I am slowly going insane. My inbox is like a cemetery, but without all the noisy zombies running around. Is there a big conference or book fair going on or recently ended?
The Daily Rejection
- Thread starter Devil Ledbetter
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G'morning new friends 
My first form rejection yesterday! I was strangely excited about it, haha.
Sunshine for your days...
My first form rejection yesterday! I was strangely excited about it, haha.
Sunshine for your days...
Well, the guy who requested the full finally got back to me on Monday and indicated he enjoyed the book and wanted to know whether there was any other successful books like it. I wrote back and told him that the book was original, but I've heard nothing back since.
^ That's an odd thing to ask, isn't it? If there are other books like it?
I hope you hear back - fingers crossed!
I hope you hear back - fingers crossed!
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I think I'm up to 22 rejections now (including two on fulls) for the book I was querying, with 5 more responses to go. It's actually made me realize that this wasn't the most ideal book to lead with, that it was misrepresenting the entirety of my story to pretend it was a trilogy instead of one very long book I thought might be better to split three ways, and that I need to lead with my strongest manuscript, my Russian historical novel, as soon as I finish editing and polishing it.
Here's a question: Agents at CAA and WME have my manu as favor for friends. It's been about 2 months. Follow up? Wait? I have been querying as well, and have gotten 2 partial requests (rejected) and 16 rejections. (15 still out) Women's upmarket fiction, blerg.
The other question is that a former WME agent who is a friend helped me write my query letter....Sooo when do I re-think that?
Kind of stuck as to what the next step should be. Any thoughts, as random as this post, are welcome.
And I like everyone's willingness to share their rejections. It's not like we should be embarrassed about it.
The other question is that a former WME agent who is a friend helped me write my query letter....Sooo when do I re-think that?
Kind of stuck as to what the next step should be. Any thoughts, as random as this post, are welcome.
And I like everyone's willingness to share their rejections. It's not like we should be embarrassed about it.
No need to be embarrassed, most published authors experience rejection, and who wants something when it is easy?
To your first question, standard protocol is to wait atleast three months on a manuscript. Three months seems like a really long time, but try your darndest. Or, you can ask your friends to sneak a question for you (casually of course).
If your query letter isn't getting the responses you think it should (reasonably) then have it looked over. Other trusted friends, or here on the forums QLH (query letter HELL) can help you out.
Thanks Sydneyd!
I think I'm going to close it down until I hear something, so I don't burn through EVERY agent on the planet.
Polly
I think I'm going to close it down until I hear something, so I don't burn through EVERY agent on the planet.
Polly
No probs Polly.
I think I just got my favorite R. It was form, but written in such a way that the agent was basically saying he was probably making a bad decision by rejecting. Cute form.
I think I just got my favorite R. It was form, but written in such a way that the agent was basically saying he was probably making a bad decision by rejecting. Cute form.
I was about ready to give up on the sub have out. It's only been two weeks but she's normally under a week responding to subbed material. I just found out today that she's running behind, if she keeps going through the pile at the same rate I'll get my response on Monday.
I spend far too much time obsessing about this stuff.
How's everyone else doing? This thread has been awfully quiet lately.
I spend far too much time obsessing about this stuff.
How's everyone else doing? This thread has been awfully quiet lately.
I've got zero activity here. I have a handful of subs out, plus six or seven outstanding queries, but I haven't gotten so much as a query R since early last week. It's definitely conference season!
Yeah, I've been getting that too Beck. It's frustrating as hell, especially after one agent had some really nice specific things to say about the partial I sent her, but was hung up on a problem which I've since fixed.
Hi folks. I'm back 
When last I posted it was mid-December and I was trying to finish a book by the end of the year. Well I did so, then had some ideas for the sequel.
Just write those down, Hathor. OK, turned into a second book. Then had ideas that would go into the third book. OK, now have a third book.
Went crazy rewriting...
So now I have four unpublished books. Yea me!
The first book is my nonfiction one that has been queried to agents as much as it can be. Many requests for proposals or partials and a few for fulls--but no offers. It looks as if people love the story I tell but don't like all the pesky, boring, old facts I offer. Other books aren't like mine. Well, yes, that's the point...
I've had eight submissions out for months, so yesterday I nudged them. Four said to resubmit--and one of those called me today to gush about my story and then tell me to rewrite the book, not that she's read it (she had the proposal).
So I had my excitement for the day when answering the phone anyway
If these folks don't pan out, it's time to go the small publisher route. I've had some folks telling me all along I should do that, but I'm sometimes optimistic/stubborn/delusional.
