Seems like lots get requests for full m/s then rejected?

TrixieLox · Feb 9, 2009

Looking at these boards, lots of people seem to get requests for fulls but then get rejected.

I got a request for a full after an agent read my first chapter and synopsis. I was pretty excited but am trying to calm myself down as reading experiences online, this seems to happen a lot, especially in YA, only to lead to disappoinment. Sure, some get an agent in the end but that seems like only about 10% of cases.

Just a comment really and would appreciate views. T

nayner · Feb 10, 2009

Well, I have no idea about the querying/agent part of writing, as I'm still working on my book. But I wanted to say Good Luck! and I hope it all works out! *internet hugs*

Chanelley · Feb 10, 2009

Yeah it's true, and a lot of it is form rejection too so you'll never know exactly what you did wrong. But you just have to keep at it!

TrixieLox · Feb 10, 2009

Chanelley said:
Yeah it's true, and a lot of it is form rejection too so you'll never know exactly what you did wrong. But you just have to keep at it!

I think it's awful if they don't give you feedback after requesting a partial or full. If the agent who has my full just sends a standard rejection, I'll email back, asking for specific feedback (in a nice way). We've been kind of mainitaining some email dialogue anyway.

You know, I never thought about the 'in-between' stage of this game - the part where you send a full out and what's involved with that. It's tougher than the rejections sometimes, the wondering. *sigh*

KTC · Feb 10, 2009

I just had a rejection on a full. The same full is in with another agent and I'm waiting to hear back from them. My rejection did not come with much explanation...but the agent said she liked my work and wanted to see another manuscript that I mentioned to her. She said the story for the first just wasn't right for her. I wish you luck with your full. It does give you a mountain of hope to get that far inside the door...I know how you are feeling. GOOD LUCK! And tell us how you fare.

Julie Worth · Feb 10, 2009

TrixieLox said:
Sure, some get an agent in the end but that seems like only about 10% of cases.

I think that's right. It's been my experience that you shouldn't sit on your hands just because someone asked for a full. You may need ten or twenty full reads to snag an agent, and then you'll need several more to snag a publisher. If it happens at all, that is. I don't know the statistics of agented books that never sell, but fifty percent would seem a reasonable guess. So getting from a single agent requesting a full to a publishing deal would, on average, be a 3 to 5% proposition.

TrixieLox · Feb 10, 2009

God, it's a mean ol' business ;-) Anyway, I shouldn't moan, some people get no requests for fulls at all. I'm gonna send to some other agents in the meantime.

Shady Lane · Feb 10, 2009

I got a lot of full rejects, but probably because my request rate for queries was so high. I had a lot of requests that said something like, "I don't think I'll like this, but I'm intrigued..."

They didn't like it.

SassyB · Feb 10, 2009

If I could remember the statistics I'd tell you but I need to go through a mountain of notes but be very reassured that having a request for a full is no mean feat and is something to be proud of.

Last year I had two requests for the full in one week, both agents rejected me but one gave me a whole A4 sheet of notes to work from for the revision, the other sent a form rejection.
The one who sent the form rejection told an author friend of mine (she's his agent) why she'd rejected me. She said lots of good things but ultimately her thoughts were similar to the first agent.
Some agents will work with their authors to help get the book up to scratch but it seems they have to limit how much they can do. The first agent said she wished she could do just that - a thorough line by line edit, but she didn't have the time but that's what she did do when she first set up the agency and had fewer clients.
Some agents want a damn near perfect ms and won't help in fine-tuning the ms.
I think that's one of the biggest obstacles we face. I was really frustrated, being told that I'd got so many things right yet ultimately being rejected. So, the ms gathered dust for three months and now I've gone bac to it and having fresh eyes has really helped to see how right they were.

TrixieLox · Feb 10, 2009

Shady, your post made me LOL ;-)

The agent who's requested my novel has a rep for working with the author to perfect their m/s. Anyway, I am 90% prepared for rejection so this topic is helping me do that! I'ts my first ever novel, I wrote it in 3 weeks (obviously, took longer to redraft). The chances of it getting picked up are zero to zero.

qwerty · Feb 10, 2009

TrixieLox said:
I got a request for a full after an agent read my first chapter and synopsis.

That in itself is something to be excited about. And my advice is to enjoy that glow because doing so or not doing so won't diminish any disappointment that may be on its way.

