This is incredibly useful and honest guidance on the submission process - thank you for that.
At what point do you think a social media presence begins to matter for an author? 1,000 people? 2,000 people? How big does say, a substack, need to be before it functions as a net positive?
I’m so glad it’s helpful. Hmm I don’t honestly know - it’s not just about size, it’s also about engagement, so a smaller but very active and engaged following (who will preorder and buy books) is more helpful than a big one with no engagement. Having a strong presence is helpful, but not a deal breaker - though more and more we do find that it can be super useful for authors to connect with readers that way - but only if it’s something you enjoy and you feel comes naturally! X
This is a very helpful post! I'm curious--have you noticed submission timelines increasing on your end? I've been on submission for 4 months to 15 editors, and only 1 has gotten back with a pass despite that over 2/3 of the editors acknowledged receipt of the submission. I'm not sure if my agent has nudged yet, but her assistant tells me they're getting crickets from everywhere right now.
Hmm it’s hard for me to say as I’m on the editor side of it, so I don’t see how long agents are waiting to hear back from other editors. I do think it is hard to get back to people in a quick manner these days as there are SO many books and meetings and demands on our time, but I do still try to get back within a good timeframe. Four months is quite a while but it’s not unusual to have subs sitting around for that long, unfortunately. I would ask your agent to chase, though!! I’m currently replying to submissions from March/April time if that helps (as well as May). I hope your wait comes to an end soon!
Thank you so much for your insight! Perusing some online groups for authors on submission, it does seem like my experience isn't out of the norm for 2025. I will definitely ask my agent to send nudges! I am friends with another agent who jokingly calls herself a "professional nag." Cheers!
Thank you for this. Great article! Maybe soon you could do a ghost post. You know, a blog about the reasons editors are ghosting agents so often these days. Something that almost never happened five or more years ago. ; )
That’s interesting you feel it didn’t happen? I didn’t know there had been a change (or felt like one) - I think most reasons they can take a while are probably outlined in my post about being on submission but happy to hear more of what you mean! Thank you for reading!
Hi, Phoebe. I've been with my agent for ten years. And while we would sometimes get ghosted back in the beginning of our relationship, it was usually because something got lost or overlooked in an editor's email box. These days, it seems much more common. I am a part of many writers' groups and threads, and the consensus is that there is more ghosting than replies. We writers do understand that editors (like agents and writers) can become overwhelmed. But if an editor asks for a full, we often wait for months to hear back, even with nudging. And often they don't respond to the nudge. I am not complaining, as I've been a part of the industry for many years and I'm used to it, but I do know some newbie authors who are devastated when their agent gets ghosted. Trust me, we'd rather know an editor doesn't care for our book than be ignored. Thank you so much for all you do. You help so many authors navigate these fickle waters! Take care.
Aw yes that does sound really demoralising, I’m sorry! I do always do my best to get back to agents and I think everyone should too. A funny industry at times x
Ugh I’m sorry! It is the worst. If you have heard nothing, ask your agent to chase the editors who it is with, and if there are any you haven’t tried yet. Also get the agent’s take on it - have you had any rejections?
Hi - no nothing at all. My agent says she’s going to nudge, but I just don’t understand why it’s considered acceptable to just ghost writers for months on end. It causes so many issues for authors
Phoebe, thank you for this illuminating article. I'm hoping you can answer this question: When you're reading submissions, how old are they? In other words, when will they have arrived into the publishing house? You said you're still catching up on last weeks reading, but am I right in assuming last weeks reading didn't land in last week?! I ask because I've been on submission for more than three months and I'd love to know how long between our agents submit and our manuscripts land up on the editors desk! Thank you.
Hmm it’s hard to know as sometimes months later things do come out of the blue (that happened to me with my first book deal as an author, actually!) but I’d say that 4-5 months is probably a reasonable time to wait and if you haven’t heard by then it might mean that it’s a no for now. But it’s definitely worth your agent chasing up as sometimes things do get missed and editors don’t mind being chased - especially not after that amount of time! But one can always write more books, and I know lots of people who didn’t sell their debuts but sold subsequent books! X
Thanks Phoebe - thanks for your Substack and comments - all really helpful. In your opinion is there any reason why editors don’t get back to agents after so many months? It just seems so unprofessional to me and causes so many issues for authors (I know I’d be fired from my job if I let things drift for that long!)
To be honest it’s usually just the volume of work, as we prioritise existing authors, and the time it takes to read submissions - most of which is done outside of working hours… I agree it is frustrating.
