The Daily Rejection

Congratulations, DJ!!! Woot!

WHOO, congrats!

Today is the first day I haven't had a rejection in awhile. It was one a day for a bit.

Hi, guys. I'm new around this part of AW (I may have posted a few months ago once, don't remember.) I just sent out my new, pretty, queries for my new pretty MS last week. Got my third rejection this afternoon. It was the first time I got that feeling in my stomach thinking "what if I don't get any requests?".

I have more agents on my list and many more to add to it, so I know I'll be fine but but it's still scary!

Hey, Drachen,

Just dropped by to see how everyone was doing and see that you have representation -- Woot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on by The Next Circle of Hell!

Thanks everyone! It feels great, but at the same time I'm pulling my hair out thinking, it's not ready for publishers to see, I have so much work to do!

Waiting on notes from Regina. I talked to one of her other clients who said they took a few weeks and she had very good suggestions. I have to develop my 'platform' and increase my blog following...

Lots to do, but I'm looking forward to it.

So, for the record.

Novels written: 2
Query letters sent on first novel: 250+
Queries on first 'ready' draft of Aetherstorm (query and MS): 40
Requests on first 'ready' draft: 1
Queries on second 'ready' draft: 40
Requests on second 'ready' draft: 2
Queries on third 'ready' draft: 40
Requests on third 'ready' draft: 7 with 1 offer and 4 others still outstanding, I did not pursue offers from the other agents with outstanding material (but don't worry, I did inform them).

Lessons learned:

When you think it's ready, it's not ready. Don't rush into things. On my first manuscript I started to get some fairly serious attention at about the same time as I'd completely exhausted the pool of available agents. In the end you'll move more quickly by taking your time and getting it right.

Don't query overload. Querying can be addictive. It's like gambling, it's always tempting to just go for one more. Unlike gambling your chances improve over time as you make the work better, so save yourself until you are confident it's at the right level.

Keep plugging away at it. Find good beta readers. Don't let them take over, you have to decide what comments work and which don't, but don't ignore their advice either.

Come up with a good, unique high concept. The last full request I had on my first novel sent me a rejection which said it wasn't unique enough to stand out on the bookshelf. I really took that to heart, and I think that's what paid off in the end.

Drachen Jager said:

Lessons learned:

When you think it's ready, it's not ready. Don't rush into things. On my first manuscript I started to get some fairly serious attention at about the same time as I'd completely exhausted the pool of available agents. In the end you'll move more quickly by taking your time and getting it right.

Don't query overload. Querying can be addictive. It's like gambling, it's always tempting to just go for one more. Unlike gambling your chances improve over time as you make the work better, so save yourself until you are confident it's at the right level.

Keep plugging away at it. Find good beta readers. Don't let them take over, you have to decide what comments work and which don't, but don't ignore their advice either.

Come up with a good, unique high concept. The last full request I had on my first novel sent me a rejection which said it wasn't unique enough to stand out on the bookshelf. I really took that to heart, and I think that's what paid off in the end.

Click to expand...

This is good advice. Something I'm learning now. I submitted much too early in the spring time, I did a major re-modeling. Now I think its ready and I'm more nervous than I was before.

Thanks for the stats. Definitely interesting.

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure many of us will find it useful.

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I calmed down enough since my last post to draft a polite response to a rather insulting suggestion. (No, I'm not going to discuss it in a public forum.) Then I sent some renudges a few days ago (not that I expect anything, but might as well be thorough). And I just reached out to an agent who said to contact her if I couldn't get representation with my nonfiction as is.

Meanwhile, betas have book 1 of my fiction trilogy and I'm busily polishing book 2. A lot more fun than my nonfiction, let me tell you. That was written because folks kept telling me I should do so, that I could help so many people. My betas thought so, too. But agents, alas, no.

If this last agent doesn't pan out (like she comes up with a suggestion that I hire somebody to "fix" my book before even reading the thing), there are plenty of small publishers to investigate.

Meanwhile, back to Scotch and hot Scottish men! Much more fun to contemplate on a rainy Friday afternoon than the mutability of IQ or the definition of learning disability...

Heard back immediately from that agent. That's good -- gives me a little boost for the weekend.

She asked me to tell her what other agents have said. Anyone ever had that as a written request before? I've had an agent or two ask that in the course of phone conversations -- but this is the first time I had to draft a response telling someone what other people thought was wrong with my book. I wanted to be accurate, but not too convincing

Drachen Jager said:

So, for the record.

