Non-responders!

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triceretops

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I thought that I would compile a list of non-responsive agents and publishers who haven't answered email/snailmail queries for over 85 days. I don't do followups on these types and put them in my backfile. For whatever the reason they have not peeped back. Many of them were solictied with a prior book with the same results--nada. You might see some familiar faces here, then again, you might have gotten answers from some of those listed.
(These are Novel queries)

Donald Maass Lit Agency
Trident Media Group LLC.
Peter Rubie Lit Agency STD
Jane Chelius Lit Agency
Don Congdon Assoc. Inc
AIO Publishing
Willian Morris Agency
Timberwolf Press
Big Score Productions
Ethan Ellenberg Agency
Farber Lit Agency
John Hawkins Lit
Susan Ann Protter Lit
Writers House
Permuted Press
Baen Books
Black Death Books
Helm Publishing
About Words Agency
Ralph M. vianaza, LTD
Scovil Chichak Galen
Sternig & Byrne Lit
Coscom Entertainment
Phobos Books
Tyrannosaurus Press (I think Katrina got this one)
Richard Curtis Assoc. (this is heartbreaking since he's my old agent)

This is kind of a disturbing trend that we have been discussing on the boards recently. I'm not saying these are bad or discourteous agents. I simply cannot touch bases with them for whatever reason. Perhaps their websites are too old and they have gone the way of the dodo. I DO NOT have a current Writers Market--therein might be some of the problem.

Here's the real kicker--One third of these agents responed to my non-fiction book query six months ago! Are we in the midst of an industry fiction glut?

Tri
 
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Pencilone

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Thanks Triceretops!

Most of these are exactly the names I intend to submit too... (only when I'm ready that is ).



It's pretty discouraging to see that they do not respond, or they take an awful long time to do it. Life is so short! This is what makes me want to submit my query even if the whole manuscript is not ready yet. But then I stop thinking that I’ll sabotage myself if they ask for it right away.



I completely understand your grief and I just hope that perseverance and hard work will make us win eventually! And, of course, a bit of luck if I dare ask for it…


Best,
Pencilone
 

triceretops

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Responders

Pencilone--thanks for the words. I thought that in all fairness I should list the one's who DID respond promplty. Many of them gave personal comments. A "*" represents especially thoughful responses or advice. A few replys came back with delivery failure or "closed to submission" notices, but I still counted those as responding.

John Hawkins
Sturart Krichevsky Lit
Behhler Publications
Kristen Nelson Agency
W Clark Assoc.
Graybill and English *
Reece Halsey North
Richard Henshaw Group
Harvey Klinger Inc.
Donald Farber Agency
Psaltis Lit*
Mary Tahan Lit agency
Hellbound Books
Hard Shell Word Factory (closed)
Tachyon Books
Aardwolf Press
Vincent Press Publications
Alexis Stuart Productions
Spectrum Lit Agency (closed?)
Creative Book Services
Ashley Grayson Lit Agency
Lukeman Lit Agency (delivery failure)
Night Shade Press (delivery failure)


So it looks like about a 50/50 split, between those who are awake and those asleep at the wheel. This is only my personal experiences. Yours might be different.
 

GWBailey

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Gosh, and I thought it was just me being a bad query writer! Thanks for posting. Yes, many are familiar to me too.

I think it was Gerard Jones who joked that agents have created a cottage industry steaming stamps off envelopes. It does make me wonder where they go.

Of those on your list, I did get a response back from Tyrannosaurus Press and Jane Chelius. You can imagine what the results were.

I guess they are swamped...

Geo~
 

triceretops

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GW, thanks for the tips. As far as Tyrannosaurus Press, you must have contacted them prior to Katrina because they are based in Louisianna, and I sent them a query right in the middle of the storm. Me, being the non-observant dolt that I am.

Hmm...so you got something back from Jane, eh" Veddy interesssssting!

Tri
 

PattiTheWicked

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In regards to some of these:

Donald Maass Lit Agency: It says on their website that they only respond if interested, but I have queried them before and gotten a reply in two months.

Trident Media Group LLC: I sent them a snail mail query with synopsis and three chapters on 7/24/05, and received a "thanks but no thanks" email on 8/1/05.

Willian Morris Agency: I sent a letter and synopsis by snail mail on 7/22 and received a "thanks but no thanks" on 8/24/05.

Ethan Ellenberg Agency: I emailed them on 7/12 with a synopsis, and received a "thanks but no thanks" email within about two days.

Writers House: Sent letter on 7/24 with synopsis, no response yet.

Scovil Chichak Galen: Emailed Russ Galen in February, never heard anything back. Their website does say they only respond if interested, or at least it did in Feb.

Anyway, obviously, your mileage may vary.
 

latichever

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I've found it interesting that a couple of agents who responded positively to my query and asked for my proposal didn't respond after I told them I had an offer of representation and where they still interested. In that case, is it ego or what?
 

triceretops

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Thanks, Patti. You were correct about the not-interested-no-response thing. How I missed those few is a mystery. It shows me how very careful you have to be in reading these websites. And that's where all the time is spent reading the sites so that you catch the different guidelines. A really good generic query can work for a lot of agencies because they all request the same things. Only some throw a curve at you, and sometimes I wonder if it is to catch you up so you goof, thereby giving them credence to ditch/delete you.

Some of these email submissions for chaps and fulls are totally bizarre--no header this, only on the left that, name and title upper this that or the other, two-inch margin left--1 1/2 right, single space this, then double space that, no page count this, no chapter break that..........you get the idea. I swear to gawd it's like you have to run a gauntlet and let the sticks pummle you before you think you've got it right. Hell, I don't know PDF from DDF, but I can tell you this, these specialized agencies and pubs tell you that if you do not get every one of their specifics for submission right, you're in the waste can (Don't you just love those sites)? I'm a nervous wreck before I've hit the send button. Gak! I just remembered my page counts are at the bottom instead of the top! I'm doomed!