And if that disappointment does come, be encouraged by the fact that an agent liked your partial enough to be interested in asking for a full. Meanwhile, get in gear to sub elsewhere just in case. If you get lucky with your first full request, you'll knock the percentage statistics awry.

My sincere wishes for that to happen. Good luck - and so much is actually down to luck rather than talent, so do not be discouraged whichever way it goes.

Renee Collins · Feb 10, 2009

I have been querying my first novel, with several full and partial requests. And over half of those have already been rejected. It's always very disappointing, but you know, it really is just the nature of the biz.

Good luck!

TrixieLox · Feb 15, 2009

Hey ya'll, my first requested full got rejected but with really nice comments and urging me to send over my next project if I don't find an agent for this book (interestingly, she said she preferred the paranormal romance elements but not the more commercial action elements). But another agent requested my full too and a partial is out with another (an agent I discovered only recently as she keeps herself under the radar but has negotiated several 6 figure deals in YA in UK and US - she requested partial an hour after I emailed her, shocker!) so fingers crossed. Still waiting to hear from from other agents who I queried a coupla weeks ago. I guess I ought to be happy, they obviously like the idea and the writing so it's something.

I've been surprised at how quickly agents have go back to me though, I'd always heard it takes weeks, sometimes months. The ones who requested fulls / partials requsted them super-quick. x

SassyB · Feb 15, 2009

It seems to me you're definitely doing something right so whatever happens I hope you feel buoyed up by this and I hope some good news comes your way soon.

timewaster · Feb 15, 2009

TrixieLox said:
I think it's awful if they don't give you feedback after requesting a partial or full. If the agent who has my full just sends a standard rejection, I'll email back, asking for specific feedback (in a nice way). We've been kind of mainitaining some email dialogue anyway.

Good luck! It is not an agent's job to give you feedback. They look at what you have to offer and try to decide if you are going to make them any money or not and if they really love your work or not. If they reject you it is because the answer to one or both those questions is 'no'.

Most are too busy looking after their existing client base to have the time to expand on that 'no'.

jmascia · Feb 17, 2009

I personally have had my manuscript looked at by... hell, I've lost count. My opinion is, that that manuscript needs to be PERFECT for the agent reading it. It can have no discernable flaw that the agent can detect. If it does, it gets thrown out immediately. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my thought.

Vandal · Feb 17, 2009

Unfortunately, it comes down to timing far too often. Just today I got a small form rejection enclosed in my SASE. On the back of it was this handwritten note:

This is a great story story; I wish the market weren't so brutal right now or I'd leap on it.

Great story + wrong time = Rejection

scope · Feb 17, 2009

It's worth bearing in mind that many agents have assistants or interns who read incoming queries and sample chapters. Sometimes, even though the email or letter is signed by the agent, the request for a full actually comes from an assistant or intern who thinks enough of the initial submission to request a full. When the full is received by the agent, who knows who is reading what. Of course this would only apply to those agents who have assistants or use interns.

YAwriter72 · Feb 18, 2009

jmascia said:
I personally have had my manuscript looked at by... hell, I've lost count. My opinion is, that that manuscript needs to be PERFECT for the agent reading it. It can have no discernable flaw that the agent can detect. If it does, it gets thrown out immediately. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my thought.

In most cases, but there are a few exceptions.

My agent signed me three days after he read the full because he loved my voice. The story needed plot work and character development. I am now on revision number 3 with him and we finally have the story just right and are getting it ready to send out. (And I added 45 pages!) So it can happen.

TrixieLox · Feb 18, 2009

YAwriter72 said:
In most cases, but there are a few exceptions. My agent signed me three days after he read the full because he loved my voice. The story needed plot work and character development. I am now on revision number 3 with him and we finally have the story just right and are getting it ready to send out. (And I added 45 pages!) So it can happen.

Yep, another agent I've queried has indicated they'd want to work with me on it as they love the voice and the idea so much. So it depends. But I think the majority of the time, people r right, the m/s needs to be as perfect as you can make it.

Seems like lots get requests for full m/s then rejected?

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

nayner

Needs more sleep.

Chanelley

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

Shady Lane

my name is hannah

SassyB

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

qwerty

exiled Brit

Renee Collins

Plotting . . .

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member

SassyB

timewaster

present

jmascia

Vandal

In the Center of things

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

YAwriter72

someone let me off this crazy ride

TrixieLox

Benefactor Member