This is my first post on this fine forum. I am also a first time author--I run my own business and hugely enjoy it and it is fully my priority, but I wrote a short non-fiction book and sent out some queries. Here are my experiences thus far.
1. I bought Jeff Herman's book, and it's great. But, word of warning to all writers: it's RIDDLED with errors, minor to major. Some agent's names are spelled wrong, for example. I pity the poor writers who send a query to an agent without first checking, and the salutation has the agent's name wrong. Not a good start to a query. ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK AN AGENT'S NAME AND FIRM.
I might add that for a tome that insists (correctly, I'm sure) that a query or proposal must be 100% error-free (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc), the Herman book has grammaticals every other page! Minor point, but not so much a lead-by-example thing, eh?
2. Queries. Most web sites and books suggest that replies usually take 2-6 weeks. I've found the vast majority come back quickly. Email queries, especially--I've had replies in one minute to 24 hours, and tons in between. I had two from NYC (I'm on the Left Coast) arrive by snail mail within a week. So replies seem to come very quickly from email queries, and somewhat promptly via snail mail. None have taken over a week!
My tally ended at three proposal requests and 12 rejections. The rejections varied from short: "No thank you" to nice notes of explanation. The majority simply said, "I don't feel I'm the right agent for this book." One proposal was rejected; I'm waiting on the other two.
3. Writers. As I said, I have a full time job that pays the bills and I enjoy. Thus, writing this book was a side project. Of course, the rejections still stung. My real point, however, is to all of you full-time writers with your heart and soul in a book. I'm not particularly invested in my book, and it still stung to be rejected--you, who are probably more dedicated to the craft, and have spent months/years on a book..I feel for you. I prefer to believe the notes that say a book isn't right for an agent (read: he doesn't think he/she can sell it) and that's fine and fair.
But for all the writers out there--you have this noob beginner's respect. Keep on keepin' on!
Cheers,
Dave
1. I bought Jeff Herman's book, and it's great. But, word of warning to all writers: it's RIDDLED with errors, minor to major. Some agent's names are spelled wrong, for example. I pity the poor writers who send a query to an agent without first checking, and the salutation has the agent's name wrong. Not a good start to a query. ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK AN AGENT'S NAME AND FIRM.
I might add that for a tome that insists (correctly, I'm sure) that a query or proposal must be 100% error-free (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc), the Herman book has grammaticals every other page! Minor point, but not so much a lead-by-example thing, eh?
2. Queries. Most web sites and books suggest that replies usually take 2-6 weeks. I've found the vast majority come back quickly. Email queries, especially--I've had replies in one minute to 24 hours, and tons in between. I had two from NYC (I'm on the Left Coast) arrive by snail mail within a week. So replies seem to come very quickly from email queries, and somewhat promptly via snail mail. None have taken over a week!
My tally ended at three proposal requests and 12 rejections. The rejections varied from short: "No thank you" to nice notes of explanation. The majority simply said, "I don't feel I'm the right agent for this book." One proposal was rejected; I'm waiting on the other two.
3. Writers. As I said, I have a full time job that pays the bills and I enjoy. Thus, writing this book was a side project. Of course, the rejections still stung. My real point, however, is to all of you full-time writers with your heart and soul in a book. I'm not particularly invested in my book, and it still stung to be rejected--you, who are probably more dedicated to the craft, and have spent months/years on a book..I feel for you. I prefer to believe the notes that say a book isn't right for an agent (read: he doesn't think he/she can sell it) and that's fine and fair.
But for all the writers out there--you have this noob beginner's respect. Keep on keepin' on!
Cheers,
Dave
