Write It Off

When is it time to give up on the wait? It's when you've seen the writing on the wall, or the words on the computer screen.

Susan Golomb's agency is advertising for a new assistant. I've been waiting thirteen months for her assistant to get back to me on a partial. Putting it all together, I'd have to say that the assistant is leaving his post, or has already gone elsewhere, and no one will ever answer the e-mails sent as follow-up. I will never know what became of the partial, if it was read or passed on or passed along or shredded.

Some months ago, Kate McKean left the agenting business. She was the assistant to Sally Wofford-Girand when she asked to see a full manuscript, and she left Brickhouse Literary Agency not too long after telling me that they had lost the submission and could I re-send it as a Word file? Considering the fact that Ms. McKean left, and the submission was in her mailbox, and she's not there anymore to open the mailbox, the submission is pretty much a done deal.

Over a year ago, I sent a partial to Matt McGowan of Frances Goldin Literary Agency, but he never responded in any manner. So that's it. After twelve months, it's time to write off the submission and move on down the road. Unless, of course, all those agents are holding onto the submission packet, hoping that I'll get published in some literary rags before they'll make an offer. Can't get published unless you've been published, don't you know.