Now the trilogy is fiction and again it doesn't stick to one precise genre--the same as with the nonfiction. I don't learn, I guess
(If anyone needs a way to procrastinate, I do need betas )
Congrats to those here who reported success after I dropped out!
When last I posted it was mid-December and I was trying to finish a book by the end of the year. Well I did so, then had some ideas for the sequel.
Just write those down, Hathor. OK, turned into a second book. Then had ideas that would go into the third book. OK, now have a third book.
Went crazy rewriting...
So now I have four unpublished books. Yea me!
The first book is my nonfiction one that has been queried to agents as much as it can be. Many requests for proposals or partials and a few for fulls--but no offers. It looks as if people love the story I tell but don't like all the pesky, boring, old facts I offer. Other books aren't like mine. Well, yes, that's the point...
I've had eight submissions out for months, so yesterday I nudged them. Four said to resubmit--and one of those called me today to gush about my story and then tell me to rewrite the book, not that she's read it (she had the proposal).
So I had my excitement for the day when answering the phone anyway
If these folks don't pan out, it's time to go the small publisher route. I've had some folks telling me all along I should do that, but I'm sometimes optimistic/stubborn/delusional.
Now the trilogy is fiction and again it doesn't stick to one precise genre--the same as with the nonfiction. I don't learn, I guess
(If anyone needs a way to procrastinate, I do need betas )Congrats to those here who reported success after I dropped out!
Welcome back Hathor! I was wondering about you. Sounds like you were super busy. I wish I had your drive, I spent the same time, doing not much. Glad to see you back (you know what I mean )
)I need help. Which Agent should I contact? This book is very rough and I'm not changing that, it has a vibe to it. Please E-mail me who you think should take a look see at this. It's protected so it can't be stolen...
“Shit’s really hit the fan here. The year is 2017 and boy, oh boy is it hectic. Well, to get right to the point. Nazis, Templers…damn, even the Illuminati were just a big distraction. Well in reality they were all the same thing, just different names. The real guys who called the shots have come out and are strong enough to take on the world. They even have an army at their command. Thousands of years of hiding, making distractions, they created fronts, cover ups just to hind the truth of their existence. The Absconditus is the name they go by. That’s Latin for concealed. And they did a damn good job at being all concealed and stuff like that. Who knows how deep they’ve infiltrated politics, business or even the U.N. The Revelations- a clan of elite assassins that have been around centuries couldn’t even discover them early enough; although we had our suspicions. Now you see the Absconditus think that the cause of war is a difference in faith and beliefs so they want to turn the world into one religion, one government, and one culture...they want to take our bloody humanity away from us. Well judging by the way things are going now…that’s not so farfetched…”
After being assigned to hunt down and kill an international terrorist named Aabid Asadabad, a young Revelation code named ‘Shadow’ accidently uncovers a deadly conspiracy that led to the creation of a devastating biological weapon. With only a few friends he can rely on he is forced to fight this conspiracy but that will be hard since someone close to him is a part of it. The only weapons he has left are brutal skills in dealing death and the will power to see a new day but most importantly the one that started this nasty conflict…faith. If he wants this to end on a good note he’ll have to be in the shadow of this conspiracy, witness all of its horrors and try stop it. He will have to do what he does best…serve wickedness to the wicked…
Who would like this? Tried Maass...
e-mail me please,
[email protected]
please...
“Shit’s really hit the fan here. The year is 2017 and boy, oh boy is it hectic. Well, to get right to the point. Nazis, Templers…damn, even the Illuminati were just a big distraction. Well in reality they were all the same thing, just different names. The real guys who called the shots have come out and are strong enough to take on the world. They even have an army at their command. Thousands of years of hiding, making distractions, they created fronts, cover ups just to hind the truth of their existence. The Absconditus is the name they go by. That’s Latin for concealed. And they did a damn good job at being all concealed and stuff like that. Who knows how deep they’ve infiltrated politics, business or even the U.N. The Revelations- a clan of elite assassins that have been around centuries couldn’t even discover them early enough; although we had our suspicions. Now you see the Absconditus think that the cause of war is a difference in faith and beliefs so they want to turn the world into one religion, one government, and one culture...they want to take our bloody humanity away from us. Well judging by the way things are going now…that’s not so farfetched…”
After being assigned to hunt down and kill an international terrorist named Aabid Asadabad, a young Revelation code named ‘Shadow’ accidently uncovers a deadly conspiracy that led to the creation of a devastating biological weapon. With only a few friends he can rely on he is forced to fight this conspiracy but that will be hard since someone close to him is a part of it. The only weapons he has left are brutal skills in dealing death and the will power to see a new day but most importantly the one that started this nasty conflict…faith. If he wants this to end on a good note he’ll have to be in the shadow of this conspiracy, witness all of its horrors and try stop it. He will have to do what he does best…serve wickedness to the wicked…
Who would like this? Tried Maass...
e-mail me please,
[email protected]
please...
