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06-09-2006, 08:50 PM Puma vbmenu_register("postmenu_637474", true);
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Protocol - rejection letters
I hadn't thought of this until I saw someone else post that they always send a thank you for reading a full/sample chapters back to an agent after a rejection. My thought had been that the agents were obviously very busy and something like that would be one more thing for them to read. I always include a "thank you for your time and consideration" in my cover letter. Is there any protocol on this?
Second question - if this is the appropriate thing to do, is it kosher to ask then if there were any critical comments the agent could share to aid in revision.
What are the guidelines/parameters?
Thanks for responses. Puma
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06-09-2006, 08:58 PM argenianpoet vbmenu_register("postmenu_637492", true);
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I would not write an agent back after rejection, unless you were asking a question through emial on their site. A second letter is as you say, more for them to read and you don't want to come off as a pest...they hate that, and it only hurts your reputation. But I think that you are on the right track; just be careful who you decide to listen to...everyone has an opinion.
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06-09-2006, 09:09 PM dantem42 vbmenu_register("postmenu_637516", true);
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
I hadn't thought of this until I saw someone else post that they always send a thank you for reading a full/sample chapters back to an agent after a rejection. My thought had been that the agents were obviously very busy and something like that would be one more thing for them to read. I always include a "thank you for your time and consideration" in my cover letter. Is there any protocol on this?
Second question - if this is the appropriate thing to do, is it kosher to ask then if there were any critical comments the agent could share to aid in revision.
What are the guidelines/parameters?
Thanks for responses. Puma
1. Don't bother to thank them unless they've done something special, such as give you detailed reasons for the reject that they've obviously spent some time on. Otherwise, it's just another piece of mail or an email they need to open and toss.
2. It's kosher to ask, but in my experience, if you don't get any critical comments unsolicited, you won't receive any by asking for them. My take is there are two reasons.
A. Writers can be a prickly bunch, and most agents avoid getting into protracted critical debates ("What?? My heroine was shallow?? You parasitic little moron!!"). They also have stacks of stuff awaiting them as soon as they finish yours, and have little time to give you guidance. If you receive some, then consider yourself lucky.
B. In many cases, they'll actually like your work, but it doesn't fit with what they are targeting in the lit market. They often have specific editors who are looking for this and that, and their first priority may be to get something in front of that editor that's exactly what he/she is looking for. Every good agent has had an experience where they've turned down something that another agent then turned into a hit. Unless your work is way short of the mark by anyone's standards, they will be hesitant to tell you what's wrong with it because they know they're not infallible.
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06-09-2006, 10:15 PM Puma vbmenu_register("postmenu_637638", true);
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Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
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06-10-2006, 07:05 AM waylander vbmenu_register("postmenu_637927", true);
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I only send a 'thank you for your time' e-mail to agents who reviewed the full manuscript. After all if they liked the writing enough to look at the full then they are going to be high on the list of places to send my next project.
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06-10-2006, 10:22 PM dantem42 vbmenu_register("postmenu_639181", true);
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
First of all, if your novel doesn't "tie together" at the end, you're sunk. It has to tie together somehow, or you haven't finished it. That's not a matter of genre, just a matter of good writing.
Generally speaking, it sounds like you're in a broad category often called "literary fiction." Your best bet is to find ten or twenty authors whose work somehow resembles yours or inspires you, and dig up who their agents are (pretty easy by googling the author and looking at five or ten URL's). Another suggestion is to go to www.agentquery.com, do a search for agents doing literary fiction (just about all of them) and read each agent's bio and comments. There are also links to their websites. You will probably find forty or fifty that may work for you. Also, I think there is a search category called "quirky" which may suit you.
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06-11-2006, 06:44 AM Puma vbmenu_register("postmenu_639488", true);
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Dantem42 - Thank you for the reply. One of my hangups is - much as I'd like to - how can any author call his/her own work literary fiction? To me, literary fiction is the absolute top of the pile (even though it might not sell as well as a techno-thriller.) (And I just realized, we've gotten way off my original post - but anyway ...)
