Advice for Authors on the Revise-And-Resubmit Letter from Literary Agent Tina Purcell Schwartz
Tina P. Schwartz is a public speaker, author, literary agent, and agency founder/owner of The Purcell Agency. She is a former advertising executive and media salesperson who changed careers after starting a family and pivoted into kidlit. She’s the author of 10 traditionally published nonfiction books for children and teens. Schwartz founded The Purcell Agency in 2012 to help authors worldwide get their manuscripts published. Tina was kind enough to take time from her hectic schedule to offer advice from the literary agent’s perspective on a Revise-and-Resubmit Letter (R&R) that authors may be lucky enough to receive when they pique the agent’s interest with their manuscript.
What is a revise-and-resubmit letter? When an agent likes a manuscript but thinks it needs (sometimes significant) editorial work, they might give the author notes for improvement and a chance to resubmit after another go at editing. This allows the author to take the agent’s suggestions and make another round of edits. The author then has one more chance to polish the manuscript, and the agent can see whether the author can take notes and implement them. It gives them both a taste of what it would be like to work together. (Then the author resubmits the revised manuscript to the agent for reconsideration.)
What is the difference between a revise-and-resubmit letter and an edit letter? Edit letters are usually lengthier and more detailed, going over any plot holes, inconsistencies, weak areas, and harmful habits, such as consistent grammatical mistakes. An R&R letter gives broader ideas for areas of improvement. It might suggest things like a “sagging middle,” where the chapters in the middle of the manuscript need tightening or a faster pace, and need editing. A revise and resubmit letter might give a few brainstorming ideas, such as “Have you ever thought of…”, then an idea that might spark ideas for improvement with the author.
How should an author feel when they receive a revised and resubmission letter from an agent? Proud and excited! That means the agent read the complete submission (usually) and thought highly of it enough to want to work with the author to improve it. This means they are considering making an offer of representation. R&Rs are not something agents pass out frequently! So, an author should feel flattered and take it seriously.
How common are revise-and-resubmit letters from agents? Personally, I’d estimate I might offer only two, maybe three, R&Rs to authors per year. I only do it when I LOVE a manuscript, but there is still something holding me back from making an offer of representation.
What should an author do when they receive a revised and resubmit letter? Respond right away to the agent to say if you are planning to revise and resubmit or not, and why. Perhaps you already got an offer of representation or got an offer from a publisher. (Some people never revise or resubmit, AND don’t acknowledge the offer! They ghost the agent. I don’t know if they didn’t feel it was a genuine offer, or if they assumed it was a nice way for the agent to let them [the author] down, or what? I’ve had author friends tell me they received an R&R but never turned it back in!) Please always respond with a ‘thanks’ or ‘no thanks,’ but acknowledge the agent’s request.
What is the typical timeline for a revised and resubmitted manuscript? I used not to give a deadline; I’d let the author tell me how long they thought they needed, but that didn’t always work well. As an author, I know that without a deadline, things can linger without end! So now I usually request a 3–6-month turnaround and see if that works for the author’s timeline. It gives me some time away from the manuscript, too, to let it “cool”. I don’t want to read the same story in multiple versions back-to-back. I like a few weeks or months between readings, personally.
As a literary agent, what are your expectations for a revise-and-resubmit? Not only should the author work on the areas I suggested need improvement, but they should also take those notes and see whether other areas of the manuscript could be tightened or improved. Reread the full manuscript a couple of times, looking for any places to strengthen or polish before resubmitting it.
Does a revise-and-resubmit guarantee an offer from an agency? Absolutely not. Otherwise, it would have been initially an offer.
If the revised manuscript is rejected, how should the author respond? Professionally and courteously. You could thank the agent for taking the time to read the whole manuscript and suggest thoughtful notes, which in turn ultimately made the manuscript stronger for the next round of submissions. Understand that it isn’t a personal attack on the creator of the work; it’s just something that isn’t quite the perfect “match” for the project and the agent.
How often do you send out revise-and-resubmit requests? Very rarely, perhaps 2-to-3 per year. Sometimes less.
What is essential to include in a revise-and-resubmit from the author? Personally, I like them to acknowledge what notes worked for them, which notes they did not use, and why. Just because a suggestion is made, doesn’t mean the author HAS to make the changes! It’s their manuscript, so if an editorial suggestion doesn’t feel right, don’t execute it. But tell the agent your reasoning so they know you heard the suggestion but went a different way. Most often, an agent will understand and appreciate you explaining. It’ll clear up any confusion with motivation in the story.
How critical is the response time on a revise-and-resubmit, in your opinion? If the agent gives an actual deadline, and the author can’t meet it, they should acknowledge it asap. Just be transparent. Ask for a different timeline and be honest as to why the original one won’t work for you.
What other things do you like to see in a revise-and-resubmit? I like it when ideas that were suggested spark new ideas for broadening the story! That isn’t always the case, but it shows the power of collaboration and that the author/agent can make a great editorial team.
Where can an author find additional resources to support their revise-and-resubmit process? There are SO many creators with content on the Internet! You can also look on YouTube, social media, or just Google any questions you have about R&Rs to find the support you need from authors and agents who have been involved with revise-and-resubmit requests.
What is the difference between an agency’s revise-and-resubmit and the publisher’s request to make revisions before they consider the manuscript for contract? Great question! Having only been on the agency side, I can’t say for sure. But I feel they are probably pretty similar — editors/publishers want to see that an author can take feedback and run with it, that they’re easy (and professional) to work with, and that they can meet deadlines.
Have you ever had a situation where you requested a revise-and-resubmit and the author didn’t respond at all? If so, how does that make you feel as an agent? Yes. It made me sad. And like I wasted time. I spent several hours reading a complete manuscript, then writing notes to help them succeed. Either the author wasn’t confident enough to revise and try again, or they got another offer and weren’t professional/courteous enough to let me know.
Does this tell you anything about that author? Just that they might be a “beginner” in the industry and not understand that R&Rs are rare and should make them feel proud and inspired.
Anything else you’d like to add around a revise-and-resubmit process? Yes. Often, authors rush to get the edits done and finish in a few days. That is too quick! You need to reread your manuscript at least twice to go through for any other areas that need improvement, in addition to what suggestions were already made. Don’t rush too quickly. Go through each note you received very carefully, then take your time to think about each change you make! (Also, use track changes so the agent or editor can see what changes you made to the version they’ve already read.)
Thanks for this interview. It’s been my pleasure!
No. Thank you, Tina!
