The Daily Rejection, Vol. 2

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DanaeMcB

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Hello everyone, my name is Danae and today I received my first rejection.

It's not a huge deal to get that from this agent, since she wasn't one I was really excited about--just someone who might have been interested. But I still got these nasty little thoughts later like, "What if NO ONE wants to read it? Maybe you should just give up now and try that self-publishing thing." Which I know is a ridiculous reaction. Especially because I got a query critique from an agent at a conference and SHE wanted to read it. I'll be sending it to her soon, after a few more post-beta tweaks.

Netz, thanks for that heads up. I'll shoot my query over to Mr. Knapp, since the window is still open.
 

Tamlyn

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:hi:

I've been on holiday for a week so I'm quite behind, but congrats and commiserations to all who need, especially you, noranne, with your short story. I'm a big short story writer (though, alas, not a big short story seller) and that first sale is always amazing.

I did not do a single bit of writing on holiday, not even on the plane. Hopefully it refreshes me, and not puts me in non-writing mood forever >>
 

aceafer

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Thank you to everyone who gave me tips on short story writing! I read them all and really appreciate the help. Sorry for the late response - everything in my life seems a little hectic here so I'm not here often, but I do back-read, and I enjoy seeing all your triumphs.

With Pete Knapp, I'd definitely encourage people to query him! I had a full out with him after DV Pit and even though he passed, he gave the most thoughtful, detailed feedback along with one or two other agents. He seems very nice and he does a lot to help aspiring authors, too.
 

Drachen Jager

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DanaeMcB to increase your odds, it's usually a good idea to run your query letter and first pages through SYW if you haven't already. It may be painful to get it shredded by fellow writers, but it's much better than losing out on opportunities with agents and not even knowing why.
 

litdawg

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I cleaned up my query lists and CNR'd a bunch of them. I'm down to 7 active queries still within the time frame for response stated in acknowledgment email. I have three other queries I can't bring myself to CNR because social media posts suggest these agents are way behind in reading their slush pile. Like six months to a year behind.

I have about five names on my "to be queried" list when the agents open again. But I don't see how I'll be able to get more than 50 or so queries out total on this project before I trunk it. That means I'm about halfway through my rejection journey. On the plus side, I'm up to about 10k words on current WIP.
 

Drachen Jager

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I always find the Query Timeline page for agents on QueryTracker is the best bet to see if you've been passed over or not.
 

noranne

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Tamlyn, sounds like a great vacation! Time away is always good, and there's always more time to write later (within reason, obviously, alas none of us have infinite time).

I got the contract for my short story (I was totally convinced it was never going to come and the whole thing was an illusion) and sent that in, so I'm very excited! The story should be out next month.

I also got a full request on MS7 today! This is the FIRST full request I've had for this one after 30+ queries, so I'm quite relieved to know there is at least one agent who doesn't think it's a total pile of crap. She also had the first 3 chapters from the query, so I know she at least likes my writing style and the opening enough to want to read the rest. And when I sent out a replacement query (to keep my total number outstanding at 5), I got to add the line "My short fiction is scheduled to appear in [Market]" to my bio for the first time!

On the downside, I've been really lethargic all week. Haven't been able to motivate myself to do much at all, certainly not anything writing-related. Which is a bummer as I should do a lot more planning if I want to have any hope of NaNoing in 2 weeks!
 

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Hi, Danae! The first rejection is a weird one... on one hand it's sort of a badge of pride, as it means you're part of the R club now, on the other, rejection sucks. You're in good company here though!

I hope you're refreshed from your holiday, Tamlyn! Well done on the full, noranne! Maybe now you've had the short story acceptance you'll be on to a flurry of activity... it often seems to work that way?

How good is the Query Tracker timeline page, Drachen (and others who have used it)? Accurate? I've never use QT beyond an unpaid glance, as a lot of UK agents are not on it, but potentially I'm interested.