To my knowledge, there's nothing else out there similar to what I've written. Who would have written something similar - Thornton Wilder, possibly Fyodor Dostoevsky - right off the top of my head I can't think of anyone else. The closest approximation I can think of is Wilder's Bridge of San Luis Rey. Actually, right now I can't remember how to send a personal message; but if you're interested in giving me some insights and would send me a PM so I can see how to do it, I'll tell you a bit more about my novel. Thanks for your help. Puma
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06-11-2006, 09:19 PM writeorwrong vbmenu_register("postmenu_640701", true);
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
You will need to be able to nail your genre yourself before you pitch it, and it doesn't sound as if you have. Your novel will fit in one of the established niches-- they all do. If you don't agree, just pick the market that comes closest. But you should have a clear picture in mind of who you are writing for, and guaranteed, there will be a category for it.
Once you have done that, it will be easier to search for the right agent.
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06-11-2006, 10:41 PM dantem42 vbmenu_register("postmenu_640874", true);
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Dantem42 - Thank you for the reply. One of my hangups is - much as I'd like to - how can any author call his/her own work literary fiction? To me, literary fiction is the absolute top of the pile (even though it might not sell as well as a techno-thriller.) (And I just realized, we've gotten way off my original post - but anyway ...)
To my knowledge, there's nothing else out there similar to what I've written.
The only thing I can say is that you have not sufficiently analyzed the influences of stuff you've read on your writing. Nothing can be written today that is not similar to something else, any more than a painter can paint something that is not similar to any other artists in history. In the broad-brush, everything's been done. On the level of words and sentences, everything is original unless it's been plagiarized.
Literary fiction simply means literature that does not fall into various restrictive genre categories (suspense, thriller, mystery, horror, fantasy, romance, etc., and newer ones such as chick lit and ghetto lit). It doesn't connote something highbrow as you seem to think, it's just a broad category that says more what it's not than what it is.
If you PM me, I will send you my email address and you can email me a couple of chapters, I'll give you some reflections.
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Protocol - rejection letters
I hadn't thought of this until I saw someone else post that they always send a thank you for reading a full/sample chapters back to an agent after a rejection. My thought had been that the agents were obviously very busy and something like that would be one more thing for them to read. I always include a "thank you for your time and consideration" in my cover letter. Is there any protocol on this?
Second question - if this is the appropriate thing to do, is it kosher to ask then if there were any critical comments the agent could share to aid in revision.
What are the guidelines/parameters?
Thanks for responses. Puma
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I would not write an agent back after rejection, unless you were asking a question through emial on their site. A second letter is as you say, more for them to read and you don't want to come off as a pest...they hate that, and it only hurts your reputation. But I think that you are on the right track; just be careful who you decide to listen to...everyone has an opinion.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
I hadn't thought of this until I saw someone else post that they always send a thank you for reading a full/sample chapters back to an agent after a rejection. My thought had been that the agents were obviously very busy and something like that would be one more thing for them to read. I always include a "thank you for your time and consideration" in my cover letter. Is there any protocol on this?
Second question - if this is the appropriate thing to do, is it kosher to ask then if there were any critical comments the agent could share to aid in revision.
What are the guidelines/parameters?
Thanks for responses. Puma
1. Don't bother to thank them unless they've done something special, such as give you detailed reasons for the reject that they've obviously spent some time on. Otherwise, it's just another piece of mail or an email they need to open and toss.
2. It's kosher to ask, but in my experience, if you don't get any critical comments unsolicited, you won't receive any by asking for them. My take is there are two reasons.
A. Writers can be a prickly bunch, and most agents avoid getting into protracted critical debates ("What?? My heroine was shallow?? You parasitic little moron!!"). They also have stacks of stuff awaiting them as soon as they finish yours, and have little time to give you guidance. If you receive some, then consider yourself lucky.
