Hi,
Yes I really did reply in exactly that way. I was simply agreeing with her that I wholeheartedly agreed with exactly what she'd said! She said she felt we were "not a good fit" and that I'd "be better taken care of elsewhere." I was simply agreeing.
My email reply was,
"I wholeheartedly agree!"
And I still do.
They must realize it takes not only our heart and soul to write, but when they request a full mss., my average cost is a total of $35.00 to $50.00 per manuscript to the North and back should they pass on it. This includes the 300 or more pages of copy at .08 to .10 per page plus mailing it first class/priority both ways ( with the return postage on the dreaded "return" envelope as well) not to mention my time. (Yes, my printer actually costs more than taking it to the local copy shop.) (Funny, it actually costs less for me to print the thing at the corner shop and put it in hardback myself! )
One thing I think some agents are very good about is reading the full mss. directly from email attachment. It's safe as long as it is a reputable agency, and I wouldn't send a ms. out to anyone who wasn't reputable.
One would hope that these folks would at least have readers with laptops, if they are in the business, and I was very impressed with those who did take the email attachments vs. making me snail mail the entire book. It saves weeks and weeks of time, not to mention money.
So yes, I am a bit piqued when they farm out a full, requested manuscript to others and don't read it themselves. And yes, I send priority. The last time I tried the "media mail" ("book rate" in some states) both ways, the agency said they'd lost the mss. and asked me to re-mail it, doubling my cost. There was no way to track where it had been. I also pay for the small tracking fee so I can follow the route and have the receipt date.
Thank you for your support, my writing friends. I'm considering some self publishing options, which I don't recommend to others because the cost of isbns and starting one's own press was much cheaper when I did it fifteen years or so ago. I hope my experience with self publishing my poetry books might be useful, and getting these novels in hardback on my local library shelves (with my little local "tour") might be fun. I can always send out the self-published hardbacks to agents or BIG publishers if I want to. They probably won't want them then, but I can tell you that I still get lots of joy from seeing my own books on the library shelves, and it's fun to see people taking them to the library checkout line to read them. Again, I wouldn't advise this to others, as it won't make you wealthy or famous, but it's just an option for me. I don't have exp. with setting up my own web site, but that might be something fun to look into. I'm a young grandmother who is always willing to learn and believe in positive thinking!
Wishing everyone out there the best, agents too. May the right people find each other and have many happy moments together.
Still waiting on that one publisher who asked to see my other, non fiction work directly. There are a few out there, very few, who will ask to see your ms. without any agent involved. I still believe, even in that case, that it is best to seek out an exp'd. (A.A.R. ) agent, even at the last hour, because they have expertise in negotiating contracts that can make or break writing careers. I respect those few who navigate these sensitive areas and who are respectful of their writer clients and keep in mind that we are, after all, sometimes sensitive artists.
All the best,
Writer Friend
Writer Friend
Hi again. Just got a pass from an agent on any of my works. She actually never read any of the full ms she requested, apparently, and of course admitted she'd farmed it out to her "readers, who did read "some of the chapters." Hmm, I wonder which one (s)? First, middle, last?
Sorry for venting. Thanks for your replies on the last thread and yes, I am at work on another novel while awaiting word on another full ms. requested directly from the publisher. (so there!) Sorry, I'm only human.
