Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency

Received my rejection just a moment ago.

"Dear Amy,
Thank you for sharing your work with me. You write well, with
wonderful voice, and I enjoyed reading this—but I’m afraid that this
is not quite right for us.

The good and bad news is that I'm passing because I've seen a lot of
work with similar concepts--which, in another agent's mind, may not be
a problem. See what happens.

But, if you have any other projects, please do be in touch."

So, there's a bit of a personal note in there. I hope she's telling the truth about my ability and voice. I e-mailed back, thanking her for the opportunity and letting her know I'd query her with the new book, and she responded right away with a "Great, thanks!"

Overall, I am pleased. She is very sweet. However, now I am back to square one with no pulls or partials and a silent inbox. Sigh.

Arkie said:

This thread began in 2005. I first posted in 2009, and I am as skeptical today as I was in 2009. I don't think this agency culls anyone. Everyone gets asked for a partial or full (even me), but as far as I can tell, no one gets selected for representation.

In 2009, I began suspecting was not right, when I read the posts back to 2005, so I sent a rather silly query letter and received an immediate request for a full because they "liked my voice." I sent a full, and in no time flat received a rejection stating my book was "not for them."

I recommend everyone go back and read through the previous posts before submitting anything to these characters. I have begun to believe they are collecting names and addresses to sell to literary magazine subscription services.

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Believe me, it's easy to get dispirited ... cynical ... even paranoid ... when you're sending out you mss and having your heart handed back to you with puncture wounds and tire marks on it.

But I sincerely doubt that this agency is scamming folks for their contact info for sale elsewhere.

If that were the case, why would they even bother to send personalized rejection letters? Or wait for months (although not in your case) to do so?

Arkie said:

This thread began in 2005. I first posted in 2009, and I am as skeptical today as I was in 2009. I don't think this agency culls anyone. Everyone gets asked for a partial or full (even me), but as far as I can tell, no one gets selected for representation.

In 2009, I began suspecting was not right, when I read the posts back to 2005, so I sent a rather silly query letter and received an immediate request for a full because they "liked my voice." I sent a full, and in no time flat received a rejection stating my book was "not for them."

I recommend everyone go back and read through the previous posts before submitting anything to these characters. I have begun to believe they are collecting names and addresses to sell to literary magazine subscription services.

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You're fulla bologna.

Also? Doing stuff to "trick" people into confirming your bologna hypotheses? Super uncool and totally bad science.

Arkie said:

Everyone gets asked for a partial or full (even me), but as far as I can tell, no one gets selected for representation.

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Sorry, but if that's what you think, it doesn't sound like you're looking very hard. I know several people who've received offers from Jessica.

Arkie,
Sarah Jane is my agent and I work with both she and Jessica. They are highly competent, professional, hard-working and above all, decent human beings. I suggest you do a little more research before you slam someone on this forum and accuse them of unethical behavior.

BTW- Their client list is available on-line. Quite a "scam" huh?

I see no problem in requesting lots of fulls. They are just keeping their options open. I would rather see agents do that than close to everyone. Just think of the great manuscripts they miss out on by doing that.

I am in serious like with Jessica.

Every single other agent I've submitted to has sent back the standard "not for us" except one, and that was to say my language was "stilted and anachronistic."

The first one was not for SJF (and now that I look back on it, I understand why), but she told me to resubmit with future works.

Jessica has been warm and sincere in her correspondence, and has requested my latest. Really looking forward to hearing what they think about this one.

MaraudingDon said:

I see no problem in requesting lots of fulls. They are just keeping their options open. I would rather see agents do that than close to everyone. Just think of the great manuscripts they miss out on by doing that.

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I concur. If only they were all as "voracious reader" as Jessica, or at least more open. It's easy to get jaded after awhile though, waiting for "something" or "spark". *sigh*

I got a full request from Jessica based on my first 250 words that I posted at WriteOnCon. Just sent it out today - fingers crossed!

I queried Jessica and received a standard form rejection 5 days later.

I queried Jessica yesterday and received a very considerate personalized rejection today (my first rejection, I'm sure there are many more to come!). But she seems really lovely and I think anyone would be lucky to have her as their agent.

Sounds like most of you have gotten quick responses.

I queried on Oct 23 and haven't heard anything, but Hurricane Sandy hit on Oct 25.

That seems like a long time FCameron, maybe you should check-in again after Christmas.

FCameron, I also have an outstanding query to Jessica from late October, and she had responded really positively to one of my fulls previously. I think she must either have had a clump of queries slip through the cracks OR she's got a pile of maybe's she's behind on.

JoyMC said:

FCameron, I also have an outstanding query to Jessica from late October, and she had responded really positively to one of my fulls previously. I think she must either have had a clump of queries slip through the cracks OR she's got a pile of maybe's she's behind on.

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I'll wait until second week of January and if I've not heard, I'll decide whether to resend. I have a full out with another agent right now.

Partial vs. Full

Hi! Does anyone have any insight on Jessica's turnaround time on partials? I queries on 1/6 and on 1/10 she asked for a 10-pg partial. I'm new to the query (just "finished" my first novel in December). How long should I wait before following up on those ten pages?

Got a request for a full (yay!) But then I saw it's not uncommon. Saw on querytracker that she has an incredibly high request rate for full (45%). Is that still accurate?

merlot143 said:

Got a request for a full (yay!) But then I saw it's not uncommon. Saw on querytracker that she has an incredibly high request rate for full (45%). Is that still accurate?

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I've never known her to NOT request! This isn't an agent you should do a happy dance for if she requests. In many ways I admire the fact she does, at least she is giving manuscripts a chance.

MaraudingDon said:

I've never known her to NOT request! This isn't an agent you should do a happy dance for if she requests. In many ways I admire the fact she does, at least she is giving manuscripts a chance.

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Did you hear that? It's the sound of my ego deflating, just a little

merlot143 said:

Did you hear that? It's the sound of my ego deflating, just a little

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Awww! I think this agent is an ego check, rather than a deflate!

I requeried her. I queried back in 2011 when VD was a baby and headcase lol. I hope she requests/likes this new version

Queried Ms. Freyman on 5/14
Got a request for the first ten pages from an associate agent (Jessica Sinsheimer) on 5/16

All quiet on the western front.

Got an R today from Ms. Freyman. She was very pleasant and said she believed that my book would find a home. She also invited me to submit to her again, which was thrilling. Although it wasn't the response I'd hoped for, it was still better than the scathing rejection I got earlier from another agency.

I had queried this agency several months ago and had to do a nudge in April. Got a reply to resend and a polite rejections a few days later from Steve Schwartz.

Alas, Yogurt, the Schwartz was not with me that day.

The agency website says that after a month, you should consider a no-response a pass -- but many people in this thread have nudged (on queries)? I have a query out to Jessica Sinsheimer from Aug. 28, and I'm hoping I don't have to close it out.