How encouraging is a "revise and resubmit" request?

[Just Me 2021]

So... I've got an agent, and she submitted my ms to six editors. All big publishing houses, so all good submissions. We were granted quick reads and got responses within six weeks from all six editors. Unfortunately, we did not get any offers. We were rejected by one and got five requests for revisions and resubmissions.

As you can imagine, I've been in revision hell ever since. Now my agent is resubmitting to all five editors plus submitting to a few new editors.

My question is this: Am I silly to have hope that one of these R&R requests might turn into a sale? I'm assuming editors don't agree to take a second look unless they are truly interested, right? Why would they waste their time if there wasn't true interest, right?

My paranoid/self-doubting side has wondered if my agent is just very persuasive and got them to say yes, they'd take another look if I revised, and if I'm going to end up at the bottom of a slush pile for months.

Has anyone else been in my position? Did you end up with a sale? Please do share.

Thanks in advance!

[lorna_w]

never been in the situation but I will say:

- hope is free. Zero calories and non-addictive and untaxable.

- somehow, I'm doubting overworked editors are saying "well, this is bad and we'll never buy it, but I'd sure hate to hurt Agent X's feelings." These are professionals. They wouldn't be bothering with you if you weren't worth the bother

I have my fingers crossed for you! I hope there's a friggin' auction!

[AnneGlynn]

5 out of 6 requesting a revision? I've never been in that situation (1 out of 6, yes, with no sale). I'd be very hopeful, especially if there's a common theme in what the editors want to see revised.

Congratulations!

[Just Me 2021]

Yes, 4 out of 5 wanted "more emotional connection" with one of the two main characters. Only one had stand out requests. They gave us detailed feedback, so we revised to specifications.

I guess the question is this: Did I deliver what they hoped I could deliver? I'm scared to find out what the answer is!

Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions.

[MKrys]

I've never received even one revise and resubmit from an editor. Got 9 rejections though! But I don't see it as being a bad thing. In fact I think it's great. And I agree with Lorna completely re: overworked editors.

This is great! Good luck

[mkassel]

I know of a debut author who was asked to revise by a big NY publisher. He did them, and was offered a significant 3 book deal. The editor said she wanted to book's issues to be ironed out so it would be well received by the acquisitions board. They don't ask for the hell of it. Keep thinking positive!

[Just Me 2021]

Thank you for the encouragement! I appreciate it a great deal.

[randi.lee]

The important word here is re-submit. You could have recieved a big fat no thanks, but you didn't-- you were handed the green card to try again. Take it as a compliment that you weren't flat-out rejected. I would! Best of luck with those revisions.

[Kado]

I would say it's an encouraging opportunity to make your book even better. We have to remember that editors can't just say yes to a book on their own; there are various other people above them who have to say yes, too. So it looks as though these editors probably really liked what they read, but made these suggestions bearing in mind who they have to convince. Good luck! Hope you land a deal soon!

[Just Me 2021]

Thanks for the encouragement. We're back on submission again, so now I'm back in the waiting game. I'm working on my next book, of course, and I work FT, so that helps pass the time, but I can't help but to OBSESS about this 24/7. I'll let you know what happens!

[Bufty]

Encouraging. Fingers crossed for you, Justme2021.

[Just Me 2021]

Thanks, Bufty. I appreciate the encouragement! The waiting is a killer, that's for sure!

[Becky Black]

Originally Posted by Just Me 2021

My question is this: Am I silly to have hope that one of these R&R requests might turn into a sale? I'm assuming editors don't agree to take a second look unless they are truly interested, right? Why would they waste their time if there wasn't true interest, right?
...
Has anyone else been in my position? Did you end up with a sale? Please do share.

You're definitely not being silly to have hope. And you're absolutely right that they won't agree to another look unless they are genuinely interested. They have so many subs to go through that they aren't going to encourage anyone to submit it again if it's truly going to be a waste of time. Your agent might inded be persuasive, but publishers aren't shy about saying no. If they don't want to see it again they'll just give you a firm no.