Hello! So the agent submits direct to me - so it’ll be in my inbox and on my list immediately but then it might take me a week or two to get to it, or more. I do try to get back to agents within a month but in all honesty that can stretch to two or more, and occasionally an agent has to chase up and ask how an editor is getting on with a script. It’s not that we forget, it’s just that we are juggling a lot (as explained in the post). If I really love the sound of a pitch, or if the script has come from an agent who has a brilliant track record and I know has taste that aligns well with mine, I will prioritise that book and read within days (if it’s book fair season, within hours). But if I feel a bit so-so about the pitch I might not get to it for a fortnight or longer. I hate keeping agents (and by default, authors) waiting but unfortunately it’s inevitable due to the demands of the job. But we always want to read and it’s a huge privilege to be sent so many amazing books all the time! And I never mind if an agent chases me up (unless it is unreasonably quickly!) Some agents are very good at building anticipation for a project in advance - for example they might tell me over lunch that they’ve taken on a writer they’re really excited about and give me a sample of the pitch, so then I’m on the look-out for that script when it comes in and might be more excited to read. (That doesn’t mean I’ll buy it if I don’t love it, but it does mean I’ll probably take more notice and read the submission more quickly). I hope this makes sense? So three months for you isn’t a huge amount of time to be on submission, but I would expect you to have heard back from a few editors by now (so you could ask your agent for an update - some agents share all rejection news, some don’t - you can ask!) but it’s not unusual for there to be some editors on the list who may not have got to your book yet. But if it’s been three months your agent can absolutely chase outstanding editors to find out if they’ve had a chance to read yet! Good luck, sending you all the best, and hope this explanation helps!
Thanks so much Phoebe. We've subbed to twenty-two editors and have only heard back from three; all rejections, two of them lovely. It's the waiting in limbo that's so frustrating. Some authors are left waiting eight, ten, twelve months and still consider their books 'on submission,' though in all reality they're probably dead in the water. A final question: At what point do you think authors can write off a publisher due to unresponsiveness?
Great article, very informative. That said, I'm so, so deeply glad I didn't go into publishing like I originally wanted to. Being forced to read, rather than doing it as a choice and a pleasure, sounds like hell.
Haha! I definitely don’t find it to be hell - it does make it harder to read for pleasure though (but I do try to). Sounds like you made the right choice! Glad it was a useful piece.
Thanks so much for this, Phoebe - really helpful and informative. I have a question: do editors tend to let agents know if they're taking a book to acquisitions, or do they wait until the book has been through the process?
Hello! I’m glad it’s helpful. So it depends - sometimes we do, if we want to show serious interest and look keen, but other times that can backfire as it can mean an agent then emails other editors to say “someone is taking this to acquisitions” and then you risk (as an editor) ending up in a potentially more competitive situation, if that makes sense, as other editors might prioritise their reading of the script. Also if I’m not sure a book will get through acqs, I might not want to raise an agent’s hopes. So it’s kind of a strategic decision, and often depends on whether it’s a new contract or a recontract of an existing author, what my relationship with the agent is like, and whether I think it could end up being a competitive process. Sometimes it can look good to show enthusiasm for an author and that can stand an editor in good stead, but like I say, sometimes editors might prefer not to let agents know until a concrete decision has been made. So it is genuinely a case by case basis, and I’ve taken both routes in the past! Hope that helps x
Thank you - this makes perfect sense. For us writers, being on submission feels excruciating (and I know you've been there too!), because of the silence: we never know whether it means good news, bad news or no news!
I know! I think honestly it means no news for a while, then if it goes on a long time it probably means bad news. But there can always be another book and another chance, you only need one yes!
This is incredibly useful and honest guidance on the submission process - thank you for that.
At what point do you think a social media presence begins to matter for an author? 1,000 people? 2,000 people? How big does say, a substack, need to be before it functions as a net positive?
I’m so glad it’s helpful. Hmm I don’t honestly know - it’s not just about size, it’s also about engagement, so a smaller but very active and engaged following (who will preorder and buy books) is more helpful than a big one with no engagement. Having a strong presence is helpful, but not a deal breaker - though more and more we do find that it can be super useful for authors to connect with readers that way - but only if it’s something you enjoy and you feel comes naturally! X
This is a very helpful post! I'm curious--have you noticed submission timelines increasing on your end? I've been on submission for 4 months to 15 editors, and only 1 has gotten back with a pass despite that over 2/3 of the editors acknowledged receipt of the submission. I'm not sure if my agent has nudged yet, but her assistant tells me they're getting crickets from everywhere right now.
