The Daily Rejection

[Sydneyd]

I'm annoyed by myself. And diving face-first into a pile of peanut butter fudge is looking good. Any advice to divert a depressive widening of my posterior would be greatly appreciated.

Don't beat yourself up. Everyone gets rejected. You will get rejected again, I will get rejected again...Remind yourself how much you would have missed out on if your first request turned into an acceptance! Now THAT would be awful.

I cried when I got my first rejection. Cried like an infant. And then I called my mom. Now, I hardly even notice. (it hasnt been THAT many) There will come a time when you should look over your query and MS. But I dont think that time has come for you

 

[EagerReader]

Hey folks,

I got my first non-response rejection today. Checked an agent's twitter to see she's caught up. She's a "responds only if interested" agent. And saw someone else who submitted a day after I did got a request for a partial from her yesterday. So I'm fairly sure I won't be hearing anything.
Now here's the thing-- I know there will be rejections. Odds are there will be lots of them. But I went from cheerfully making holiday fudge and truffles to thinking everything I write is utter crap fast enough to get mental whiplash. I'm not a fool, or (normally) hyper-emotional, but I ended up tearing up over this, my first actual rejection. Are there any tips? Tricks? Something to keep me from from becoming a Miss Havisham; wandering around in my writing pj's absently clutching my manuscript to my breast and moaning?
I'm annoyed by myself. And diving face-first into a pile of peanut butter fudge is looking good. Any advice to divert a depressive widening of my posterior would be greatly appreciated.

Hang in there, this stuff is not for the faint of heart. No advice, but lots of empathy! Can I have a piece of fudge, please?

Hi, guys! Only me!

Just wanted to pop back to tell you that I've got a book deal! My YA fantasy, The Dark L1ight will be published by S1mon Pu1se in 2012!! And it all started here in the Daily R!!!!!

I know this time of year is stinky rotten for querying, so here's to the New Year, fresh queries, and hungry agents! Editors are buying--it can be done!

Have a great holiday, one and all! And thanks so much for all the fun and crazy times this summer--couldn't have got through it without you!

Rosie

YAY! A book deal! YAY! Congrats, Rosie! Happy holidays back at you!


On the home front, I received one R&R, one full request and a very nice personalized rejection this week. Not bad, but I'd rather unwrap an offer for Christmas. Oh well. Maybe 2011 will bring bigger and brighter things!

 

[chancerychislett]

I'm getting rejections from queries from months ago...I can decorate my christmas tree with them ;D

 

[Sydneyd]

Got a shiny new rejection in my inbox this morning. It was short and sweet. (literally it was a pretty nice rejection) It has been a while since I have had any correspondance though, so I was kind of happy to see I still exist. Not that happy though...

 

[mairi]

Hey everyone!

Last time I posted here was around November or October I think - I still received a number of rejections after my last post (one of them the most heartbreaking because it was after an R&R) but I got too depressed to tally them here.


Anyway, a couple of days ago I was lucky enough to accept an offer of representation from Gina Panettieri of Talcott Notch. I wanted to share it with you guys since this thread was incredibly helpful - with the goddess Hathor and all the other ladies always ready to give comforting and inspiring words.

So thanks everyone!

Haven't counted the total number of queries I sent in total - the first round probably numbered less than a hundred. The second round was almost as many, I think. In the end, though - it did take just one yes.

 

[chancerychislett]

congrats!

 

[EAPerkins]

Wow!!

Congrats to you! What a great present for the Holidays.

 

[EAPerkins]

Thanks for the kind words, folks. I averted the face-first plunge into the fudge, and settled for toasting my first official R with a glass of wine. Making it weirdly ceremonial seems to have voided the mania--well, the new mania anyhow. The pre-existing mania is still fully functioning

 

[Manuel Royal]

Got an interesting rejection today, for an urban fantasy short story. Personal note; polite, complimentary, actually, but a rejection based on two questions they had about the story, with the conclusion that it "needs more work".

Thing is, one question indicates they missed the main, comically ironic point of the story -- which was in no way obscure. Something that seemed obvious to me, my girlfriend, and everybody else who's read the piece nevertheless eluded an editor. That suggests some bit of stylistic clumsiness I wasn't aware of; I'll go through the story tomorrow and see what's not right.

The second question (paraphrased) was, "What happens after the end? We need more."

I replied, "I don't think Fritz Leiber and H.P. Lovecraft, raised from the dead and joined in an unholy collaboration, could write a continuation that would not be anticlimactic, at least within the length of a short story. It ends where it ends."

Ah, well, I'll find a home for it.

 

[Phaeal]

Got an interesting rejection today, for an urban fantasy short story. Personal note; polite, complimentary, actually, but a rejection based on two questions they had about the story, with the conclusion that it "needs more work".

Thing is, one question indicates they missed the main, comically ironic point of the story -- which was in no way obscure. Something that seemed obvious to me, my girlfriend, and everybody else who's read the piece nevertheless eluded an editor. That suggests some bit of stylistic clumsiness I wasn't aware of; I'll go through the story tomorrow and see what's not right.

The second question (paraphrased) was, "What happens after the end? We need more."

I replied, "I don't think Fritz Leiber and H.P. Lovecraft, raised from the dead and joined in an unholy collaboration, could write a continuation that would not be anticlimactic, at least within the length of a short story. It ends where it ends."

