Taking form rejections to heart?

Senora Verde · Apr 30, 2009

So I just received a rejection on my partial of 100 pages. It had my name and title but other than that, no specific info about my story, so it seems like a form, but it gave fairly specific reasons for rejection.

Something like: too much exposition, all too mysterious and murky, maybe if I had more hints to keep me going.

Now my head is spinning. I've been worried that my 1st 20 pages don't have enough of the meat of the story, but my beta readers said they really liked them. The whole story is sort of a mystery, but I thought I gave lots of hints and it was a good suspenseful kind of mystery....

Just because she had the first 100 pages doesn't mean she read all of them, right? So maybe I need more hints in my first 20?

Should I rewrite the beginning or chalk it up to this was just Form Rejection Letter B?

Cyia · May 1, 2009

Something like: too much exposition, all too mysterious and murky, maybe if I had more hints to keep me going.

This isn't a form letter. These are specific weaknesses the agent saw in the manuscript.

Parametric · May 1, 2009

Senora Verde said:
Should I rewrite the beginning or chalk it up to this was just Form Rejection Letter B?

Consider opening door #3 instead: Wait to see if anyone else has the same problem with your partial. (Or door #4: Share specific comments with betas for their thoughts.)

Kathleen42 · May 1, 2009

It doesn't sound like a form. That being said, I'm not sure I would rewrite base on one agent's feedback unless you really are unhappy with the ms and were already thinking about rewriting it regardless of that agent's criticism.

waylander · May 1, 2009

What Kathleen42 said

flyingtart · May 1, 2009

Senora, I know you probably feel depressed just now but this is really encouraging. Agents hardly ever bother to give reasons for rejections, and from what you say these problems are fixable, ie down to structure rather than the writing itself. The fact that she's told you her opinion should spur you on either to keep subbing or revise depending on how you feel about it yourself. Another agent might love it as it is, you never know.

Amarie · May 1, 2009

Senora Verde said:
too much exposition,

This is very useful comment. 'Too much exposition' is a classic mistake writers make, and it slows the plot down. She's saying you are info. dumping rather than showing the same plot elements through dialogue and action. I would look at your pages carefully. Do you have lots and lots of paragraphs that just convey information through description? You didn't specifiy exactly what genre you are writing in, and the amount of exposition varies between genres. If I were you, I would compare my work with a recently published work in the same genre, to get a feel for how much dialogue, action, etc., you should have versus pure description.

sunna · May 1, 2009

Just echoing what everyone else has said, Senora V. - this definitely isn't form, but it's worth waiting to see if anyone else has the same comments before rewriting. Of course, if you find that you agree with what she said, go for it.

If you're not sure, you could also post some of it in SYW, to see if you get similar feedback. (This last one is the option I'd probably go for myself.)

Senora Verde · May 1, 2009

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

Yes, I was depressed at first, but you're right, this is much better than just a "No, thank you" to leave me wondering or "the writing isn't strong enough." That would be hard to fix.

Here's the link to my 1st chapter in SYW. It's middle grade urban fantasy.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135140

I think I will ask my crit group to look at the first 20 pages again.

I don't have any info dumps, but the MC has some family drama she deals with before leaving home and starting her adventure around page 21, I'm thinking that might need to be cut, or more fantasy sprinkled in.

It is slightly contradictory to hear "too much exposition" and "too murky and mysterious" in the same letter. Ah, well.

Thanks for all the support and helpful comments!

A night's sleep has made me feel much better about the whole thing.

Danthia · May 1, 2009

If you've been worried about the first 20 pages, and then you got feedback that validates that, I'd trust your instincts and revise, and take that same feedback and look at the full book one last time with those comments in mind. Because if you did it in the opening, there's a good chance you did it all the way through.

The comments are very specif and regard things that aren't quite as subjective as "it didn't grab me" or "I just didn't love the protag." Odds are they'll affect others the same way.

Your call of course, but if it were me, I'd take the extra time to address these issues. It's rare to get feedback like that, so the agent must have seen something promising in the work to offer it

KikiteNeko · May 1, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
It doesn't sound like a form. That being said, I'm not sure I would rewrite base on one agent's feedback unless you really are unhappy with the ms and were already thinking about rewriting it regardless of that agent's criticism.

Ditto.

eqb · May 1, 2009

tomothecat said:
Ditto.

Double ditto.

Laura Lond · May 2, 2009

I, too, would advise to wait and see whether someone else points out the same things. Sharing them with your betas and asking for input is good as well.

Dealing with rejections is not easy, but I wouldn't immediately jump to rewrite the manuscript. The agent who does pick you up might want you to change things back!

Senora Verde · May 3, 2009

Thanks everybody for all the support and good advice!

Taking form rejections to heart?

Senora Verde

Teacher by day, YA writer by night

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Parametric

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

flyingtart

Warning: may contain humour.

Amarie

carpe libri

sunna

Senora Verde

Teacher by day, YA writer by night

Danthia

KikiteNeko

.

eqb

I write novels

Laura Lond

Senora Verde

Teacher by day, YA writer by night