Hmm it’s hard for me to say as I’m on the editor side of it, so I don’t see how long agents are waiting to hear back from other editors. I do think it is hard to get back to people in a quick manner these days as there are SO many books and meetings and demands on our time, but I do still try to get back within a good timeframe. Four months is quite a while but it’s not unusual to have subs sitting around for that long, unfortunately. I would ask your agent to chase, though!! I’m currently replying to submissions from March/April time if that helps (as well as May). I hope your wait comes to an end soon!
Thank you so much for your insight! Perusing some online groups for authors on submission, it does seem like my experience isn't out of the norm for 2025. I will definitely ask my agent to send nudges! I am friends with another agent who jokingly calls herself a "professional nag." Cheers!
Hugely helpful insight into the process Phoebe, thanks!
Thanks for reading Lucy!
Such a great post to read, as an author (albeit one for children). Loving your Substack, Phoebe. Thanks so much for sharing all this, it's invaluable!
Thank you for this. Great article! Maybe soon you could do a ghost post. You know, a blog about the reasons editors are ghosting agents so often these days. Something that almost never happened five or more years ago. ; )
That’s interesting you feel it didn’t happen? I didn’t know there had been a change (or felt like one) - I think most reasons they can take a while are probably outlined in my post about being on submission but happy to hear more of what you mean! Thank you for reading!
Hi, Phoebe. I've been with my agent for ten years. And while we would sometimes get ghosted back in the beginning of our relationship, it was usually because something got lost or overlooked in an editor's email box. These days, it seems much more common. I am a part of many writers' groups and threads, and the consensus is that there is more ghosting than replies. We writers do understand that editors (like agents and writers) can become overwhelmed. But if an editor asks for a full, we often wait for months to hear back, even with nudging. And often they don't respond to the nudge. I am not complaining, as I've been a part of the industry for many years and I'm used to it, but I do know some newbie authors who are devastated when their agent gets ghosted. Trust me, we'd rather know an editor doesn't care for our book than be ignored. Thank you so much for all you do. You help so many authors navigate these fickle waters! Take care.
Aw yes that does sound really demoralising, I’m sorry! I do always do my best to get back to agents and I think everyone should too. A funny industry at times x
Thanks for this - I’m currently on submission and borderline-insane after not hearing anything for months
Ugh I’m sorry! It is the worst. If you have heard nothing, ask your agent to chase the editors who it is with, and if there are any you haven’t tried yet. Also get the agent’s take on it - have you had any rejections?
Hi - no nothing at all. My agent says she’s going to nudge, but I just don’t understand why it’s considered acceptable to just ghost writers for months on end. It causes so many issues for authors
Yes I think nudging is fair after a few months. Most of it is just a time thing unfortunately :(
Thanks - hopefully will hear something
I’ll cross my fingers for you!
Thank you! That’s very kind!
Super helpful thank you!
You’re welcome!
Oh my goodness, thank you for explaining this. I’ve always wondered what it looks like on the other end! Appreciate this 🥰
I’m so glad it resonated with you
Thanks so much for this! So helpful. I’m looking forward to hearing more about how an author’s sales record affects acquisition.
Absolutely. I can cover that another time and let me know if there’s anything else you’d find useful! Thanks for reading.
Phoebe, thank you for this illuminating article. I'm hoping you can answer this question: When you're reading submissions, how old are they? In other words, when will they have arrived into the publishing house? You said you're still catching up on last weeks reading, but am I right in assuming last weeks reading didn't land in last week?! I ask because I've been on submission for more than three months and I'd love to know how long between our agents submit and our manuscripts land up on the editors desk! Thank you.
Hmm it’s hard to know as sometimes months later things do come out of the blue (that happened to me with my first book deal as an author, actually!) but I’d say that 4-5 months is probably a reasonable time to wait and if you haven’t heard by then it might mean that it’s a no for now. But it’s definitely worth your agent chasing up as sometimes things do get missed and editors don’t mind being chased - especially not after that amount of time! But one can always write more books, and I know lots of people who didn’t sell their debuts but sold subsequent books! X
Thanks Phoebe - thanks for your Substack and comments - all really helpful. In your opinion is there any reason why editors don’t get back to agents after so many months? It just seems so unprofessional to me and causes so many issues for authors (I know I’d be fired from my job if I let things drift for that long!)