Also, they wouldn't be doing you any favours if they agreed to see it again even though they weren't really interested. You'd spend time making revisions that they don't actually want to see, when you could have been concentrating on submitting elsewhere or working on another project. So a publisher wouldn't waste your time and theirs by giving you an R&R they don't mean. A firm no lets you move on from them.

So, yes, if they say revise and resubmit they really do want to see it again and really think if you do those changes well there's a good chance they'll buy it. So keep on hoping!

My third sale was from a revise and resubmit (I had two previous books with that publisher) and I've just resubmitted another one that I had an R&R rejection with. So like you, I'm in the waiting game for that one now! I've got my fingers crossed for both of us!

[Just Me 2021]

Thank you for sharing your story; that's so encouraging. I'm anxiously waiting (and you know how that feels - you're right here in the trenches with me) and it's so hard not to climb the walls! Fingers crossed for you as well.

[Anne Lyle]

Originally Posted by Just Me 2021

My question is this: Am I silly to have hope that one of these R&R requests might turn into a sale?

No.

Originally Posted by Just Me 2021

Has anyone else been in my position? Did you end up with a sale?

Yes.



I submitted direct to an editor I met at a convention, got an R&R (we discussed the changes via email until we were both happy with the proposed changes) and it led to a 3-book deal.

There's no guarantees, because sometimes the changes still don't quite match expectations, but if you've done your job well, there's certainly a good chance.

Good luck!

[keylime]

I'm bumping this thread to the top because I've been waiting on pins and bloody needles waiting to hear from an editor who had lovely things to say about my project, asked to see it again with some tweaking, and has been sitting on it for 2 1/2 months. Ahhh!

Do R & Rs generally take this long when an agent (a very successful agent) has been facilitating? I hope I don't come off as an impatient moron, but this editor's first response came quicker than this ...

Is keeping the faith just a waste at this point?

[Anne Lyle]

Ten weeks isn't that long a time in publishing. Maybe the editor is massively busy right now, or maybe he/she likes it but has to run it past other colleagues before giving you and your agent an answer.

Give it a couple more weeks, then maybe send your agent a polite email asking if she's heard back yet. The agent may have a better idea than you of how quickly this particular editor tends to respond.

[profen4]

Originally Posted by keylime

I'm bumping this thread to the top because I've been waiting on pins and bloody needles waiting to hear from an editor who had lovely things to say about my project, asked to see it again with some tweaking, and has been sitting on it for 2 1/2 months. Ahhh!

Do R & Rs generally take this long when an agent (a very successful agent) has been facilitating? I hope I don't come off as an impatient moron, but this editor's first response came quicker than this ...

Is keeping the faith just a waste at this point?

It could be the process at that publishing house. Maybe more than one editor has to love it for the publishing house to pick it up. Maybe he read your changes, loved them, and passed it off to his colleague for a second opinion.
do boi nu cao cap do lot nu yem an cao cap cho be chan vay cong so nu chan vay cong so nu chup anh thoi trang gia re
Positive thoughts!

[Debbie V]

Some houses require an editor to take the manuscript to an acquisition's meeting where reps from marketing and other editors all have to agree that your work is worth their time and money. They may only hold meetings once a month, and your editor may not be presenting every month. I've seen waits of six months or more.

In fact, send a status query at the six month mark. Before than, I hope you aren't a nail biter, because you won't have any left.

[Just Me 2021]

It's so good to hear that other writers are still waiting anxiously, as I haven't heard anything back yet from any of these five editors. So... no rejections (which is good news), but no communication about a contract or anything either (which of course makes me worry.) Trying not to bite those nails!

[lauralam]

I got a R&R that ended in a deal as well. I'd say 5 of 6 is very encouraging. Best of luck!

[Just Me 2021]

Thanks, Lauralam! I'm crossing my fingers!

[thurlowjames]

I would echo the views of MKrys. I've never been in your shoes but have had some rejections so I'd see it as a positive and I wish you the best of luck.

[Becky Black]

My second R&R just paid off. The contract is in the mail now.

[Just Me 2021]

Yay, Becky Black! Congratulations!

I'm still waiting... no news from anyone yet, but all five are reading the revised versions, so I'm just waiting and working on the next book.