Tri
 

J. Y. Moore

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Well, although this is a depressing list, I did get a response from these:
Donald Maas (Jennifer Jackson) - form reject
Ethan Ellenberg - form reject postcard - apx 35 days
Writers House (Michael Mejias) - form reject but originally typed and signed - 5 days
Baen Books - sent them chapters only - received an e-mail after 6 months saying it was still in the queue.
About Words Agency - received their standard referral to Zebra Communications for editing services - not recommended by P& E

I did not start keeping track of length of time on responses until later so don't have that info on some of these. Rejects, none-the-less! Sniff!!
 

triceretops

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Thanks, Jean. Wow, this is great to compare notes and cross-reference. Now that's two Donald Maas affirmatives that I can see, so that tells me mine probably didn't get through. So that helps. You gave me a great tip on About Words--didn't know that one was a weed-hopper.

Okay, Ellenberg looks a little better to me now. They did answer my non-fic proposal, just not the novel one. I'll put a "try again" by them.

Tri
 

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Morris

William Morris is one of the largest agencies in the world, and getting lost in the shuffle there is not only easy, but almost expected. It just isn't an agency that new writers stand much chance with. They handle the big name writers, the movie stars, the sports stars, broadway actors and playwrights, singers, etc.

They have very litle incentive to work with a writer who can't earn them millions of dollars.
 

J. Y. Moore

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Good luck. I'm in the process of a second re-write to just sharpen up some of my phrasing, etc. so have stopped submitting until I finish it. I still have 3 out there with no replies:
Authentic Creations (submitted 5/12/05) - from reports on AW, I'm not sure I care
Tor Books (submitted 5/9/05) - they tell you up front it can be at least 4-6 months
Avon Romance - sent them an e-mail (4/9/05) asking about submission to their Eos imprint - no reply at all.

I need to set up a spreadsheet for these but just haven't taken the time. Life's hectic - then it's hurry up and wait - ugh!
 

zarch

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I've found that I'm more likely to get a response from one of those big agencies (William Morris, Writers House, etc.) if I address the query to one of the more junior agents.

Rejections, of course, but responses nonetheless.
 

GWBailey

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That's correct, Tri. I did contact T-Rex before Katrina blasted through Louisiana. Middle of July.

GW


triceretops said:
GW, thanks for the tips. As far as Tyrannosaurus Press, you must have contacted them prior to Katrina because they are based in Louisianna, and I sent them a query right in the middle of the storm. Me, being the non-observant dolt that I am.

Hmm...so you got something back from Jane, eh" Veddy interesssssting!

Tri
 

kristie911

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Of the original list, these are the ones I did get a timely response from...all rejections but responses!

Donald Maass Lit Agency - form letter
Ethan Ellenberg Agency - postcard
Writers House - Nicely worded "not exactly a form letter"

One that I'd like to add to the list is Dee Mura Literary...I was told I would win a prize if I ever got a response from them! LOL Listing in Writers Market shows a 2 week turn around time for queries...I've been waiting 3 months so far!
 

Eldo

Here are some of my recent rejection turnarounds:

Maass (J. Jackson) - two weeks
Dystel (Goderich) - four weeks
Writers House (Zuckerman) - nine days
Wm Clark (e-query) - one day
Rotrosen (Ruley) - nine days
Greenburger (Mandel) - nine days

A few have been outstanding for more than a month now, like Ellenberg, Manus, and Trident. Obviously, I'm exhausting some of the bigger agencies first, so I expected a pretty low success rate.
 

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I emailed J. Jackson a query a few days ago. I'm, of course, hoping for a different reply than you got, Eldo. LOL

The others I haven't tried yet.

I also emailed Ellenburg and Nelson.

Tri, what was Kristin Nelson's response? was it form?

David
 

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Hi Triceratops - just to check, and I'm sure you are, but are you submitting correctly - each individual company's guidelines followed to the letter? Sad to say, but busy readers will seize on any excuse not to have to send rejection letters. (It makes far less odds when they want to buy your book...) But I'm sure you are, anyhow, and it is a shame.
 

triceretops

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Yeah, Dhewco, form rejections twice from Kristin Nelson. I had heard somewhere that once you get online with her as far as a partical or whole, that she breaks out with discussion. I'll not find out about that.


Torgo, It looks like I've goofed a few times here. However, these have been 90% email queries. My next stage will be with hardmail, so I might see a dramatic increase.

Tri
 

Euan H.

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triceretops said:
My next stage will be with hardmail, so I might see a dramatic increase.

Tri

Just to let you know: all but two of the non-replies to the queries I sent out were to e-queries. When I sent a hard copy query, almost everyone responded (albeit sometimes very slowly).
 

PattiTheWicked

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Euan H. said:
Just to let you know: all but two of the non-replies to the queries I sent out were to e-queries. When I sent a hard copy query, almost everyone responded (albeit sometimes very slowly).

I've had about the same result. Nearly all the people I query by snail mail respond eventually, while some of the ones I've emailed never reply at all.
 

Irysangel

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I've found the same -- if you send out e-queries, either expect an extremely fast response...or don't expect one at all.

That being said, in regards to your list, I queried Jenny Bent at Trident Media Group and it was 82 days before they wrote back and requested my partial. They *are* there, I just imagine they're extremely busy. :)


I submitted to several others on your list, btw, and received responses back within a few weeks, but those were to paper queries. Me, I just think that unless they're looking for your email, it's being equivocated to spam-level.

JMO.
 
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