What Happens After an Agent Requests Your Full Manuscript?
Updated: Oct 9
A full request is good news: your query and sample gave an agent a reason to read more. It is not an offer of representation. The agent may read quickly, take months, ask for revisions, pass, or decide to discuss working together.
Send the requested version
Check the instructions for file format, subject line, and deadline. If the agent asks for a full manuscript, send the polished complete book, not a draft you plan to finish next week. Keep a copy of exactly what you sent. If you discover a minor typo afterward, do not replace the entire file with an unsolicited new edition.
What the agent is evaluating
The opening has already raised interest. Now the book must sustain character motivation, pacing, and a satisfying ending. An agent may also consider how to position it to editors and whether their own list has room. A pass on the full can be about fit as much as quality.
While you wait
Keep querying suitable agents unless a guideline asks otherwise. Track requests and responses. If another agent offers representation, give those with the full a reasonable chance to respond according to their policies. Do not announce a nonexistent offer to force a decision.
If the response includes notes
Read them after the first emotional reaction has passed. An agent's revision idea may reveal a genuine problem even when the proposed solution is not right. Decide whether the pattern makes the manuscript stronger before changing it.
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A practical check
Is the full complete? Did I follow the requested format? Did I record the version and date? Am I still building a thoughtful list?
Viola Musaraj is a writer, novelist, micro and vertical drama producer, and interactive narrative designer with more than 140 million reads worldwide.
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