The threshod standard

blacbird · Mar 17, 2016

The last rejection I received, for a requested partial, the more I think about it, contains a salient phrase. It came from an agent who was very polite and professional, and about whom I have nothing but good things to say concerning the manner in which the submission was handled. But the pertinent material is worth quoting:

While you are a very good writer and I do think that you have a very good story here, I’m sorry to say that I’m unable to offer you representation at this time. There was obviously enough here to warrant my taking a much closer look, but at the end of the day I wasn’t quite as taken with this manuscript as I would have liked, and so I’m afraid that I’m going to have to pass. I must remain extremely careful to only acquire projects about which I am wildly passionate, and thus I feel it is in your best interest that I step aside and allow you to continue your search for representation elsewhere.

Nothing specific was said about the submitted material. But this is as far as I ever seem to get. I've had plenty of these. They do not make me wildly passionate about submitting things further.

caw

morngnstar · Mar 17, 2016

I wonder if this is a form rejection.

I guess you should take it at face value. If you went on one blind date and the girl said she's not wildly passionate about you, would you give up and say no one is ever going to love you? Send it to another agent. Maybe that one will be wildly passionate. Wildly passionate is very subjective.

Jamesaritchie · Mar 18, 2016

Everything in that is a stock phrase. I probably don't know this agent, but to the ones I do know, "Wildly passionate" menas "Damn, a lot of people are going to love this story, and will want to spend time with these characters".

Ta;ent has many aspects. The easiest is writing reasonable well, having a ood, readable style. The hard part is elarning what kind of story to tell, how to put characters readers want to spend time with into that story, and then telling the story in a way that engages readers.

My experience is that all successful writers have at least one writer they imitate. Often two or three or four, but always at least one. Who do you imitate?

TECarter · Mar 18, 2016

How many books are you wildly passionate about as a reader? Agents (and editors) are readers and people, too. You can read a book you really like, but will you be inspired to tell your friends about it? Reread it because it stays with you when you're done? Follow the author on social media? Go buy everything else he/she has written? I don't know how many books you read in a year, but I would say I have that reaction to a handful - in a good year. I LIKE lots of books. But two hours later, I have moved on with my life. The book that makes me force it on everyone I know and tell the author about my enthusiasm is rare.

What this does NOT mean is that your book is not that book for someone. What it means is your book is not that book for that agent. Once you sign with the agent, he/she has to reread it, work with you on revisions, and then passionately advocate for it with editors. If you succeed at submissions, it's because an editor has to be passionate, too, and he/she also needs to reread many times, get sales and marketing onboard, help you with publicity, etc.

It's hard, when you're facing only Rs, to believe in it, but remember - it's not a reflection on the quality of your work or your talent. It means that this one person was not excited enough about it to tell everyone about it. Someone out there may be. Take a walk through a bookstore. How many books do you see that you've read and hated? Books you've read and liked? Books you've loved and feel a strange desire to buy another copy because it's that good (in your opinion)? Every one you hated - someone loves. Every one you've loved - someone hates. Everyone you've liked a little is that favorite, dogeared book someone keeps on the nightstand.

kenpochick · Mar 18, 2016

It's just a form rejection, but people are "wildly passionate" about different things. Don't give up.

blacbird · Mar 18, 2016

My main point was the "wildly passionate" phrase, which seemed more stark than things I've seen in other form Rs (which I took it to be, as nothing specific was said). And it was for a partial requested on the basis of a query and first few pages, which is a trifle different from a reject for a query alone.

Jamesaritchie said:
My experience is that all successful writers have at least one writer they imitate. Often two or three or four, but always at least one. Who do you imitate?

Depends to some extent on what the story is. For short stuff, Bradbury is an important influence, in particular. For novels, I suppose Vonnegut, John Irving, Philip Dick, crisp narrative-crafters like John D. McDonald are significant. I really don't think about this too much, just try to put together sentences and narrative flow that makes sense and isn't over-complicated.

caw

pinkbowvintage · Mar 18, 2016

I agree that it's a form rejection.

Earthling · Mar 18, 2016

I think I might have had that exact same form rejection. If I didn't, it was one (or maybe more than one) wildly similar.

Calla Lily · Mar 18, 2016

It's a form R. Shelve it and sub to another agent.

The threshod standard

blacbird

morngnstar

Jamesaritchie

TECarter

kenpochick

I should be writing, not on AW.:-)

blacbird

pinkbowvintage

♔

Earthling

I come in peace

Calla Lily

On hiatus

The threshod standard

I should be writing, not on AW.:-)

&#9812;

I come in peace

On hiatus

♔