The Daily Rejection

I just discovered one of the agents with my full is participating at ThrillerFest this weekend. Guess I'll have to wait a while longer.

And I just discovered the other agent with my full is in attendance there, too. I hope they don't have drinks together and dish about manuscripts.

Sorry about the R, ladysarahii. And the crickets have invaded here, too...ah, the crickets.

Hathor, I don't know a good answer for you. It might depend on the agent and why she left the business. It might give you an easy in with the lead agent to say the e-agent had asked for a rewrite, but maybe not if ex-agent was not good at her job. You could also query the lead agent again like a fresh contact. Maybe that person never even saw your query.

Quickbread said:

Sorry about the R, ladysarahii. And the crickets have invaded here, too...ah, the crickets.

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Ah, thanks. I ended up getting another one at midnight last night, LOL. Seriously, between work and the two Rs, it was definitely Friday the 13th.

I'm actually going to take a break from querying and get some more editing done on it first. I know 3 is nothing to panic over, but I'm becoming really paranoid that it stinks.

Oh Haiiii, just revising and it's not going that great. Think this is the end of me.....

Also, wrote this http://baellings.wordpress.com/2012...-from-drama-school-5-thats-the-way-love-goes/

Oh no

I hope that a full night's sleep has popped ideas into your head. Sometimes, you have to get away from something for a while to see how it can be changed.

I'm thinking of returning my area of concentration to "goddess of rewrites." I had my new NF all ready to go, then woke up yesterday realizing I don't discuss my husband enough in what is now a memoir. A bit here and there should do it. The man wasn't ignored completely. Still, I really want to move on to requerying this and getting back to my fiction (which also needs a bit of rewriting).

I hereby bless you, Polly. Did that help?

Is anyone here the deity for query letters? For the agents who requested before and gave me feedback, I'll mention that. For others, I think I need a spanking new letter. Something like ordering yourself to come up with wit to make your mind go blank. Maybe I can use the line you gave me for the fiction ("time to wake up and smell the Scotch") yet again. I certainly was drinking plenty of the beverage when all this was going on.

Don't ask permission, eh? I'll just include the first few pages as if this were fiction. They can see that the book is entertaining, despite the query. Going through all the rejects again, what I see over and over is how my story is inspiring or important, but just wouldn't have a market. But if they read pages, they will discover I'm a pedantic wiseass and so all will be golden. Right?

Hathor, possibly! Also turning off my wifi while working on my laptop, so I can't click around.

Also, if you use "pedantic wiseass" one more time I'm going to Commander Please you.

Seems to me that there is no deity for query letters. You may find one only to have it be a false idol.

I think I need to take solitare, hearts, and FreeCell off my laptop.

Can't the those two words be my catch phrase, where the audience knows to laugh?

You say "false idol" and I think of those moai on Eastern Island. But then I'm a... never mind.

I've been writing down a few phrases that occur to me for my query. Maybe if I don't press it, inspiration will come. (Or maybe if I write a wondrous query, I won't need it. One of the agents who will get an "I took your advice" letter will be entranced by my work now.)

I'll probably get to requerying today. I'm feeling somewhat nervous about that. I've had plenty of rejection already. But now my work is much more personal. I fear I'll feel like they are rejecting me.

Perhaps I should start the process on an even-numbered day.

I rather like "pedantic wiseass," but my impression is that not many people do...perhaps because I am one.

I like polly's idea of going off wifi for a bit. I really should do that this morning...maybe after I check my email and twitter a couple more times...

qdsb said:

I rather like "pedantic wiseass," but my impression is that not many people do...perhaps because I am one.

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Ah, that's why we get along.

OK, that's it. No more talking to you folks until I accomplish something.

Dream agent from over the pond has finally written me. She is still interested and needs more time. At least it isn't an outright no

WOO HOO!!!!!! Carelee !!!!

pollymilton said:

WOO HOO!!!!!! Carelee !!!!

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Thank you I'm so relieved!

Yay, Carleree! Crossing all fingers for you!

Thanks!

I wrote her back today to say that I know she's been busy with festivals because I follow her on twitter. Then I added that I hope that doesn't make me sound like a third-degree stalker. *giggle*

Yessss Carleree! Fingers crossed!!

Way to go, your majesty! You may need to change your title before too long.

Here's hoping, though I can't think of what my new title would be I'm open to suggestions!

Go, Carleree!!! Fingers crossed for you!

Loving all this positive energy. This group is awesome!

Carleree said:

Here's hoping, though I can't think of what my new title would be I'm open to suggestions!

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How about "Queen of Canucks" or "Her Transcendent Majesty"?

I have a language question for you all. Is it now best to write "sluffing off" or "sloughing off"? I'm referring to one's work, not dead skin. Googling didn't give me a clear answer. I'm inclined to use the former, but Word insists it's not a word.

Hathor said:

How about "Queen of Canucks" or "Her Transcendent Majesty"?

I have a language question for you all. Is it now best to write "sluffing off" or "sloughing off"? I'm referring to one's work, not dead skin. Googling didn't give me a clear answer. I'm inclined to use the former, but Word insists it's not a word.

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Oooh, I like "Her Transcendent Majesty".

It's sloughing off. I have the same term in my book and my betas were all over it. The decision was unanimous.

Thanks. I don't want to be aggravating readers unnecessarily. I should leave that job to my content -- and my tendency to be a you-know-what.

Congrats, Carleree. Nice to know people are getting responses. I still haven't heard much. Sheeesh.

Yay, Carleree! That's great news! Sending you good vibes for a quick, positive response from her.

Quiet over here today, too.

Hey Quickbread. If it wasn't for this forum, I'd be out of my mind. Fortunately, others have noted that they've heard little to nothing as well. I fully realize my first round of queries only went out three weeks ago--with a big vacation-week holiday in the mix. Still, my mind keeps churning: if they liked wouldn't I have heard--ergo is that a no? Did they get it at all? Sigh. Need something to occupy my head.

Kmarshall said:

Hey Quickbread. If it wasn't for this forum, I'd be out of my mind. Fortunately, others have noted that they've heard little to nothing as well. I fully realize my first round of queries only went out three weeks ago--with a big vacation-week holiday in the mix. Still, my mind keeps churning: if they liked wouldn't I have heard--ergo is that a no? Did they get it at all? Sigh. Need something to occupy my head.

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I could suggest some really annoying songs. That usually works for me.