I hope you're starting to invest in your new MS, litdawg. 10k for me has always been a 'happy place' where I start to get interested in a new story. Before then, writing is like pulling teeth.

Nothing is happening here since I sent my MS off. Former/sort of agentg ave me an estimate of 3-4 weeks reading time on it, so I guess until then I twiddle my thumbs, write a decent synopsis and do my agent research. I'd forgotten how nervy the early stages of "my MS is out in the world" are.

Also, SO many Frankfurt deals everywhere on Twitter/in the news at the moment! A lot of them are done months prior to the fair, and only released to concur with it for publicity, but it's still quite overwhelming.
 

goddessofgliese

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Congrats, noranne! We definitely need some good news in this thread. Wish you success with Nano.

Maybe you'll be the next, Raggy, to bring us good news. Not sure how accurate QT is, but I always log in my data. Also thanks for bringing us the news about Frankfurt. I'm off to check it out on Twitter now!

Everyone else, enjoy your writing!
 

litdawg

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Wonderful news, Noranne! Congratulations on the full request.
 

Drachen Jager

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How good is the Query Tracker timeline page, Drachen (and others who have used it)? Accurate? I've never use QT beyond an unpaid glance, as a lot of UK agents are not on it, but potentially I'm interested.

This video shows how the query timeline works. Of course it's completely accurate for what it is, all QT users submit data, and the site compiles it. It takes a bit of practice to read the tea leaves, but the tools are all there so you can understand how and when different agents respond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_X9shWwr4

This video shows some of the other premium features.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXxe3KbfI24
 
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litdawg

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I'm really not sure what got into me today--I got one vanilla rejection from a decent agent, and I went off and submitted seven new queries. I'm back up to 14 active queries and three I can't bring myself to CNR.

My ability to find agents increased greatly by adding a third step to my search: I started on Publisher's Marketplace this time and searched for "science fiction." I had to weed through authors, publishers, and some crackpot agents who are probably dead it's been so long since their pages were updated, but it revealed some really top agents who I hadn't found by sorting for science fiction on Query Tracker. How can it be the Eddie Schneider and Matthew Bialer didn't pop up when I sorted for sci fi agents on QT? I think I must have created my draft list when a lot of folks were closed to queries and I somehow excluded them from my results. Noob mistake, I'm sure. After I came up with a new name, I vet it on AW and QT.
 

Woollybear

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Some agents (Seth Fishman comes to mind) don't explicitly say science fiction and yet rep some stellar SF clients.

Good luck with the queries. :)
 

noranne

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Raggy, I've found QT to be really useful, especially the timeline feature. There are a lot of agents where you can see the "wall" of rejections coming, or you can really see which agents just never respond (aside from just looking at their overall response rate, which is listed on their main profile). If not many UK agents are on it, then it may not be as helpful, but QT has been an invaluable tool for me looking for US agents. I have 126 agents on my list for my current MS! (No, I won't actually send that many queries--many of them will probably not be open or are at agencies that don't allow multiple-agent queries, etc.)
 

Sonya Heaney

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I got the contract for my short story (I was totally convinced it was never going to come and the whole thing was an illusion) and sent that in, so I'm very excited! The story should be out next month.

Honestly, I'm sure working in the contracts department is hard, but the amount of time it takes for a publisher to get a contract to an author is just stupid. I thought they'd changed their minds and rejected me the first time I waited weeks for one to arrive. (Also: congratulations!)
 

RaggyCat

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Thanks for feeding back to me on Query Tracker, guys (and your tip about Publisher's Marketplace, litdawg! I'm looking at US agents alongside UK ones this time round so it very much sounds as though QT is a worthwhile tool as I'm pretty much starting from scratch here (especially for knowing who I can expect to CNR).

I'm simultaneously excited and nervous to get started. Yesterday, I felt very downbeat about it all. Today, I feel more optimistic. So goes the querying rollercoaster!
 

