on her website, I applaud you for noticing that this reads awkwardly. Please note that I picked this keyword phrase on purpose, as part of my SEO (search engine optimization) strategy. If you’re curious about writer marketing techniques, check out Good Story Marketing.
Click here to purchase Irresistible Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.