Ah, well, I'll find a home for it.

All the old truisms about subjectivity are true. Recently I had a similar nice rejection that indicated the editor just didn't get my ending. The next editor accepted the story without a qualm about the exact same ending.

I do always give any suggestions some thought. About half the time I'll make some changes. About half the time I'll shrug and leave the story as is. All the time I keep stories in circulation until they find the editor who gets them. Took ten years for one story, which then found a home in a nice anthology.

 

[Manuel Royal]

It's like the Island of Misfit Toys. Someday, some little boy or girl will want them.

 

[ksbaby]

I think I made a mistake by sending my first batch to the top 20 of my list. Now that I look back, my query was horrible... I've since revised both my query and my MS, and is ready to send it out again. I have only 50 agents picked out. Should I send them out at once or spread them out? BTW, out of my first 20, I got 6 r and the rest is..... I don't know.

 

[Sydneyd]

I think I made a mistake by sending my first batch to the top 20 of my list. Now that I look back, my query was horrible... I've since revised both my query and my MS, and is ready to send it out again. I have only 50 agents picked out. Should I send them out at once or spread them out? BTW, out of my first 20, I got 6 r and the rest is..... I don't know.

Much like the shame experienced during the long travel home after a one night stand, sending a query out before it is ready is emotionally painful.

I say go back and see if the remaining 14 are no response equals no. If not, then just wait for those responses.

Also I am a bit worried for you, do you mean that the 50 agents are the total number of agents that you have found that represent your genre? Or they are the 50 that you have on your list so far? It may take more than that. It could take less. If it is the latter, maybe try sending another batch of 5-10. Then wait a while and re-evaluate your query letter. If it is the former, than, I am sorry. 50 is an awfully small number. (Disclaimer: If you havent had your query letter looked over in query letter hell, you should. It is painful, as well as confusing, but helpful.)

 

[Kandybar]

I got home from a trip today to find a R from an agent I'd written off as a no-response. Pretty sure it was boilerplate, though she did apologize for her tardiness (I sent the query + first 5 pages three months ago). Sometimes it's so hard to tell if it something's a form or some subtle encouragement.

 

[Peggy Blair]

Hey guys -- just popping in from The Next Circle of Hell to wish you all a really great New Year!

Whatever you do, don't give up. Persistence is part of the equation. A lot of the folks on The Next Circle got rejected (and rejected and rejected and rejected) before that one 'yes' that changed our lives.

Remember when you get turned down, it's not personal. You're not what you write, you're so much more than that.

So keep your chin up. You've got great support out there. And here. Until that 'yes' happens, it's all about courage. And faith.

Not to mention champagne! ** popping corks ***

All the best!!!!

 

[Sydneyd]

Thanks Peggy! Happy New Year to You! Here's to seein you in the next circle!

 

[EAPerkins]

First official written R today (as opposed to the non-response variety). Just a form letter, but I actually ran shrieking for the hubs to show him. I was excited by it. I'm feeling a bit of a twinge of "well crud, guess she's out". Mostly though, I'm feeling like someone slapped a shiny "Querying" sticker on my forehead. If I'm getting rejected, I must actually be doing this...right?

 

[Sydneyd]

First official written R today (as opposed to the non-response variety). Just a form letter, but I actually ran shrieking for the hubs to show him. I was excited by it. I'm feeling a bit of a twinge of "well crud, guess she's out". Mostly though, I'm feeling like someone slapped a shiny "Querying" sticker on my forehead. If I'm getting rejected, I must actually be doing this...right?

Ha! I totally get you. I did the same thing with my first written rejection, right before bursting into tears.

You can't win if you dont play

 

[Erin]

First official written R today (as opposed to the non-response variety). Just a form letter, but I actually ran shrieking for the hubs to show him. I was excited by it. I'm feeling a bit of a twinge of "well crud, guess she's out". Mostly though, I'm feeling like someone slapped a shiny "Querying" sticker on my forehead. If I'm getting rejected, I must actually be doing this...right?

I felt the same way! I was like, "I'm in the game now!!!"

Happy New Year's peeps!

 

[Sydneyd]

I feel right now I am on a one for one basis. I have no responses in the teens right now, and it seems everytime I send one out, I get the R for that one the next day, but never for anything earlier...

 

[perfectisafault]

Got a few form rejections today. I think my new motto should be like "Kathryn Stockett got around 45 rejections for THE HELP and look how well that book is doing now" or something like that

 

[oshun55]

Today I got my 3rd full manuscript rejection:
"I had the chance to read it and while I enjoy the premise, I didn't feel the execution made the book stand out from others in its category. Therefore I must pass on offering representation. Best of luck with your writing career."

Trying to figure out if this is a form rejection. Hoping it is, because then I wouldn't feel so bad about my "execution."

I'm trying not to mope!

BTW, I'm on my 147th query and going on a year.

 

[Duchessmary]

I'm stalling. I know I need to update and dust off my q/l but I'm fearing a zillion rejections.

 

[HappyCamper]

Hi, guys! My agent is dropping by to answer questions on my blog. Would you like to meet her?

 

[HappyCamper]

Oops!

Hi, guys! My agent is dropping by to answer questions on my blog. Would you like to meet her?

Oops! There was something wrong with the email link earlier. I've fixed it now. Sorry about that!