• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

[Agency] Writers House

LiMeiLing

Registered
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
42
Reaction score
5
Location
California
Maya says on her PM page that she does not respond to emails that are not personalized? Does this just mean they have to be addressed solely to her (i.e. don't contain other agents in the TO line)? Or does it mean that she has to have some personal connection with you first? Can others who've queried her give me a hint?

Thanks!
 

sciri

Maxine Fan
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
252
Reaction score
6
It means you have to start it with either Dear Maya or Dear Ms. Rock and yes, it should be addressed to her alone. HTH, good luck.
 

chris41336

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Messages
185
Reaction score
16
Crap, so Dear Maya Rock doesn't fly? It has to be either Mrs. Rock or Dear Maya?
 

sciri

Maxine Fan
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
252
Reaction score
6
Hey, relax, I meant whatever makes it sound personal, even Hey Maya, if you feel that friendly!! :)

Oh, and I wrote Ms. Rock, not Mrs. Rock... Mrs. is a no no, usually....
 

LiMeiLing

Registered
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
42
Reaction score
5
Location
California
Thanks, sciri! People like you are the reason I've started posting here. You're all so helpful! :)

And sorry to hear about the rejection Roly but glad to see you're picking yourself up again! Writers like you inspire me to keep trying.
 
Last edited:

Mr. E

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
84
Reaction score
25
Location
Foraging in the wetlands
Mr. E: I sent a requested partial manuscript to Ms. Heifetz a little over a year ago. I followed up with an email to her assistant after a few months, but never heard back. I shrugged and moved on because I've encountered several unresponsive agents while querying, and I thought she was just another one. I'm not sure, now, though. Looking back through these posts, it seems like this agent (or her assistant) usually respond. Have you tried following up from a different email address?

I know. Not very helpful, but at least you know you're not the only one. :)

Thanks to everyone for their input. Yes, I tried from a different e-mail address as well, with no results. I think I will just go ahead and start querying anew. Kinda stinks, though, as her assistant seemed genuinely interested in the project, and the Agency is such a cornerstone of the biz.
 

HistorySleuth

Researching History's Mysteries
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 1, 2008
Messages
3,791
Reaction score
855
Location
Western New York State
Website
www.gahwny.org
Sometimes I wonder with emails what kind of spam filtering they have. What do you usually put in the subject line? Just query or query and the title of the manuscript?
 

sciri

Maxine Fan
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
252
Reaction score
6
Sometimes I wonder with emails what kind of spam filtering they have. What do you usually put in the subject line? Just query or query and the title of the manuscript?

Yeah, maybe, but with this agency it seems to happen a lot... Way too many people end up never hearing back (including myself).
 

pegasus358

Registered
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Location
Long Island, NY
Yeah, maybe, but with this agency it seems to happen a lot... Way too many people end up never hearing back (including myself).

It can sometimes be tricky with email queries, and they may indeed end up in spam. You could also try snail-mailing your query if you don't hear back from a status check.
 

mkcbunny

Bufflehead
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
2,344
Reaction score
361
Location
Oakland, CA
I queried Maya Rock via e-mail yesterday and received a form rejection today.

I used this formatting in my e-mail subject line:

Query: TITLE - Genre

And I have to say, I feel SO much better and more confident about the querying process now that I've actually begun sending letters. Really, I think the terror preceding the process is worse than the actual querying itself. I'm at 0/4, with 2 rejects and 2 no replies (too soon to know on those), so we'll see.
 
Last edited:

MariceKraal

In a foreign land
Registered
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Location
Brisbane, Australia
I queried Maya Rock early January and got a response yesterday (so a bit over 3 weeks as she promises on publishers marketplace). It was a form rejection, but I expected it because I've been on a sharp learning curve since then. New query (greatly revised novel) and new days ahead!

Oh, and I addressed it to 'Ms. Rock'. I guess she just doesn't want to be called 'Dear Agent' or anything else impersonal. I wouldn't like getting unsolicited stuff that doesn't acknowledge who I am either.
 
Last edited:

lateran_xiii

longs for a bungalow
Registered
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
23
Reaction score
9
Location
in the bookstore, putting Narnia back in the prope
Website
www.valnon.org
I never heard back on my partial, unfortunately. (For those tuning in just now: I sent a snail mailed query in early October to Merrilee Heifetz, got a request for a partial via email, which I sent in right away. Waited seven weeks, then prompted her assistant once to make sure the files got there okay, and was told that she'd have a response to me in a couple of weeks.) It's been two months since the last word, so I'm assuming at this point that there's no interest and I've sent out fresh queries. My MS is out to another agent now, one who's been absolutely super in emails, and he gets priority on it at this point.

It is strange that I haven't heard back anything--and somewhat frustrating as I'm out a stamp on the SASE I sent with my original query. I might prompt Ms. Heifetz's assistant again just for closure, but only if my current reviewer passes. As it is, I'm afraid I have to call this one a scratch.
 

Salaris

Fantasy Writer and Game Designer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
55
Reaction score
3
Location
California
Oddly, I'm in almost the same situation as lateran_xiii. They requested material on 11/5, which I sent immediately. The assistant indicated a 4-6 week response. I followed up on 1/6, and got an immediate reply that it would be another week or two. Nothing since. My guess is that the assistant is probably just swamped right now - or so I'd hope, anyway.
 

A_Green_Leaf

Registered
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
41
Reaction score
3
Location
In the Mountains
Website
www.deserttagarabians.com
I queried Maya Rock on 1/9 and got a R on 2/1. After querying her I found a site that listed her in the top ten agents who receive the most queries/submissions.

I'm going to try Merilee Heifetz soon. I now realize the query I sent Ms. Rock was horrid, and I have higher hopes with my current query.
 

Roly

silly puppy monster
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
1,680
Reaction score
604
Location
in other people's soups
I'm going to try Merrilee soon too. I'm just confused though because it says on her agenquery profile she doesn't accept e-queries, but on querytracker someone (fairly recently) mentioned they DID send an equery and got a partial request via assistant. Should I just play it safe and use snail?
 

erin_michelle

Foreshadowing Queen
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
190
Reaction score
14
Location
Illinois
I'd play it safe and snail mail because, as far as I know, that's what Merrilee Heifetz wants. Her assistant usually responds by email if she requests a partial though.
 

sciri

Maxine Fan
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
252
Reaction score
6
Those of you who got requests from Marrilee's assistant: how long since you mailed the query did you get it in your inbox?
 

erin_michelle

Foreshadowing Queen
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
190
Reaction score
14
Location
Illinois
Those of you who got requests from Marrilee's assistant: how long since you mailed the query did you get it in your inbox?

Mine came a week after. Mind you, this was in Sept/Oct. I had to status query my partial after two months, which resulted in a rejection a week later.
 

ILove2Write

Jaws has nightmares too
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
214
Reaction score
14
Location
Fraggle Rock
I'm still waiting for a response from Merrilee and it's been a month since I sent a query.