Agent has full. Should I sent a revised manuscript?

[trirae]

Greetings,

First of all, I apologize if this is a commonly answered question. I've searched all over, but I haven't found a specific answer.

Last week, I sent a requested full manuscript to an agent. Something was bothering me about the pacing of the first chapter, and then I realized I unwittingly did something fairly cliched. I think the changes would make a substantial difference if someone were only reading the first chapter/first five or ten pages. Of course, it also sets the impression for the whole manuscript. So, my question is: should I send the updated version to the agent who's requested a full? How would that be perceived, particularly since it's only been a week?

Thanks in advance, and again, I'm probably just being clueless in my search strings.

[TigerGray]

Personally, I wouldn't. I think it could make you seem a little desperate and not very professional.

[John Dillon]

I once asked this question to Nathan and he hedged. I went ahead and sent the revision and apologized for any inconvenience it might have caused. The agency was very receptive, and even expressed gratitude, to my email. Ultimately, the agency rejected my work, but wrote the nicest rejection I've had so far. I did not get the impression that the agency found anything about my conduct unprofessional, as the other poster suggested. That said, another agent might feel otherwise. It's hard to say what's the best move. If you think the changes are that significant and may make the difference, I say you send the newest version. Regardless, good luck.

[lachrymal]

One agent's opinion (and, in case you're wondering ... she'd had my ms about a month when I sent that email to her).

http://agencygatekeeper.blogspot.com/20 ... t-how.html

I think it depends on the agent, the type of revision, etc., but that post gives some tips. Best of luck.

[Nathan Bransford]

If you've made a change that you feel will drastically improve the manuscript, then you might just write the agent and say, "I just had some inspiration for some changes that will improve the manuscript, hope you don't mind if I send this new version." You run a small risk of annoying them if they've already read it and have to go re-read, but either way they'll probably be glad to have the most current manuscript.

But I'd only do this if it really truly is going to make a big difference. Keep in mind that it''s very unlikely that any one change is going to be the difference between representation and non-representation, so I wouldn't overthink it.