Hi: I'm currently working on my second novel and am about 2/3 finished. I expect to finish it by the end of spring 2023. My first one was published by a small press, for which I didn't need an agent. For this new one, I want to get an agent. What I want to know is whether it's permissible to start querying agents before the novel is finished, but when I've got at least half that I could send out. I would of course tell them its state of completion in the query letter. I've heard of authors doing this, but I don't know how common or acceptable it is. Any thoughts?
When you say it's 2/3 complete and you expect to complete it by Spring 2023 do you mean the first draft is 2/3 complete and you expect to complete it, edit a few times, get some beta readers and have a polished (as best you can by yourself) manuscript complete by Spring?
If you've already got a published novel under your belt I'd say you're probably fine. That at least shows that you understand the process and have been somewhat successful at playing the game. I wouldn't recommend it to an unpublished author though.
Bruce - that's basically what I mean. I'm writing it in 4 large sections, and each section goes out to my beta readers as soon as it's completed. This means that by the time I finish the complete draft, it's already been critiqued by several people and revised by me. Homer - that's what I'm hoping. I'm already deep into Part 3, and my beta readers have just received Part 2. After I get their feedback, I can revise Part 2 and at that point I want to start sending it out.
By the time you cycle through the queries, sample chapters, and the like, you're probably talking 6 to 8 weeks at best. Got to figure the Holidays have set everyone back a few weeks at least, too. Unless they want a full manuscript three days after you hit "send," in which case, you might be screwed. Doesn't seem likely.
I plan to tell agents exactly how much I've already written, and when I plan to finish the whole thing. That way, there would be no unpleasant surprises for the agents that I query first if they should want to see the rest of it. I don't have to do it this way, but I see it as a way of getting the jump on them and shortening the query-acceptance-publication cycle a bit.
I'd been doing a bit of agent querying in late summer and into the fall, and the impression I got from basically all agencies is that they only want to be queried for completed works. The risk of them rejecting your query outright for this reason alone seems unnecessary. Why the rush? Publishing is a sloooow process, as you must know from having published something already. Why not just wait til it's completed in the spring before querying?
"Why the rush? Publishing is a sloooow process, as you must know from having published something already. Why not just wait til it's completed in the spring before querying?" You may be right, I was just hoping there was something I could do to speed up the sloooow process. Maybe there isn't!
Adding my agreement to what @Homer Potvin and @Set2Stun have said, above. I believe the general view is that first-time fiction writers should have a completed manuscript in hand when querying. I realize you're not trying to hide the status of the novel--you're telling them it's not done. I think there's a good chance some of those you query will say 'no' for that reason alone. They're less likely to want to go into business with a writer who has never demonstrated they can produce a finished book, and that's what you're asking them to do--go into business with you.
The difference though is that I have produced (and published) a finished book, as well as a lot of other stuff (articles, reviews, stories). It's not like I'm just starting out as a writer.
Ah--yes, you said that. Apologies. I think you're less likely to put off an agent in that case, especially if the first book had some success. I don't know how common it is, either (not much help!). Look into the agents you're considering--if they have guidelines for queries or submissions, of course you should follow those.
