Simultaneous submissions

[Freda]

How long is it reasonable for an agent to expect 'exclusivity'?

I ask on behalf of a friend who has been kept waiting for an answer for 8 months now, even though the agent concerned had actually phoned her (after receiving her sample chapters) to ask for the whole manuscript. She hasn't hassled him - I believe she's written one letter and one email, which have been ignored. I keep trying to gently suggest it's okay to try someone else, but she seems too polite to risk moving on before the agent himself draws a line under it.

Why is it so difficult for an agent to spend 30 seconds writing an email saying yes, no, or still thinking? Am I right in advising her to start looking elsewhere? Advice, anyone?

[Tirellan]

Anything over 6 weeks is too long. I've given 1 month exclusivity to agents a couple of times. 8 months is absurd. Your friend should e-mail/write the agent to tell them that they will be sending out queries in x days time unless they hear from the agent (x being a small number).

[Troo]

Bollocks to that. Phone the agent.

[Freda]

Thank you for your replies! She has now phoned the agent and got the usual response, 'I will look at it and get back to you in the next few days'. If he does so, fine. If not, a straightforward 'No thanks' would be infinitely more helpful to her, and to all other writers in the same position, than this endless vague silence!