Torill

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Happy Friday, everyone! Here's hoping we all get a great weekend, filled with quality R&Rs (Rest and Recuperation, that is, not Revise and Resubmit! – although a few of those would be appreciated as well, at least in this neck of the woods…) writing, dancing, caring for kittens of all species, holidaying or sleeping or anything that gives us joy…:Sun:(and perhaps a few offers of representation? :e2bouncey)

I've spent the last few days whittling down my agent list to four, and whittling down my synopsis (again, grumble grumble) to appr 500 words, which is what one of the agents on that shortlist asks for. It's insane how much time I've spent on this. Especially the 'whitting down the synopsis part.' It's now down to 520 words, and I honestly think I can't make it any shorter, Not if it's going to be both coherent, well written and an accurate representation of my core plot. So – when the agent submission guidelines use words like 'ideally' and 'approximately' about their 500 words requirement, I'm going to read that as 520=OK. :)

This morning, I sent a query to the last of those four agents. So, now I have seven submissions out, four queries and three fulls. I think that'll be enough for now. I'll try to forget about them (hah!) until I get some answers (OR it's CNR time) and see if I can get that book two project going at last.

Good luck to everyone trying for Peter Knapp – here's hoping you get an offer, too, not just feedback! :Thumbs: Although feedback is also good :). (Does say something about this process, though, that a short feedback is something special, a giveaway. But that's how it is, sigh. Agents so swamped with queries they can barely find the time to send a form rejection…)
Welcome to the query trenches, DanaeMcB! :welcome:I agree with Raggy, rejections are like a red badge of honour, proof that you're a serious professional in this game. Maybe I should start handing out rejection medals instead of rejection cakes? – except I can't find any on the smilies list here. (The trophy one seems a bit much.) So cake it is, here, enjoy! :Cake: Stuff it down the throat of those dejection thoughts – we've all got them, this thread's not called 'rejection and dejection' for nothing…) And here's hoping that agent who requested at the conference really likes it and comes back with an offer! :Thumbs:
Here's your rejection cake as well, ap123 :Cake: Keep trying – in your own time of course – even if you think it's a hard sell. You never know in this business, some agent and editor out there might think, yes, this is exactly what I didn't know I wanted, this is perfect! :Thumbs:
– and here's your's, litdawg :Cake: – and good luck with your new submissions! That's the spirit, sending out new ones each time you get a rejection. I plan to do that, too, send out one or more for each rejection letter I get, until I've gone through all the agents on my longlist. (Let's hope we both get an offer before it comes to that…)

noranne – congrats with the full!! :e2woo:You're really on a roll now, and yes, how cool that you can put that pub credit on your bio now! Keep going and good luck!!! And maybe the lack of motivation to write is not you being lethargic – maybe it's the kind of break you need away from it all. Indulge in some quality R&R this weekend so you can come back fresh and rested to Nano preps next week. :Hug2:(listen to mama Torill now! :rolleyes)

Hope Raggy Kitten#2 is well now, Raggy, and that you get lots of editing done. And good luck with the synopsis writing and agent research – I'm so glad I'm done with that for the time being! :banana:

(And yes, I'm addicted to smilies, everyone, in case you haven't noticed… :rolleyes)
 

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Ah, I love your posts and smilies, Torill! Writing a synopsis is a pain in the unmentionable - probably one reason why I seem to be avoiding it... I'm sure 520 well-written words is fine, and fits into the "approximately" banner. Seven active queries (including three fulls) is I think the perfect number - anymore I think would be unnecessary, unless you found another perfect fit. May one of the lucky seven come good!

Raggy Kitten #2 is getting better, thank you - he's been to nursery today and there haven't been any phone calls to tell me to pick him up so I'm taking that as a good sign...

