Better never than late?

I’ve mentioned previously on this blog how many query letters I’ve sent out over the past 20+ years as a struggling writer. I think the number came out to be around 13,500 all told, if I'm not mistaken. Most agents and editors never respond at all, but for those who do, the response time is usually anywhere from a few days to a few months. I’ve had a couple of instances when I heard back from someone a year or so later, but that pales in comparison to the response I received from an agent a few days ago. She was finally getting back to me about a query I sent to her… wait for it… Eight Years Ago! It said right on my original query, “Message sent 2003…”

Now I didn’t remember the agent at this point, but the query was for a film script that I’d written way back when. She wanted to know if I was still writing. I responded, with some amusement, that I was, and wondered why she was asking after so many years. Then I sat back and waited to find out, hoping I’d hear some time before 2019. It ends up that this time she got back to me the very next day, asking if she might be able to sell me some script consulting services. Ahhh… I see. Things are tough all over. There’s rent to pay, after all. I respectfully declined, though maybe I should have waited a little longer to let her know…