First rejection on a full

Another positive is that she felt it worth taking the time to give you personal feedback.

Sorry for the rejection. It says a lot about your ms that you've had 4 requests for fulls and that this agent praised your writing. Even though it was a no, chin up and stay positive. I'm sure someone will love it!!

*passes liquor-filled chocolates*
Sorry about the rejection, but that's a pretty good one (it's all relative, right?). Plus the 3 more out there and you're doing something right. May the three remaining fulls lead to a bidding war among agents who are desperate to sign you!

At least you got positive feedback and that's always a great thing to get from agents because it shows that they liked your work. Sorry about the rejection though.

Pretty darn close call if you ask me. You can take those comments in stride and file them away, or inflict some rewriting on your manuscript. It's quite wonderful when they take the time to express their feelings about the book. Feel very, very lucky that you received this type of communication first time out. It says a lot about the quality of your work.

Press on, and I hope you hit with the right agent.

Tri

Sorry to hear it! That's quite a flattering rejection--so much so that you're probably closer than you think.

That was an excellent rejection, if there's anything excellent about rejections. Make a note of both positives and negatives and watch for repetition in any other returns. This is a good time to take stock of your manuscript and think of ways you might address their concerns. And good luck on a quick sale!
Linnea

Sorry about the no, but I'm with everyone else--it was a good one. I think it's smart to wait to see what others say before jumping into rewrites. One of my first rejections had a handwritten note saying she really liked it but it was "a bit over the top," for her. My first yes said it was so much fun without being at all "over the top." Go figure.

Keep going on that wip and best of luck with the other fulls you have out.

what a bummer. But it's cool that two people already have read your work. The fact that the agent didn't automatically reject based solely on the assistant's impression is very telling.

rwam said:

"Many thanks for sending (title). (my assistant) and I have both had a chance to read the manuscript, and while there are many moving, beautifully written and realistic descriptions of what it's like to live in the shadow of a serious illness...

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Wow, her rejection alone almost reads like a hook, if you ask me. Based on her feedback, I'd read this!

As to her concerns- If I was in your place, I think I'd go with my gut response. If what she's said rings true to you, get out that gilded hatchet and then what the hell- re-query her when it's ready, even if she hasn't responded, and let her know that you found her comments insightful and after careful consideration have decided you agree with them and would like to submit to her a superior edit of the book (this is assuming that you're not snatched up by one of the other three in the meantime).

Not all books are ka-pow. If you've written it as it should be, someone else will find the beauty in the pace.

This is very exciting, IMHO. Of course, exciting doesn't put an end to the querying process, but it's great none-the-less. Congratulations!

aliajohnson said:

Sorry about the no, but I'm with everyone else--it was a good one. I think it's smart to wait to see what others say before jumping into rewrites.

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I second this. You never know--the next agent might say that the crisis point in the novel occurred in the perfect place--what do you think? If you think it's where it needs to be, then it should stay. At least until you get more feedback from others. If everyone is saying the same thing, then consider rewrites. But heck, you got four requests for the full. Remind yourself of this major accomplishment.