Well, congratulate me -- I just received my first rejection from an agent. It was polite, wishing me well with my future writing career. Is it proper to thank the agent or just ignore?
1st Rejection - Etiquette Question
- Thread starter JDM1950
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Just ignore. Congrats on joining the team! With luck, the time will come when that agent meets you and says s/he remembers your submission and in hindsight, wishes s/he'd taken you on.
Maryn, proud of you for subbing
Maryn, proud of you for subbing
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I have sheaves of form rejections that wish me a happy career, just not with THAT agent. 
Unless a rejection includes specifics about your story (not just your name, not just the book's name), assume it's a form and make no reply. Some forms are short. Some are long. Some mimic a personal response quite well. But no specifics, almost certainly not personal.
If you do get a personal rejection, with specific comments and advice, it's polite to respond, thanking the agent for the gift of her time. Just keep it brief. Mine go something like: "Thank you for your comments on my submission, NAME OF BOOK/STORY. I appreciate your time and attention. Maybe we can work together another time!"
Unless a rejection includes specifics about your story (not just your name, not just the book's name), assume it's a form and make no reply. Some forms are short. Some are long. Some mimic a personal response quite well. But no specifics, almost certainly not personal.
If you do get a personal rejection, with specific comments and advice, it's polite to respond, thanking the agent for the gift of her time. Just keep it brief. Mine go something like: "Thank you for your comments on my submission, NAME OF BOOK/STORY. I appreciate your time and attention. Maybe we can work together another time!"
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I never reply to rejections on queries. There's really no need. Send out the next batch of queries.
For rejections on requested partial or full submissions, I do thank the agent for their time, since there's more of a relationship there. (And they did take the time to read part of my manuscript.)
For rejections on requested partial or full submissions, I do thank the agent for their time, since there's more of a relationship there. (And they did take the time to read part of my manuscript.)
I wouldn't unless it was a personalized rejection, ie the agent said something specifically about your novel. Then keep it quick like what Phael said.
I can understand that you want to be polite, but if everyone said a quick thank you, that would double the size of the agent's daily email.
I can understand that you want to be polite, but if everyone said a quick thank you, that would double the size of the agent's daily email.
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Just a quick update--4 polite "form"-sounding rejections and 15 no replies (ranging from queries I sent 6 weeks ago to this week.)
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