I've had a really weird morning - I had an idea for a New Shiny a few days ago, so have been fleshing the bones of the story out, naming characters and writing a rough query. It is a very hooky idea so that's good. Who doesn't love a locked room mystery with a twist? The only problem is it's another YA idea - and I swore I was going to move on from YA for the next project. Although, now I think maybe I should wait to see what happens to the YA I have out at the moment before moving on? If it goes somewhere, maybe there will be no need to move into Adult. Not sure! It isn't a bad problem to have... but not one I was expecting.
 

ap123

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Welcome, Denae--and yes, strange as it sounds, congrats on your first rejection. :)

Three cheers for a great vacation, Tamlyn, you'll get back in the writing swing when you're ready.

Litdawg--good for you, getting those queries out there! I've been afraid to look head on at how many agents I can realistically query for this one, lol.

Good luck with that full request, Noranne!

Torill--fwiw, in my book 520 words is completely fine for a synopsis w/a word count around 500 (unless it's a form that cuts you off at exactly 500, in which case, a pox on them). Four queries and three fulls out sounds great--though I usually get antsy and start sending queries again if I haven't heard anything after a couple of weeks.

Raggy--I'm with you on the synopsis hating. So far with this one I've chosen agents partially based on who doesn't require one, lol. Glad to hear Raggy Kitten is doing better! I too have a New Shiny idea, but other than a few notes on my phone I'm still refusing to sit with it.

I'm another who uses QueryTracker and find it very useful, but yes, check the agent sites, too. The agency sites let you see which agencies are a no from one = no from all, and often give a better picture of what these agents actually do/don't represent. When on QT, I also look at what genres each agent has actually requested in the last year. I find often they list a specific genre, but when you look, they haven't requested it and don't rep any. Those either fall off my list or to the bottom.

Ok, after > 2 weeks of not sending anything to anyone, I sent two queries this morning. This gives me 5 open queries (I expect at least 2 of those to CNR), 2 Fulls and 1 Partial out there.

Happy Friday to all, and may we all see a glimmer of life in our inboxes by the end of the day.
 

Netz

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Congrats on the full, Noranne! :partyguy:

Congrats to anyone else with a request, and :Hug2: for those with Rs.

I've had my feedback from Peter Knapp already (early hours of this morning, UK time) on my Upper MG fantasy. It was an R, but his paragraph of feedback was very helpful (and a decent size, too - four sentences! :)).
 

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ap123, thanks for the QT insight! I think I'm getting my head around what QT offers. I'm impressed by the detail on a lot of agent websites now. It is SO much better than ye olden days of SAEs and paper.

Netz, that's quick feedback time from Peter Knapp! *own paranoia ramps up* I'm glad it was helpful, R or not, and four lines is more than promised so I think as far as Rs go you can chalk that up as a win.

I'm slowly compiling a list of US agents to query. Researching them is an interesting experience and is making me rethink the opening of my book. The (rewritten) prologue (now maybe 2 paragraphs) hints at a possible rape. I've seen enough agents listing rape/unresolved rape as a complete no-no in a manuscript to make me wonder if I'm shooting myself in the foot by opening here. I'm confident I don't use rape as a plot device, or for cheap shock value (and I'm utterly emphatic in condemning it for what it is) but an agent won't know that when they pick up the MS. Is it perhaps safer to remove that prologue entirely? i don't want to give agents a reason to immediately put the book down if I can avoid it. Any thoughts?

Happy Monday, all!
 

ap123

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RaggyCat- My .02 is if there's something in your mss that you know is an absolute no for some people it should be front and center, so they know what they're getting into. Others may, ok will, disagree. The mss I'm currently querying features an unlikeable protagonist who abandons her husband and children (because she wants to, nothing dramatically horrible in the home. I have it in the query and the opening pages. Will a number of agents auto reject because of it? Yes, but because it's pivotal to this character and her story, I want it right there. I don't think someone who would be completely turned off by this magically won't be if I wait until the twenty-first page, if that makes any sense.
 
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