What does it mean when...

Sigh. They read it. They just didn't like it. Keep submitting, and post your query for feedback here in the SYW forums if you'd like.

Yeah, they almost certainly read it. It doesn't take long for a professional agent or editor to know what they want and what they don't want. A paragraph or two is usually enough. The advice I've received is don't analyze a rejection; just accept the no and move on.

Sorry about the rejection, though. They suck no matter what.

They skimmed it at the very least. For whatever reason it didn't catch their attention or fit in with their needs. Just keep plugging along and getting it out there to others.

Sometimes they really don't read the queries!!! (it's true!) For example, I just received a form rejection letter that had one line underlined in pen: "We only accept work from Canadian citizens". My query letter very clearly stated in two places that I am a Canadian citizen, but currently living in the US. It seems they just saw my return address and thought oh goodie, this'll be an easy rejection.

Most of the agents I have queried have responded very quickly. Most in less than a week or I haven't heard a thing. The last agent I queried sent said "interested" and wanted me to send more. That response came in about one hour. I would not read into the timing thing. However, I too had queried Peter and have not heard a thing. When I don't hear anything, that is when I start to think that no one is reading it. Good luck.

I agree with what CaroGirl said: don't spend any time trying to analyze a form rejection. File it away, and keep submitting.

Tburger, don't query Peter. He's more suspense/thriller/mystery. You want your query to go to Colleen Lindsay at Fine Print. She's their gal for sff. Good luck!

One other FYI about getting responses from your queries to agents:

*Check your spam-box/junk-mail folders in your email account!!!

Being the techno-idiot that I am, I never checked these things until I got curious recently and discovered that in the last month three agents had wanted to see fulls or partials!!! Who knows what was sent to me in the YEARS before that when i NEVER checked my spam/junk boxes!
I feel like a dummy for admitted this, but please, learn from my mistake!

I wouldn't worry about being rejected after a week. If, on the other hand, they never replied, it would be more likely they didn't read it. A week is plenty of time to read a one-page letter.

Colleen is new at FinePrint. You can get details from her blog, here.

Tburger said:

Karen

I don't see Colleen on their website - did she leave? Is it possible that FinePrint doesn't do SF anymore?

Click to expand...

Their website hasn't been updated since Colleen joined.