Waiting... Part 2

Image by Tom Magliery via Flickr

Ironically, I’ve kept you waiting for this post, which happens to be the topic today. Just so you know, this was not intentional. My usual, very predictable, schedule took an unexpected turn last week and I received a deadline for work that felt unattainable. Normally, I’m given adequate time to complete my part of the work for a project and based on previous experiences, I wouldn’t consider my job stressful. Last week was stressful, and at times, I felt completely miserable. On top of getting the terrible deadline, our project manager took a vacation (which he certainly earned), and I was left to complete my responsibilities and take on some of his as well.

 As you can see, last week has passed, and I have obviously survived the week of chaos. Yes, I did make my deadline, and now our PM is back from vacation and things will likely go back to being “normal”. Nonetheless, last week was not normal, and on Thursday afternoon when I realized I forgot to post, I had to laugh thinking that this was the point I wanted to make. Simply put, things happen and sometimes the usually predictable can become very unpredictable and inevitably someone will be affected.

 About a month ago an agent who had already requested my full manuscript had sent me another email complimenting my story, and then requested a synopsis and author bio, which seemed a little unorthodox. Based on my research, after an agent has requested the full, read it, and liked it, the next step is usually to offer representation. Although the agent’s actions were unexpected, I still counted it as a possible victory, and decided to wait and see what happens. What else could I do?

 After four weeks though, I find myself getting a little discouraged. I’m optimistic, based on the agent’s past behavior, that if she decides not to represent me she will communicate that to me, but waiting is hard. I find myself thinking the worst. She found someone better for the slot. She forgot about me. She hates the synopsis. That’s just a few of the questions that have entered my mind. Although most of those ideas are possible, there are many more sensible reasons for the delay. I need to remind myself that she hasn’t communicated a rejection, so there’s a good chance I’m still in the running. In addition, she has multiple other authors she is managing. She can’t drop her responsibilities to them to meet my expectations. Most recently, I have found out that the company of the series I am being considered for was just bought by another company. Although there are no plans to eliminate the series, it’s still reasonable to believe there might be delays during this transition.

 The point I’m trying to make is that we all keep someone waiting, so it’s a good idea to consider that when you’re waiting on someone else. Be patient. There’s good reason behind the famous quote, “Good things come to those who wait.”

 Are you waiting on a decision from an agent? Has it been a long wait? How are you handling it?