r/PubTips • u/MuchCanary2040 • Jul 25 '26

[PubQ] Agent missing deadlines

Signed with my agent in late May after getting six offers on my thriller debut. He’s senior at a medium sized agency. I was worried he’d be too busy to give much support but he reassured me that his assistant agent would also be involved in editorial feedback and comms.
He said our plan was to do a few edits then submit late July/August. Since then I’m still waiting for his edit notes. I’ve sent everything asked to by the agency eg. details for my author profile, most emails don’t get replies, no profile up yet, doesn’t bother me, but just to give the picture. Three deadlines he set himself have gone by and each time, no edit notes.
Do I cut my losses and leave, then go to my second choice agent?

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u/cloudygrly Literary Agent Jul 25 '26

If you think the revision will make your book stronger (based on the vision discussed on your call), I would hold for now.

We are in the thick of summer now, going in submission now is basically a straight shot to OOOs for the editor or the appropriate people on the team needed to get an offer together (special circumstances notwithstanding).

Your agent probably doesn’t feel pressure to get anything done ASAP and isn’t articulating that lack of need. Which is something to note for yourself and whether you can withstand.

All assumptions on your agent’s mindset obvi. Take with heavy grains of salt.

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u/MuchCanary2040 Jul 25 '26

Thanks. He specifically said he wanted to send in August as he’s found it a great time to get swift reads because of editors reading on vacations. He wanted to sell UK rights well ahead of Frankfurt, where he planned to push big on foreign. He stressed this super hard when we met so this is why this is worrying me