Purgatory's Pit of Doom

Status
Not open for further replies.

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Agree with Princess. Agents don't do that all the time, so she'll remember you, but remind her. I would treat it as a query plus 10 pages. Or maybe attach a full, but definitely include a pitch, and just one story at at time, not everything. When she said other work, she probably didn't mean everything in your trunk.

Dear Agent, After you read my manuscript TITLE, you requested to see additional work. I thought you might be interested in TITLE. PITCH HERE

But do whatever Inkwench says! She knows.
 
Last edited:

PrincessofPersia

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
1,430
Reaction score
131
Kellion makes a good point. If she didn't ask for the whole thing, maybe it would be best to just include 10 pages or just the query.
 

Leigh.Lyons

Bored Fanatic
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
829
Reaction score
376
Location
The land of FuckifIknow
Agree with Princess. Agents don't do that all the time, so she'll remember you, but remind her. I would treat it as a query plus 10 pages. Or maybe attach a full, but definitely include a pitch, and just one story at at time, not everything. When she said other work, she probably didn't mean everything in your trunk.

Dear Agent, After you read my manuscript TITLE, you requested to see additional work. I thought you might be interested in TITLE. PITCH HERE

But do whatever Inkwench says! She knows.
This agent is known for asking for fulls right off the bat, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to send her the whole thing.
 

soulcascade

Bright lights induce scuttling
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
2,632
Reaction score
620
Location
Scuttled under a rock
Leigh, I'm not so good at description, either. I find it uber boring when I read it in novels so I tend to avoid it in my own writing. I'd just query that author and mention at the beginning of the query that they read such and such and asked to see your other work.

That said, I wouldn't send her a full unless it says to do so in her regular sub. guidelines. Typically, it's best to just send what they ask for. And I agree with Kellion, when in doubt, ask Ink. She's one knowledgable gal :)
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
She probably would request -- doesn't hurt if you have the relationship.
 

Shuemais

We can't always be the Batman
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
1,603
Reaction score
441
Location
Western US
My queries for Neverend end have been out for nearly two weeks, and I've only got three rejections so far.

If there's anything that spending time in the Pit has taught me, it's that I'm overdue for more now. I can feel them ... coming for me ... :Ssh:
 

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
3,764
Reaction score
5,952
Location
the winter of my discontent
But do whatever Inkwench says! She knows.
And I agree with Kellion, when in doubt, ask Ink. She's one knowledgable gal :)
I find this highly disturbing. I knows nothing.

That said, I always have uninformed opinions to share. Leigh, I like the wording Kellion suggested. Would also recommend only sending what this agent normally asks for in a query. So if that's letter only, send that. An agent might love your writing, but before anything else, they need to love your idea to be interested. Sadly, loving idea A is no guarantee they'll love (and want to read) idea B. I've had very enthusiastic agents say "send me your next project" only to form reject the next project's query. Life is brutal in the Pit.

Shuemais, this is the time to build your defenses. Make sure the liquor and chocolate cabinets are stocked.
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
Shuemais, I have a lot of overdue queries too. I predict a fateful week, or you know, no news.
 

ink wench

ray of motherf#%&ing sunshine
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
3,764
Reaction score
5,952
Location
the winter of my discontent
Just saw one of the agents with my partial tweet that she plans to get through all her requested materials this week. So count me in with the bracing for rejection crowd.
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
I don't know what to think. I have queries out with people who typically reply in a day or two but who haven't answered anything since I queried. Ah well. I'll be sorry enough soon...
 

SteveCordero

Pit Livin' & Purgatory Dreamin'
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
2,872
Reaction score
2,332
Location
NYC
Website
www.stevencordero.com
Mornin' Pit

Preemptive {{{Ink}}}

Kell, I'm in the same boat on queries. I've pretty much stopped because I have a bunch out and they majority are responders. So I think agents are backed up. They need a query enema.

EDIT: And, speaking of which, I got a R by one of those agents I was referring to. LOL
 
Last edited:

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
(((Steve)))

Maybe today is one of those days. I'll have maggotinis lined up on the bar.
 

soulcascade

Bright lights induce scuttling
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
2,632
Reaction score
620
Location
Scuttled under a rock
{{Steve}}

Ink, I'll keep the maggot bong primed for you...see THAT is one of the many reasons I refuse to follow agents via Twitter...yarg
 

SteveCordero

Pit Livin' & Purgatory Dreamin'
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
2,872
Reaction score
2,332
Location
NYC
Website
www.stevencordero.com
I find this highly disturbing. I knows nothing.

