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Andrea Brown Literary Agency

giftedrhonda

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I agree! As long as you haven't granted exclusives to anyone, do NOT hold off! You don't need to put all your eggs in one basket. :D Get those queries out there!!!
 

Dollywagon

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It's no good, I've got to ask.

I've sent a couple of queries in to Caryn Wiseman and got a message back that I am not sure is a rejection or automated response.

It has standard blurb at the top saying submission guidelines have changed and if you don't hear anything back within 6 weeks consider it defunct, but then underneath Caryn puts "We wish you publishing success and appreciate the chance to consider your material."

When I first got one I just thought it was a rejection, probably based on the "We wish you publishing success" bit, but thought the second half should have read " and appreciate the chance to have considered your material."

Now I'm just thinking that maybe this is an automated acknowledgment rather than anything else?
 

reenkam

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When did you send the queries? And what was the format? If I were to guess I'd say the email meant you formatted your query wrong.

As of Jan 1 they only take email, despite what any books might say. Also, did you send the query and 10 pages of the manuscript? If you didn't maybe that's the issue.

I'd say check their website to make you did everything exactly as they wanted. If not then try again with the guidelines.

Maybe I'm just being uber-optimistic and it's a form rejection....but check it out anyway. Good luck!

p.s. here's the website if you need it: http://andreabrownlit.com/guidelines.php
 
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Dollywagon

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No, it was an email query, Reenkam. I just followed the guidelines on their website, which say if you don't hear anything within 6 weeks then your sub has been unsuccessful.
They are picture book submissions anyway so you have to send the whole mss.

Yesterdays reply came within 10 minutes of my sending the email, which is why I got to thinking that it was just an automated acknowledgment response - Maybe Caryn sends these out despite the actual site saying you won't get one if they are not interested?

It's not a big issue, just that I'd like to clarify if I am doing anything wrong.
 

KAP

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Sounds like an acknowledgment of receipt, not a rejection. I've received a few of those, especially when the agency wants to remind you that no (future) response from them means no thanks. It's automatically sent out the moment your query is received by them. Your email program probably checks mail every ten or fifteen minutes, so there's a delay in getting it.

Good luck,
kap
 

Dollywagon

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Thanks, Kap.
That actually does make sense. I guess they are just reminding people that no further communication will occur unless it needs to.

I'm just used to reading everything I get as a rejection - that's sort of an automated response as well ...;)
 

giftedrhonda

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It's an automated msg--I've gotten it, too, and I'm one of her clients. I think she sets it up so writers know she got their queries...she's been pretty busy lately, and she doesn't want things to fall through the cracks.

Good luck!
 

Dollywagon

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Thanks for clearing that up, Rhonda. It's just when I see the words, 'we wish you publishing success,' I automatically assume the worst ...

Good luck with your book!
 

reenkam

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Kind of a weird question here, but...Does anyone know how Michelle Andelman goes about her full requests? As in, does her having a full for a long time possibly mean anything as in she likes it enough not to be sure/she hates it so much she can't even bare to send a form?

I'm just wondering cause I'm coming up on 5 months now...I sent a status check at the three month mark and got a quick response. I don't want to be a bother, but should I really even hope anymore?
 

Julie Worth

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Kind of a weird question here, but...Does anyone know how Michelle Andelman goes about her full requests? As in, does her having a full for a long time possibly mean anything as in she likes it enough not to be sure/she hates it so much she can't even bare to send a form?

I'm just wondering cause I'm coming up on 5 months now...I sent a status check at the three month mark and got a quick response. I don't want to be a bother, but should I really even hope anymore?

If you haven't already seen it, here are some reports on her response times: http://community.livejournal.com/agentturnaround/20191.html

And if I were you, I'd be sending out queries in batches of ten or twenty, every few weeks. Ten queries in five months is not putting the odds in your favor.
 
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reenkam

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If you haven't already seen it, here are some reports on her response times: http://community.livejournal.com/agentturnaround/20191.html

And if I were you, I'd be sending out queries in batches of ten or twenty, every few weeks. Ten queries in five months is not putting the odds in your favor.

I love that site, but, alas, I'm past the 16 weeks that is the longest response time listed there. And she doesn't seem to have any pattern to her rep offers and declines.

