Is it true deals aren't made in the summer?

KookyKat · 07-10-2009, 10:29 PM

My agent told me two weeks back that he's going to wait till the summer is over (and he's happy with my revisions - which will make it next year at this rate ;-) before subbing my novel because he prefers to know he has a good chance of all the major players being around to read it (so if the editor likes it, then s/he takes it to the rest of the team).

Is anyone else hearing this from their agents/friends with agents?

sleepsheep · 07-10-2009, 10:31 PM

My agent started subbing on Monday. She said that three of the editors were on vacation until July 13th, but most of them were there. We already heard back from St. Martin's, Plume, Sourcebooks, and Kensington. She hopes to hear from the others by the end of next week.

Of course a lot of people take vacations during the summer, but I doubt the whole industry comes to a halt.

TrixieLox · 07-10-2009, 10:40 PM

Yes, I've heard this too, mebbe it's a UK thing? Especially with recent announcements about Penguin etc...

bagels · 07-10-2009, 10:50 PM

I wish I could remember which blog I read this, but one agent said that while summer used to be a dead zone, that's less and less the case.

ORION · 07-10-2009, 10:56 PM

What happens is many editors are on vacation and it takes longer to send a book through the editorial board. The exceptions are if it's a second (or third) book and part of an option-
For Lottery my agent waited to submit in November- often times it's strategy-
right now tho my agent has made several deals...

ccarver30 · 07-10-2009, 11:14 PM

Interesting... and lucky them!!

James D. Macdonald · 07-11-2009, 03:17 AM

New York does shut down early in the summers.

YAwriter72 · 07-11-2009, 03:57 AM

I dunno. Have you read Publishers Marketplace lately. Lots and lots of deals are still happening every day.

When I was querying agents, it was right around Thanksgiving and "everyone" said agents usually go quiet between then and New Years. I had 5 full requests and signed with mine the week before Thanksgiving.

I don't think there are hard and fast rules about good or bad. Its getting your book in front of the agent or editor who loves it, whether its June or November. IMO

caromora · 07-11-2009, 05:16 PM

Summer is conference and vacation season, which means a lot of editors are out of their offices. But deals still happen.

wandergirl · 07-11-2009, 09:10 PM

My deal was July 1.

myrmidon · 07-11-2009, 11:27 PM

I think it doesn't shut down but it's a bit slower as people are vacation. As someone who lives in New York (Manhattan) I have to say that the city all but shuts down in August, so I would expect it might be pretty close to business as usual for most of the summer, but in August, I don't know, NYC is like a ghost town...

All that said, I don't work in publishing, so this is my experience working in other industries (literally not being able to get anyone to do anything in August) and as someone living there and seeing it slow down to a crawl. I've never seen that anywhere else that I've lived - but it's understandable - NYC is miserably hot and gross in August

erinbee · 07-12-2009, 04:28 AM

My agent goes away for the entire month of August since everyone is on vacation. He edits, reads queries, and prepares for a big fall.

Horserider · 07-12-2009, 05:39 AM

Kody (Blind Writer) recently had her book sold at auction to a publisher.

07-10-2009, 10:29 PM	#1
KookyKat figuring it all out Join Date: May 2009 Location: Devon, UK Posts: 53	Is it true deals aren't made in the summer? My agent told me two weeks back that he's going to wait till the summer is over (and he's happy with my revisions - which will make it next year at this rate ;-) before subbing my novel because he prefers to know he has a good chance of all the major players being around to read it (so if the editor likes it, then s/he takes it to the rest of the team). Is anyone else hearing this from their agents/friends with agents? Last edited by KookyKat; 07-10-2009 at 10:46 PM.

07-10-2009, 10:31 PM	#2
sleepsheep persuasion by equation Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 1,553	My agent started subbing on Monday. She said that three of the editors were on vacation until July 13th, but most of them were there. We already heard back from St. Martin's, Plume, Sourcebooks, and Kensington. She hopes to hear from the others by the end of next week. Of course a lot of people take vacations during the summer, but I doubt the whole industry comes to a halt. __________________ "As the days go by, we face the increasing inevitability that we are alone in a godless, uninhabited, hostile and meaningless universe. Still, you've got to laugh, haven't you?"