That said, I always have uninformed opinions to share. Leigh, I like the wording Kellion suggested. Would also recommend only sending what this agent normally asks for in a query. So if that's letter only, send that. An agent might love your writing, but before anything else, they need to love your idea to be interested. Sadly, loving idea A is no guarantee they'll love (and want to read) idea B. I've had very enthusiastic agents say "send me your next project" only to form reject the next project's query. Life is brutal in the Pit.

Shuemais, this is the time to build your defenses. Make sure the liquor and chocolate cabinets are stocked.

I have different experience with the bolded.

I'm been in the situation where I got a reject on a full and then queried them again when they said they were interested in other work. Even though the agents in question may only want a query (no pages) I paste the first 10 pages/1st chapter.

I simply wrote it as: "For your convenience, below is the first 10 pages."

That way if the agent doesn't like the pages she won't be wasting your time and hers. And, yes, the agents have asked for more pages after that. So you're selling it as making it easier for the agent since you already have a connection with her.
 
Last edited:

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
I like the idea of attaching pages -- I meant to do it with all my queries, but I chickened out. That's one reason I'm on pins and needles -- I'm beginning to think it's my pages that everyone particularly hates.
 

Snappy

A new year, a new avatar
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
2,136
Reaction score
1,259
Another Monday morning in the pit! Inbox is quiet. Writing is slow. And you people writing 5, 10, 15 pages a day!!! :rant:!!! I'm lucky if I get a few hundred words a day lately.
 

SteveCordero

Pit Livin' & Purgatory Dreamin'
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
2,872
Reaction score
2,332
Location
NYC
Website
www.stevencordero.com
Kell, I get that feeling about my stuff as well, LOL. If the agent hates the pages then I find comfort in that. It seems silly to me that agents reject or request something solely based on a query.
 

soulcascade

Bright lights induce scuttling
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
2,632
Reaction score
620
Location
Scuttled under a rock
:scared:*throws Snappy a maggot-cookie and makes a run for it*

It seems silly to me that agents reject or request something solely based on a query. <- this. Sure if they're not looking for a book like mine, I get it, but if they are and then R me on a query...well that's never sat well with me.
 

SteveCordero

Pit Livin' & Purgatory Dreamin'
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
2,872
Reaction score
2,332
Location
NYC
Website
www.stevencordero.com
{{{Princess}}}

Exactly, Soul. Checking for category requirements makes sense (right genre, book length, etc.), but otherwise it should be on the sample.
 

PrincessofPersia

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
1,430
Reaction score
131
Yeah, I agree. If it's the type of book, etc, you should at least ask for 10 pages or the first chapter or something. My first rejection had him respond with only first names, and like 2 lines haha.
 

kellion92

A cat may not look at a king
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
5,245
Reaction score
4,613
Location
The edge
(((Princess))) The first query is kind of exciting and affirming, because you know someone read it.

A query R tells so little. Some agents officially take queries but I think don't seriously consider them based on non-existent requests, and that can be true of both no-response and lightning responders.

A lot of the agents that sound so perfect -- are asking for a book just like what you have -- pass, and right now I'm consoling myself with the weak tea of being in the "maybe" file for an agent I like a lot but who doesn't officially rep my genre. I guess sometimes they get tired of "perfect for them" books and get interested in something they never thought about.
 

PrincessofPersia

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
1,430
Reaction score
131
Yeah, this one just said "Our plate is full right now, but we'll contact you if that changes." Part of me wants to believe that, but I know it's just a line.
 

soulcascade

Bright lights induce scuttling
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
2,632
Reaction score
620
Location
Scuttled under a rock
{{Princess}} :( Yeah, that sounds like a form R to me. But some of them sound so darn good you can't help but hope...stoopid butterfly!

and get interested in something they never thought about. <- sigh, yet another thing that makes targeting agents so hard
 

PrincessofPersia

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
1,430
Reaction score
131
Yup, I know. That's why I'm not too hurt actually. I like the fact that he used first names only. At least he took the time to write those in. :p

Sent out 10 more queries today, so onward.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.