The low query count is b/c it's edgy YA and only email...so my options of sending were significantly cut. And it seems that agents don't like edgy as for a first time author...or, at least, that's what they keep telling me :Shrug:
 

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Can anyone tell me how long it takes Jennifer Jaeger with Andrea Brown to respond to a query? I sent an e-mail query on June 28 and included the materials she asked for in her guidelines. I haven't heard anything back. They say six to eight weeks, but if she should have responded by now if she was interested, I need to move her name to the no response category in my literary agents file. Thanks so much.
 

rwam

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I emailed Laura Rennert at AB on 07/10 and haven't heard back. My notes say to expect 4-8 weeks for a response.
 

LBW66

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Can anyone tell me how long it takes Jennifer Jaeger with Andrea Brown to respond to a query? I sent an e-mail query on June 28 and included the materials she asked for in her guidelines. I haven't heard anything back. They say six to eight weeks, but if she should have responded by now if she was interested, I need to move her name to the no response category in my literary agents file. Thanks so much.

She got back to me with a very polite and prompt rejection within days of my email query.
-Laura
 

brittanimae

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More on Andrea Brown?

Looked up Andrea Brown after the last thread, and they look fab. Does anyone have more info on the individual agents there? I see they all work together, which is great, but I would love some additional info, personal experience, etc.

This is probably in a thread somewhere, but it never hurts to refresh it!
 

Shady Lane

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Hey--

Andrea Brown is basically awesome. I have a full out with Michelle Andelman right now, and she's been so sweet and professional. My experience confirms the rumor that she takes a long time to respond (2 and a half months to my query, 1 so far for the full).
 

writermom

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Don’t stress about who you query there. They’re all fab and if the agent you query isn’t interested in your premise but you have a strong hook they will pass it on to another agent.
 

MsJudy

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I went to their conference last year, and I've already sent in my $$$ to go again this year. They are fabulous. However, I didn't get to know any of the agents personally--my critique groups were led by other people. But if you're the kind of person who's good at networking, I'm sure you could approach them at the conference and have a conversation with each to get a better feel. It's definitely that kind of small conference (fewer than 80 participants) where you could get to know someone.
 

Southern_girl29

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I sent a query to Jennifer Jaeger there back at the end of June. I haven't had a response to the query yet. I'm wondering if I should move her to the no response category. She was one of my top picks, too.
 

MsJudy

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I sent a query to Jennifer Jaeger there back at the end of June. I haven't had a response to the query yet. I'm wondering if I should move her to the no response category.

Yep, 'fraid so. Their website is pretty clear about their new policy being "you'll only hear from us if we're interested." I think they claim a 6-week response time, so if it's been more than that, it counts as a reject.

Bummer.
 

Nahotep

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Hey JudScottKev, I'm thinking about attending their workship in Big Sur too. Great to hear you thought so highly of it. Since you didn't meet them there, what was the emphasis of the conference? Working on your existing manuscript? Did you work with another writer on your piece? I won't be that far into my novel by then - maybe three or four chapters. Do you think that would be enough to have on tap to justify attending the conference? Any insight would be most appreciated. Thanks!
 

MsJudy

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Yes to all of your questions! It's a small-group critique format. You work in two different groups, four participants and one faculty person. Everyone shares a few pages, and we all rip it to shreds (gently, of course). Not for the faint of heart.... The Andrea Brown agents run groups, I just happened to work with other faculty, and I'm not good at shmoozing over dinner.... So yes, the focus is on improving your writing so when you do submit, it's ready. Some people had books already in submission and were working on their second, others had one chapter. You also get a one-on-one conference with a faculty person, and while those are going on Andrea talks to the group about the ins-and-outs of the business. And the setting is as beautiful as you can imagine.... there are breaks in the middle so you can write or take a hike. And at dinner, the director of the Henry Miller library gives a talk and sings songs and generally makes you feel like you're really in Northern California, by god.

It was a scary and intense experience, but one of the most productive weekends of my life. Wish they'd give me a discount for talking other people into going....
 

CaoPaux

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This is probably in a thread somewhere, but it never hurts to refresh it!

Please bump older threads rather than create new ones. If you need help navigating B&BC, the Index at the top of the board includes search tips.
 
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