07-10-2009, 10:40 PM	#3
TrixieLox Benefactor Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Just outside London Posts: 571	Yes, I've heard this too, mebbe it's a UK thing? Especially with recent announcements about Penguin etc... __________________ "There is absolutely no point in sitting down to write a book unless you feel you must write that book, or else go mad, or die." Robertson Davies

07-10-2009, 10:56 PM	#5
ORION Sailed away years ago Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 1,996	What happens is many editors are on vacation and it takes longer to send a book through the editorial board. The exceptions are if it's a second (or third) book and part of an option- For Lottery my agent waited to submit in November- often times it's strategy- right now tho my agent has made several deals... __________________ Patricia Wood http://pkwood.blogspot.com http://patriciawoodauthor.com Patricia Wood's debut novel LOTTERY is available for sale at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Borders and your local independent book store. http://search.barnesandnoble.com//e/9780425222201

07-10-2009, 11:14 PM	#6
ccarver30 Highlight, delete, re-write Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 19th century England Posts: 2,577	Interesting... and lucky them!! __________________ WIPs Twelve Diamonds Final Flame Winner's Curse Don't Come Back Everyone should read Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne/King.

07-10-2009, 10:50 PM	#4
bagels Wannabe Intellectual Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: California Posts: 395	I wish I could remember which blog I read this, but one agent said that while summer used to be a dead zone, that's less and less the case.

07-11-2009, 03:17 AM	#7
James D. Macdonald Your Genial Uncle Absolute Sage Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 21,580	New York does shut down early in the summers. __________________ "The Clockwork Trollop" by Debra Doyle & James D. Macdonald Free online. Text and podcast.

07-11-2009, 03:57 AM	#8
YAwriter72 someone let me off this crazy ride Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. Posts: 2,382	I dunno. Have you read Publishers Marketplace lately. Lots and lots of deals are still happening every day. When I was querying agents, it was right around Thanksgiving and "everyone" said agents usually go quiet between then and New Years. I had 5 full requests and signed with mine the week before Thanksgiving. I don't think there are hard and fast rules about good or bad. Its getting your book in front of the agent or editor who loves it, whether its June or November. IMO __________________ Highway to YAH! My Website FATES - Random House/Delacorte-Summer 2013 FATES SEQUEL - Random House/Delacorte-2014 (writing as Lanie Bross ) TANGLED WEBS - Disney/Hyperion-Summer 2014 TANGLED WEBS SEQUEL - Disney/Hyperion-Summer 2015

07-11-2009, 05:16 PM	#9
caromora Still alive. Kind of. Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: 2nd Star To the Right Posts: 686	Summer is conference and vacation season, which means a lot of editors are out of their offices. But deals still happen.

07-11-2009, 09:10 PM	#10
wandergirl ~kirsten hubbard Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: california Posts: 1,395	My deal was July 1. __________________ ★ Like Mandarin & Wanderlove ★ (delacorte press, march 2011 & 2012) my blog

07-11-2009, 11:27 PM	#11
myrmidon i AM batman (not really) Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 340	I think it doesn't shut down but it's a bit slower as people are vacation. As someone who lives in New York (Manhattan) I have to say that the city all but shuts down in August, so I would expect it might be pretty close to business as usual for most of the summer, but in August, I don't know, NYC is like a ghost town... All that said, I don't work in publishing, so this is my experience working in other industries (literally not being able to get anyone to do anything in August) and as someone living there and seeing it slow down to a crawl. I've never seen that anywhere else that I've lived - but it's understandable - NYC is miserably hot and gross in August

07-12-2009, 04:28 AM	#12
erinbee slanted and enchanted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 421	My agent goes away for the entire month of August since everyone is on vacation. He edits, reads queries, and prepares for a big fall. __________________ THE H3ROINE'S B00KSH3LF! Hardcover from Harper, paperback from Harper Perennial. More about the book \| More about me \| Facebook \| Twitter

07-12-2009, 05:39 AM	#13
Horserider Ever onward Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The TARDIS with David Tennant Posts: 19,109	Kody (Blind Writer) recently had her book sold at auction to a publisher. __________________ \| Blog \| Twitter \| I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. ~The Book Thief WIPs: Heartbreaker - writing Currently Reading: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

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