Novels written: 2
Query letters sent on first novel: 250+
Queries on first 'ready' draft of Aetherstorm (query and MS): 40
Requests on first 'ready' draft: 1
Queries on second 'ready' draft: 40
Requests on second 'ready' draft: 2
Queries on third 'ready' draft: 40
Requests on third 'ready' draft: 7 with 1 offer and 4 others still outstanding, I did not pursue offers from the other agents with outstanding material (but don't worry, I did inform them).

Click to expand...

Drachen. Do you have stats on non-responders? Even though I was fortunate to get an offer from my query campaign I'm amazed at the high percentage of non-responders. I guess the zero response approach is the norm out there.

Non responders were 50% or so. Agents who took over 2 months made another 10%, but were almost inevitably negative. I think you're pretty safe writing agents off after 2 months.

Drachen Jager said:

Non responders were 50% or so. Agents who took over 2 months made another 10%, but were almost inevitably negative. I think you're pretty safe writing agents off after 2 months.

Click to expand...

I may hear from stragglers at some later point but my stats run at 60% non responders.

The last time I submitted was before a year-long break (day-job reasons). I had a full request. I sent it in and waited, waited, waited. After several months, I emailed and nothing. A few more months and I got a reply...addressed to another author about another book!!! I emailed back about the error and again...nothing! Since I started back a few weeks ago, I learned the agent I'd subbed to no longer works with that agency. SO I'm subbing to them again. This time, I'm NOT putting all my chips in one basket!

Oh my gosh, Drachen! I've been checking back and almost gave up for you!!!! (that sounded better in my head!) I am so pleased for you and wish you the absolute best. WOO HOO!!!!

Hathor: I was thinking of you as I tinker with this:
http://baellings.wordpress.com/ (bits and pieces of my book - you know, hot irishmen and whiskey)

P.

I have received my first rejection letter today, and two more quickly followed. Two were my fault and I made an ass of myself, as the two were 'No longer representing Science Fiction.' Oops. I think my Newb is showing. Anyway the third was a nice rejection about how the material is actually quite good, but not a match to the agents particular editorial contacts. Oh well, I may be new to the game, but I know it will take a lot of rejections and research to find 'The one.'
-Oh and best of luck to you Drachen!

Thanks, polly. I appreciated that. Rest assured, I remembered your book.

I don't know if I'll ever sell my trilogy...but I'm having a great time writing it.

It isn't just the sex. It's getting into the mind of someone half my age, once again. Or attempting to, anyway. I've been trying to get my daughter to tell me if I'm getting it right, but she hasn't gotten around to it yet. She says she's too busy (she's a grad student) -- but I suspect she is kind of weirded out by my description of the work.

My son wanted to read it, indeed, keep asking for it. He got it. Now he is very quiet. Eep.

And I should add, my kids haven't even seen book two, where things get more, uh...

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Forgot to mention. Reject on a proposal submission today. Bah.

Still waiting to see what this other agent thinks about fixing up the nonfiction to make it more marketable. I'm hoping that won't be "hire me, or this person I know, to fix it" or "gut the thing, write a completely different book, and you'll be fine."

Eh, I finished revising book 2. Time for book 3. Scotch and hot Scottish men. Can't be beat.

My son wanted to read it, indeed, keep asking for it. He got it. Now he is very quiet. Eep.

Click to expand...

Ahhh, hahahaha! "My mom enjoys sex! OMG!!!"

Keep going. We believe in you! Although, please, please make it better than "Winter Sea" by S. Kearsley - holy crap. I read a sample last night on my kindle and DAMN.

Now, now, a good example of how not to write on a particular subject might be useful. You have me intrigued.

http://videosift.com/video/Nathan-Fillion-reads-Nikki-Heat-sex-scene-at-Comic-Con

Here you go Hathor. A perfect example of bad 'steamy' writing.

Oh, lordie, that's hilarious, DJ. Something tells me that that actor could read anything, though, and it would be funny.

It takes talent to write something like that on purpose.

oh dear.

malaga baldi [email protected] to me
show details 7:09 AM

apologies not for me


BAM! FINISH HER! lol

Sent five queries last week, all of them are at the top of my list. My #1 rejected me in three days, and another agent rejected me in about seven hours. He probably would have rejected me sooner, but I sent it at 2 a.m. and he rejected me at 9:35 a.m. Probably rejected me before he even had his morning coffee.

It's usually best to not work from the top of your list down. Most of us find that we begin querying too early and our queries/manuscripts are only at their best when we're nearly out of agents to query.

Maybe it works differently for you, but that's been my observation. Pick a cross-section each time, if you're getting a lot of requests and you think you've finally hit your stride, THEN hit the good agents.