B. In many cases, they'll actually like your work, but it doesn't fit with what they are targeting in the lit market. They often have specific editors who are looking for this and that, and their first priority may be to get something in front of that editor that's exactly what he/she is looking for. Every good agent has had an experience where they've turned down something that another agent then turned into a hit. Unless your work is way short of the mark by anyone's standards, they will be hesitant to tell you what's wrong with it because they know they're not infallible.
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Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
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I only send a 'thank you for your time' e-mail to agents who reviewed the full manuscript. After all if they liked the writing enough to look at the full then they are going to be high on the list of places to send my next project.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
First of all, if your novel doesn't "tie together" at the end, you're sunk. It has to tie together somehow, or you haven't finished it. That's not a matter of genre, just a matter of good writing.
Generally speaking, it sounds like you're in a broad category often called "literary fiction." Your best bet is to find ten or twenty authors whose work somehow resembles yours or inspires you, and dig up who their agents are (pretty easy by googling the author and looking at five or ten URL's). Another suggestion is to go to www.agentquery.com, do a search for agents doing literary fiction (just about all of them) and read each agent's bio and comments. There are also links to their websites. You will probably find forty or fifty that may work for you. Also, I think there is a search category called "quirky" which may suit you.
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Dantem42 - Thank you for the reply. One of my hangups is - much as I'd like to - how can any author call his/her own work literary fiction? To me, literary fiction is the absolute top of the pile (even though it might not sell as well as a techno-thriller.) (And I just realized, we've gotten way off my original post - but anyway ...)
To my knowledge, there's nothing else out there similar to what I've written. Who would have written something similar - Thornton Wilder, possibly Fyodor Dostoevsky - right off the top of my head I can't think of anyone else. The closest approximation I can think of is Wilder's Bridge of San Luis Rey. Actually, right now I can't remember how to send a personal message; but if you're interested in giving me some insights and would send me a PM so I can see how to do it, I'll tell you a bit more about my novel. Thanks for your help. Puma
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Okay, Dantem42 - are there any ways of figuring out who might be looking for specific types of material (unless they list items on their website) or where a more logical agent might be? I've heard market mentioned from more than one agent. One of the novels I'm trying to sell is a bit off the norm - sort of a not well defined genre and consequently a more nebulous market. Who out there is looking for things that are different, not the usual hero/heroine type, multi-threaded that ties together in the end, and thought provoking? Do you have any insights on something like that? Puma
You will need to be able to nail your genre yourself before you pitch it, and it doesn't sound as if you have. Your novel will fit in one of the established niches-- they all do. If you don't agree, just pick the market that comes closest. But you should have a clear picture in mind of who you are writing for, and guaranteed, there will be a category for it.
Once you have done that, it will be easier to search for the right agent.
Board fanatic
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Philippines
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma
Dantem42 - Thank you for the reply. One of my hangups is - much as I'd like to - how can any author call his/her own work literary fiction? To me, literary fiction is the absolute top of the pile (even though it might not sell as well as a techno-thriller.) (And I just realized, we've gotten way off my original post - but anyway ...)
To my knowledge, there's nothing else out there similar to what I've written.
The only thing I can say is that you have not sufficiently analyzed the influences of stuff you've read on your writing. Nothing can be written today that is not similar to something else, any more than a painter can paint something that is not similar to any other artists in history. In the broad-brush, everything's been done. On the level of words and sentences, everything is original unless it's been plagiarized.
Literary fiction simply means literature that does not fall into various restrictive genre categories (suspense, thriller, mystery, horror, fantasy, romance, etc., and newer ones such as chick lit and ghetto lit). It doesn't connote something highbrow as you seem to think, it's just a broad category that says more what it's not than what it is.
If you PM me, I will send you my email address and you can email me a couple of chapters, I'll give you some reflections.