I used to run the mystery magazine Mouth Full of Bullets and I now run an e-zine called Flash Bang Mysteries. When I reject a story, I’m only rejecting that ONE story, not the author or the author’s subsequent works. I had once rejected a story by an author and then loved the next submission so much that I made it the cover story. I’ve accepted a story by many an author only to reject the next one, but then accepted subsequent ones. It depends upon the story. Whatever my decision on a current story, I hope writers continue to submit their stories time and again, because a magazine/e-zine is absolutely nothing without writers and their next submission might be an editor’s favorite or a cover story.
When I began searching for an agent, I expected the query process was similar to the submissions process, insomuch as repeat submissions go. Let’s face it, agents are nothing without writers, and while an agent might reject one of my queries, they might absolutely love the next one and sell it to a major publisher for six figures. So, I figured agents were open to multiple submissions from authors for that reason. My thoughts were confirmed when I began reading interviews with agents. Several well-respected agents said they reply to all query letters, because they want those authors to think about them the next time they submit a manuscript.
Well, I queried this one agent and s/he requested a full. S/he told me s/he would’ve sold it to a major publisher in a heartbeat “five years ago”, but publishers were currently looking for high concept fiction, and s/he ultimately had to turn it down. I queried the same agent again and s/he remembered loving my first one, so s/he asked for a full. S/he wasn’t as taken with that one, and passed. Two more queries and four years later I received this message, in part, “I know we have had many exchanges in the past, and I’m just feeling a bit like there isn’t a match between you and I, so it’s probably best to focus your submissions on agents who haven’t read and passed on your work.”
It’s the most entertaining rejection letter I’ve ever received and it marks the first time an agent has ever broken up with me before we even had a relationship. My buddy jokingly said, “Wow, you’re so bad s/he doesn’t even want to see an email from you in his/her inbox anymore!”
While s/he made it clear s/he doesn’t want to receive a query from me in the future, I will absolutely ignore his/her advice regarding focusing my attention on “agents who haven’t read and passed on” my work. Following that advice would limit my future queries to TWO.
Have any of you ever received a breakup letter from an agent or editor?
When I began searching for an agent, I expected the query process was similar to the submissions process, insomuch as repeat submissions go. Let’s face it, agents are nothing without writers, and while an agent might reject one of my queries, they might absolutely love the next one and sell it to a major publisher for six figures. So, I figured agents were open to multiple submissions from authors for that reason. My thoughts were confirmed when I began reading interviews with agents. Several well-respected agents said they reply to all query letters, because they want those authors to think about them the next time they submit a manuscript.
Well, I queried this one agent and s/he requested a full. S/he told me s/he would’ve sold it to a major publisher in a heartbeat “five years ago”, but publishers were currently looking for high concept fiction, and s/he ultimately had to turn it down. I queried the same agent again and s/he remembered loving my first one, so s/he asked for a full. S/he wasn’t as taken with that one, and passed. Two more queries and four years later I received this message, in part, “I know we have had many exchanges in the past, and I’m just feeling a bit like there isn’t a match between you and I, so it’s probably best to focus your submissions on agents who haven’t read and passed on your work.”
It’s the most entertaining rejection letter I’ve ever received and it marks the first time an agent has ever broken up with me before we even had a relationship. My buddy jokingly said, “Wow, you’re so bad s/he doesn’t even want to see an email from you in his/her inbox anymore!”
While s/he made it clear s/he doesn’t want to receive a query from me in the future, I will absolutely ignore his/her advice regarding focusing my attention on “agents who haven’t read and passed on” my work. Following that advice would limit my future queries to TWO.
Have any of you ever received a breakup letter from an agent or editor?
