Agent Interviews

I can tell fairly early on if it is for me.
My challenge is that there are many manuscripts circling 'round me. I have trouble finding time to read, setting aside time to read is a struggle.
Reviewing queries is easy—- many are passed on/rejected with my form note.
Spending time considering a manuscript for representation takes time.
These are the factors involved in my process:
Do I love it enough to send it out 30+ times? (1-3 years?)
How does it fit on my list?
Is it valuable/important enough contribution for the world of readers?
& the most important is value:
Does my love of the book = My time/work/ $ /happiness/ accountant factor make it worthwhile?
I WILL NEVER KNOW

I skim queries, read samples if the query matches my wishlist, and when I request partial or full manuscripts, I read until I know my answer. That often means I read the whole manuscript!

If the query grabs me, I will read the first 10 pages or so. If the concept is particularly unique, I will possibly read first three chapters.

I try to read the query letter to the end, I don't always read all ten pages if I can tell quickly it's not right for me.

If I get past the genre, word count, title, and pitch, I will then read the query, and jump to read the first few pages of the work. If I make it past the first few pages of the work, then I will pull up the synopsis and read the ending. If all of that is good, I will read the full manuscript.

Usually I can tell from the first page, but sometimes I need to read more and on other occasions it may not be until 30 or 40% of the way through that I know I'm not the right agent for it.

We get around 100 submissions a week, every week, and we know within a sentence or two if the writing engages and enthuses us.

If a query doesn't grab me, I likely won't read the submitted pages to the end—which is why a strong query is so important! And I can usually make that decision within the first few paragraphs. Are you taking too long to actually tell me the premise of your book? Are you describing every detail of your world-building instead of explaining what's at stake? Do I know why I'm following these characters? Do I have any idea where you think this book will fit alongside others on shelves? Any of these might make me stop reading, as might a query that's way too long or way too short. Conversely, if the idea and the characters excite me, I might skip right down to your pages to decide whether your writing grabs me. If so, it's a yes!

Nobody reads every submission/query to the end. We can tell quickly if something has potential for us. (I do have a pretty big "maybe" stack: work that is in some way engaging, even if it clearly needs polishing).

It varies every time. Sometimes you make a connection with a work, and read the whole thing. Sometimes you know instantly that you've been sent something before it's ready, or it's just not something you can sell with any conviction. In some extreme cases, if I've had a strong negative reaction, I'll read it again in case I was just in a bad mood and judged the book harshly.

Between 1 and infinity (pages). I can usually tell from the first paragraph.

All

That entirely depends on the submission or manuscript.

No. If it hasn't grabbed me in the first 5 or so pages, it never will. If it has a tad of promise, I'll read a bit more. If I fall in love with the opening, nothing will keep me from drooling and reading it to the end.

To be honest, sometimes I don't even make it to the manuscript if I'm not intrigued by the concept presented in the query. If I do make it to the pages, it's different every time. Sometimes I know by the first sentence, sometimes it takes more time.

If the manuscript is good, it is my intention to read it to the end. In the case of a manuscript that does not live up to the promise of its query letter, I will know very quickly whether or not the manuscript is right for me. That can sometimes be within the first paragraph or page; in rarer instances within the first ten or fifty pages.

Sometimes you can tell by the query letter/pitch. Sometimes by the first page. Sometimes it takes a little longer. Obviously, with the number of submissions received and the limited time to read, the faster agents can reject something, the better. For us, that is. Don't make the mistake of saving the "good part" for later in the book. The good part (or, one of the good parts) needs to be right up front. Again, do not give us an opportunity to put it down and stop reading. There's nothing worse than reading 100 pages, or 250 pages, or even a whole manuscript only to decide it's a pass. The rule of thumb...if you have any question about its ability to sell, it's a pass. Seriously.

I can generally tell within the first 20 or so pages whether or not I want to keep going.

That varies so widely. So much depends on the quality of the writing, the characters and how emotionally resonant they are, and of course the pacing and the story. If the writing isn’t strong, though, it can be a few paragraphs or pages.

Depends on how strong the first 10 pages are. If the story or topic catches me, I will read the whole thing.

This depends on the manuscript. If it's holding my interest I will keep reading. If it isn't holding my attention, I will quit. If I can tell it's ALMOST ready, I will usually finish and send feedback for the author to make changes and resubmit.