To be honest it’s usually just the volume of work, as we prioritise existing authors, and the time it takes to read submissions - most of which is done outside of working hours… I agree it is frustrating.
That's very helpful. Thank you Phoebe! x
Hello! So the agent submits direct to me - so it’ll be in my inbox and on my list immediately but then it might take me a week or two to get to it, or more. I do try to get back to agents within a month but in all honesty that can stretch to two or more, and occasionally an agent has to chase up and ask how an editor is getting on with a script. It’s not that we forget, it’s just that we are juggling a lot (as explained in the post). If I really love the sound of a pitch, or if the script has come from an agent who has a brilliant track record and I know has taste that aligns well with mine, I will prioritise that book and read within days (if it’s book fair season, within hours). But if I feel a bit so-so about the pitch I might not get to it for a fortnight or longer. I hate keeping agents (and by default, authors) waiting but unfortunately it’s inevitable due to the demands of the job. But we always want to read and it’s a huge privilege to be sent so many amazing books all the time! And I never mind if an agent chases me up (unless it is unreasonably quickly!) Some agents are very good at building anticipation for a project in advance - for example they might tell me over lunch that they’ve taken on a writer they’re really excited about and give me a sample of the pitch, so then I’m on the look-out for that script when it comes in and might be more excited to read. (That doesn’t mean I’ll buy it if I don’t love it, but it does mean I’ll probably take more notice and read the submission more quickly). I hope this makes sense? So three months for you isn’t a huge amount of time to be on submission, but I would expect you to have heard back from a few editors by now (so you could ask your agent for an update - some agents share all rejection news, some don’t - you can ask!) but it’s not unusual for there to be some editors on the list who may not have got to your book yet. But if it’s been three months your agent can absolutely chase outstanding editors to find out if they’ve had a chance to read yet! Good luck, sending you all the best, and hope this explanation helps!
Thanks so much Phoebe. We've subbed to twenty-two editors and have only heard back from three; all rejections, two of them lovely. It's the waiting in limbo that's so frustrating. Some authors are left waiting eight, ten, twelve months and still consider their books 'on submission,' though in all reality they're probably dead in the water. A final question: At what point do you think authors can write off a publisher due to unresponsiveness?
This is such good info. Currently on submission and feeling hopeless, this helped me reconceptualize it a bit. Thanks!
I’m so sorry you are feeling hopeless - but glad it helped. Sending hope!
Loved your last article! Looking forward to reading this one too.
Thank you so much!
Great article, very informative. That said, I'm so, so deeply glad I didn't go into publishing like I originally wanted to. Being forced to read, rather than doing it as a choice and a pleasure, sounds like hell.
Haha! I definitely don’t find it to be hell - it does make it harder to read for pleasure though (but I do try to). Sounds like you made the right choice! Glad it was a useful piece.
Thanks for taking the time to share, Phoebe, it's so interesting to have this process de-mystified :)
Very welcome x
Thanks so much for this, Phoebe - really helpful and informative. I have a question: do editors tend to let agents know if they're taking a book to acquisitions, or do they wait until the book has been through the process?
Hello! I’m glad it’s helpful. So it depends - sometimes we do, if we want to show serious interest and look keen, but other times that can backfire as it can mean an agent then emails other editors to say “someone is taking this to acquisitions” and then you risk (as an editor) ending up in a potentially more competitive situation, if that makes sense, as other editors might prioritise their reading of the script. Also if I’m not sure a book will get through acqs, I might not want to raise an agent’s hopes. So it’s kind of a strategic decision, and often depends on whether it’s a new contract or a recontract of an existing author, what my relationship with the agent is like, and whether I think it could end up being a competitive process. Sometimes it can look good to show enthusiasm for an author and that can stand an editor in good stead, but like I say, sometimes editors might prefer not to let agents know until a concrete decision has been made. So it is genuinely a case by case basis, and I’ve taken both routes in the past! Hope that helps x
Thank you - this makes perfect sense. For us writers, being on submission feels excruciating (and I know you've been there too!), because of the silence: we never know whether it means good news, bad news or no news!
I know! I think honestly it means no news for a while, then if it goes on a long time it probably means bad news. But there can always be another book and another chance, you only need one yes!
Thank you! If someone could bottle hope-for-authors they'd make a fortune! ;)
I’m loving your substack! Thank you 🙏
Thank you so much Clare!