simple question: send a thank you?

c.m.n. said:

I've read on the proper ways to send a query/manuscript to publishing houses. But they never say "when you get a rejection, send a 'thank you for your time e-mail'."

So should I send a thank you e-mail even though it was rejected? Or is it a waste of time for editors and other personnel?

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If you got substantive, substantial feedback with that rejection, then the editor went above and beyond, and a thank you might not be a bad idea.

But, unless you received substantial, substantive feedback, a thank you is unnecessary and actually kind of unfair since it just wastes more of the editor's time.

~suki

I like to send a thank you if an editor or agent answers a query within 24 hours. It sure beats waiting five months to hear back, so I'll send a quick Thanks so much for the fast reply! note and that's it. In general, they're glad to have as few messages in their inboxes as possible. If someone has given you feedback or sent something that is clearly a personal note, especially if it's a very fast response, it never hurts to thank them, but it's not expected.

On the other hand, if someone asks for a full and then sends you a rejection after reading your whole manuscript, I'd definitely write them a thank you note for taking the time to read.

Best of luck with your queries!

I thanked the one agent who asked for my partial and then got back to me with a polite R within 8 days, but it was just one line, thanking her and saying I appreciate her taking the time to read it.

For ordinary rejections, a thank you note just waste everyone's time. For above and beyond rejections, where it's obvious an agent has spent much more time reading and critiquing your manuscript, and thank you note is in order.

Seriously, think about how many rejections and agent or editor sends out in a single week, and then imagine how her inbox would look if every writer who received a standard rejection sent back a thank you note.

I've never sent a thank you for a rejection, and never will.

That's like thanking someone for dumping you. Fuck 'em. Move on.

scarletpeaches said:

I've never sent a thank you for a rejection, and never will.

That's like thanking someone for dumping you. Fuck 'em. Move on.

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You made me LOL


I'm not querying, but I wouldn't send a thank you to a formal rejection. To a detailed rejection, perhaps. But I don't believe agents expect thank you notes, many of them say they prefer to have their inbox clean.

That's just me, bitter and cynical ol' Scarlett.