Rethinking No Answer Means No

popmuze · Oct 3, 2011

I have to say I've now jumped to the other side on the "no answer means no" strategy of agents in regard to responding to queries. I'm totally in favor of it.

This way, after sending out, say, a batch of five queries, if I see an answer from an agent in my in box, I know it's going to be a request for pages. And if I never hear from a particular agent, I can always assume they never got my original query in the first place or never really paid attention to it, and send it again.

It's a win win situation!

In the old days, I might get excited to see a response from an agent, only to open it up to find a bland form rejection of the query. Always with the assurance that this agent felt I was on right on the brink of finding an agent. How would they know? If the book was so "agent ready" why didn't they even want to see some pages?

I also prefer agents who only want queries and no pages. One recent agent suggested on his web site to send the whole manuscript along with the query. That's just nuts. I think it's important to know what they're rejecting, the query or the pages. When you send the first chapter, there's no guarantee the agent even looked at it when they send you a form rejection stating that you're so close to being published they can taste it and boy, are they going to feel bad when you're all over the best seller list.

Drachen Jager · Oct 3, 2011

Hunker down. Write the best book you can, learn from past mistakes and from other sources (books, classes etc.). Query it widely while working on the next book. Rinse and repeat.

That is how to get an agent. Worrying about the vagaries of the system doesn't help.

leahzero · Oct 3, 2011

Queries with no pages boggle my mind. That's kinda like meeting someone, telling each other your names and occupations, then deciding on the basis of that whether you want to go back to their place and get insta-naked.

Who does that? And how often does it work out in the long run? It seems a very inefficient way of operating, especially when queries are a completely different type of writing compared to novels.

When I was querying, I saw more and more agents requesting sample pages with the query, and my requests were all from queries where I included pages (whether per submission guidelines or not). Email doesn't cost postage. I see little reason not to include pages.

Fruitbat · Oct 3, 2011

Oh I don't know. I think people make a deal over "how" they were rejected when really they wouldn't be happy no matter how it was done. No answer, an answer of no, a form letter, written on their query, whatever. The reason they're not happy is not over how they were rejected, it is because they were rejected. A no by any other name...?

Phaeal · Oct 4, 2011

You're assuming that it should be the agent's first priority to make your mailbox trips more pleasant or to help you figure out why he rejected your novel -- was it the query or the sample?

Whereas the agent's first priority is actually to find something he can sell, and hence collect his 15%, and hence pay the bills. Getting an immediate sample of the writer's MS is to the agent's advantage -- why waste time asking for one based on a super-workshopped query, only to find that the novel itself is poorly written? And asking for a (digital) full right off could be the ultimate time-saver. Hate the query? Toss the whole thing without looking at the attachment. Like the query? Read the first pages or chapters. Like them? Jump through the MS at random and maybe read the ending, to make sure you're not being fooled by a super-workshopped opening that's followed by a substandard middle and close.

And if you ask for a full right off, you get rid of those queriers who are just testing the waters for an incomplete MS.

An agent isn't your editor or project developer, at least not unless she's taken you on as a client and provides those services. Until then, any explanations or hints an agent gives you are a gift, not your due.

popmuze · Oct 4, 2011

A very eloquent response indeed. But I have no interest in seeing things strictly from the agent's point of view. From my point of view, agents should always give comments when they request a full. I've learned a lot more about my manuscript from agent's comments than from betas or paid editors. I learned a lot about my query when 50-60% of the agents I sent it to requested pages. Unfortunately, in the early going, the manuscript didn't measure up to the concept and the query. Lately the cryptic notes I've been getting from agents who've read some pages indicate I've solved many of the problems.
The idea of just move on to the next book as quickly as possible doesn't appeal to me. I don't think I've got that many more books in me. So if I've got a great concept, I'm going to keep working it until I get it right. Eventually an agent will tell me that by offering a contract.
(Of course, at that point, he may want me to rewrite it entirely. Been there. Done that.

flygal716 · Oct 5, 2011

Do you have a good critique group? The right group can often point out where a manuscript needs help.

Rethinking No Answer Means No

popmuze

Last of a Dying Breed

Drachen Jager

Professor of applied misanthropy

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

Fruitbat

.

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

popmuze

Last of a Dying Breed

flygal716

Jump in the way of good luck