For non-fiction: I read the proposal. If I may sign a client based on the proposal; however, the manuscript should be as sharp as the proposal.
For fiction: I read the sample chapters and if I'm not drawn in, I'll decline to see more. If I ask for a partial, I'll determine if I want the full manuscript. I may have a reader read the manuscript and do a reader's report, and then read myself and compare notes.

It depends on the submission. Most of the time, I can tell early on that I'm not a fit: either it's not a subject or genre that I represent or the writing just isn't quite there yet. Sometimes I'll get partway through and realize that the pacing is off and the manuscript isn't pulling me in, making me feel like I need to keep reading. Sometimes I'll read the whole thing, recognize that it's good and it will sell, but it has issues I don't have a good idea how to address, which just means I'm not the right agent.

We ask for the first chapter in the body of the email. If I want to keep reading at the end of the first chapter, I will ask for the rest of the book. If I finish the book, I know it's right for me, since I never finish a book I'm not enjoying. I won't represent a book I don't love. That's not fair to the author or me.

I read until I know it's not for me. Sometimes that's to the end of a full manuscript (in which case, hopefully, I'm offering rep); sometimes I know within the first paragraph of a query, if the story feels too familiar or doesn't sound like there's enough conflict/urgency.

I usually decide within the first paragraph of a query, and if it grabs me I will read to the end. If reviewing a manuscript, I find I generally can gauge my interest within the first three chapters (or sooner) but often will read to completion and will always read all the way through (more than once) if I'm loving it.

I can tell pretty quickly if a fiction submission, for example, is written by someone who has worked at their craft, or if it is by someone who is just starting out. The quality of the writing is the first hurdle. After that it's whether the idea attracts me, and then comes: is it well explored and developed. So, if you start to lose me after the first page because the writing needs work, there really isn't much point is reading too deeply into the ms unless the idea is so astoundingly commercial and creative I think I can help the author become more professionally accomplished than they currently are.
That said, my experience has been that Chapter 2 is often where the actual storytelling starts and so I will usually read at least 50 to 60 pages before deciding whether to read further. The best aids to me are my readers, whom I trust, who often warn me about the flaws in a ms, but also encourage me to read to the end because it's all worth the effort and they thought the book and the author worth my time. I may be the first real editor for this book, but they are the First Readers and I trust their instincts for the most part.

I can often tell within the first few paragraphs or pages. But if I see red flags that are easily fixable, I'll keep reading. If the red flags related to a projects potential for interesting a publisher, or a character glitch (cocky, brazen, boastful, unkind), it doesn't take long to know it isn't a good fit.

On queries, I usually know pretty quickly. The blurb is the biggest sales point for me. On full requests, I don't always read to the end, but where I stop is more arbitrary. I don't have a set page count to read, I read until I know I'm going to pass on it.

I read every query to the end, but not every manuscript since, if I did so, I would never be able to do anything else but read. That being said, I can generally tell if a book will be interesting in the first few paragraphs of a query letter and I can definitely tell if a manuscript is worth continuing to read a few pages in.

We request the first 20 pages. If I request more, I will read to page 50 and reassess.

That very much depends project by project - sometimes I know from the pitch that it's not going to be right for me, mostly I do dip into the sample but I can often tell quickly if it isn't grabbing me. I only read the full sample if I'm interested enough to think I could possibly work on it.

I try to read all the way through every query, but there are times when I don't if I have read a certain amount and know that the story isn't right for me and my tastes or the list I'm building. As far as manuscripts go, I read as much as I need to before I determine if the ms is ready, is interesting enough to keep me invested and hold my attention. I always make notes as I go, whether it's a partial or a full manuscript. If I feel the material is nowhere near ready for editor submission, would require way too much editing to make it ready, the story failed to engage me or keep me engaged, or it just didn't deliver what the query's potential showed me, it won't make it to the next step.

I read the opening pages of every query letter I receive. If I do end up requesting a manuscript, I usually read at least half, if not the entire thing.

With a picture book, obviously all of it, several times. With longer pieces if the problem is a complete lack of writing skills, or obvious AI assist, I can make the decision to pass after about ten pages. If the writing is good, I usually read the whole thing. Some people have rescued themselves with their plotting.

That totally depends -- sometimes I know that I'm not a good match for the voice within a few pages, and sometimes I read to the very bitter end.

I read every query, but not always to the end if I know my decision before.
If I request chapters, I read them all unless the writing is not up to par which I can tell within a paragraph or so.
Again, if I request the manuscript, I will read to the end unless there is an element that convinces me that this is not for me earlier in the read.