This is the wrong thread for this question. I suggest you post on SYW and go through QLH. There are many problems with what you posted. I don't think it's ready to go out for one, and this thread is a place to post your rejections and requests-your query journey- and get support. It's not the place to go to get someone else to do the kind of agent research you should be doing yourself.
As it stands, nobody.
You even admit your book is very rough, but try to excuse it by saying it has a 'vibe'. Agents do like voice, or a 'vibe' but they don't like rough. You need a highly polished, finished work or you're just wasting your time and theirs.
I need help. Which Agent should I contact? This book is very rough and I'm not changing that, it has a vibe to it. Please E-mail me who you think should take a look see at this. It's protected so it can't be stolen...I am going to have to agree with the others. Have it looked at, you can keep your vibe, but it will just be a better, more pleasing vibe. Getting an agent is strenuous and delicate work. You wouldn't want one of us making a quick ill informed decision on something so important
Welcome back Hathor! I was wondering about you. Sounds like you were super busy. I wish I had your drive, I spent the same time, doing not much. Glad to see you back (you know what I mean
Thanks, hon. I had a witting and insightful response to you all typed out yesterday, then we lost internet service.
Just consider yourself amused One thing I remember saying is that it looks like it can be worthwhile to nudge folks who have had submissions for months. I nudged eight folks earlier this week and five have told me to resubmit. (One of those then said "no" but at least I know...) Of the remaining three, two have had my proposal since last July and I've nudged before so I'm not holding my breath. The other one has a full. Could this mean she is actually now trying to finish the book? I can but hope.
Well, it's time for me to write a review for the latest book by the guy who wrote my foreward. Got to build up that karma
Well, I'm going to join in. Because I got rejected on a partial by an agent at Fine Print who decided she wasn't going to take on fiction anymore AFTER she read my partial.
I feel like those dudes in college who were always the last one to date a girl before she announced she was a lesbian.
And then some hollywood dude said my pitch wasn't snappy enough. I don't know why. I'm a seattle stay at home mom - so I am hip as ALL HELL.
Have a great friday, y'all.
Polly.
I feel like those dudes in college who were always the last one to date a girl before she announced she was a lesbian.
And then some hollywood dude said my pitch wasn't snappy enough. I don't know why. I'm a seattle stay at home mom - so I am hip as ALL HELL.
Have a great friday, y'all.
Polly.
It's Friday the 13th! Time to send out queries folks. If you've been holding back there's no better time, do it now!
zolambrosine
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Dear --------,
Thanks for sending me your query. This was a tough call for me. I really like the writing in these opening pages, but I have some reservations about the premise. Ultimately, I'm not as excited to read more of this novel as I need to be to request more pages. I look for projects with a stronger set of external conflicts to match the internal ones. I must pass.
Best of luck with your agent search, and please feel free to think of me again, if you go unagented.
Sincerely,
------------
... Is that a weird rejection?
Thanks for sending me your query. This was a tough call for me. I really like the writing in these opening pages, but I have some reservations about the premise. Ultimately, I'm not as excited to read more of this novel as I need to be to request more pages. I look for projects with a stronger set of external conflicts to match the internal ones. I must pass.
Best of luck with your agent search, and please feel free to think of me again, if you go unagented.
Sincerely,
------------
... Is that a weird rejection?
Seems strange, but... Have you checked to see if this is the agent's form rejection? Either the agent's thread on AW or the comments section on querytracker might say.
I hope everyone made it through Friday the 13th unscathed. I only had my baseball team rip out my heart yet again and then dealt with a metro system with track repair (on a Friday night?). At least no writing-related disappointment.
Oh well, the Rapture is coming in a week anyway, right
I hope everyone made it through Friday the 13th unscathed. I only had my baseball team rip out my heart yet again and then dealt with a metro system with track repair (on a Friday night?). At least no writing-related disappointment.
Oh well, the Rapture is coming in a week anyway, right
I'd say that's a pretty good rejection! The agent isn't sold on the premise, but thinks you're a great writer. That bodes well for the rest of your search.
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