Feeling very down...

Tarley · Jun 8, 2016

I finished my historical novel last year and began querying it. My 2nd query sent got a request for 50 pages. Woohoo! I was so excited...until the agent replied that it was too slow and the characters were hard to relate to. I (reluctantly) agreed she might have a point and did a massive re-write. In hindsight, it was really not ready to query back then and I appreciate the feedback.

Now, I'm *much* happier with my novel and have begun querying it again. I got a couple form rejections but this is what's bothering me - I've gotten several rejections that say "interesting premise but I'm going to pass". What? One I understand, but several? Is this just a form rejection? I even got a one that said, "interesting idea, definitely potential there but I have to pass because no one will publish anything set in this time period. There's no market."

Seriously???

Leave it to me to come up with something utterly unpublishable (is that a word?).

mccardey · Jun 8, 2016

Don't despair. I think I've seen people post that here as a form rejection.

Keep the faith!

Calla Lily · Jun 9, 2016

Form Rs. File them and move on.

Good luck!

kenpochick · Jun 9, 2016

Those are just form rejections with something positive to make you feel better. Stay strong. It's tough. ((HUGS))

Treehouseman · Jun 9, 2016

Yes forms, but you're lucky to get a response! A lot of agencies have a "no reply if not interested" policy (60-70%).

Tastes change over the years. Start on your next novel NOW. What is not commercial now may alter for the oddest reasons - and at the strangest times. Remember when Paranormal Romance was hot? Dystopian?

I'm still sitting on a novel from 2000. waiting for the time to be right ;-)

Tarley · Jun 9, 2016

Thanks everyone. I figured they were just form rejections but since they weren't the plain old "thanks but no" I wasn't 100% sure.

LJD · Jun 10, 2016

Tarley said:
I've gotten several rejections that say "interesting premise but I'm going to pass". What? One I understand, but several? Is this just a form rejection?

Yeah, these would be form rejections, as the other commenters said.

I even got a one that said, "interesting idea, definitely potential there but I have to pass because no one will publish anything set in this time period. There's no market."

The specific mention of the time period doesn't sound like a form rejection, though. I don't know much about historical fiction. Maybe your time period is a hard sell. But not necessarily impossible. And tastes change.

I had a rejection on my first three chapters. The agent said it was HILARIOUS but she wasn't sure it was sellable, so she passed...*sigh* I worry that book is just too weird and unpublishable, even though people like it, so I know how you feel.

Earthling · Jun 10, 2016

Agree with LJD that your second example isn't a form rejection, but I doubt it's true if the agent who requested 50 pages didn't mention it. She obviously didn't think it was going to be unsellable because of the time period!

Jamesaritchie · Jun 12, 2016

One is a form, and the other is, I think, a semi-form that gives a reason for it being a form, if that makes sense. The point is that neither goes into the story, the writing, etc. When this is the case, you can almost always consider it a form.

Tarley · Jun 13, 2016

Earthling said:
Agree with LJD that your second example isn't a form rejection, but I doubt it's true if the agent who requested 50 pages didn't mention it. She obviously didn't think it was going to be unsellable because of the time period!

This is what I keep hoping!! My novel is set during the American Revolution. The agent who requested 50 pages said nothing about the time period and obviously had some interest in it. I understand this is a very subjective business and "historical fiction" is a rather broad genre.

J.J.PITTS · Jun 22, 2016

Shoot, I certainly wouldn't be worried. A request for a partial on your second query? That didn't happen to me until after my 120th query. Now I'm up to about 150 and the only other request was for a full, which was rejected in a week or so.

Sounds to me like you're doing fine!

Feeling very down...

Tarley

i was normal 6 dogs ago

mccardey

Calla Lily

On hiatus

kenpochick

I should be writing, not on AW.:-)

Treehouseman

Tarley

i was normal 6 dogs ago

LJD

Earthling

I come in peace

Jamesaritchie

Tarley

i was normal 6 dogs ago

J.J.PITTS