The Daily Rejection, Vol. 2

Congrats, Collie, a dancing banana for you!

Congrats, Collie!

Hi everyone. I have a question that's probably been asked a dozen times. I hope you don't mind one more. After 5 years off the query road, I have an R&R manuscript with an agent. I'm very relaxed this time around. Maybe too relaxed. I haven't sent the R&R version out to any other agents. The original version was sent to about 15 agents and two requested the full. One got back to me with the R&R and the other hasn't responded. I assume no response means no (even on a full. this is a thing now apparently.)

So what I'm wondering is, would any of you go ahead and send the second agent the revised full with a note of explanation? Or would you just let it go. To be fair to this agent, the first version was not very good. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking.

Congrats, Collie!

MercyMe, what's the time frame here - how long has the non-responding agent had your full?

RaggyCat said:

Congrats, Collie!

MercyMe, what's the time frame here - how long has the non-responding agent had your full?

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The non-responder has had it since February. Looooong time. I didn't bother nudging when Agent 1 responded in March with the R&R.

That is a pretty long time. I guess how I’d respond might depend on the agent, like, is it someone I’m really interested in? In which case, I might go ahead and email once more to tell them I did an R&R and would they be interested in seeing the revised manuscript. Not that I’d be highly hopeful, but it’s worth a shot. Or, if it’s an agent that felt like a long shot to begin with, I could see just letting it go.

You know if you think this will gnaw at you later—but what if I had emailed them back?—then definitely go ahead and nudge and let them know you’ve got a revised manuscript.

MercyMe, I'd nudge non-responding agent with your new MS. Say you're getting in touch because you've received some great advice and have done some revisions as a result of it, and if they're still interested in considering your script, please read the new version. It would be pretty poor practice for them have to rejected your full and say nothing (though it does happen, sadly) - even given the long time delay it may well be that they've not got round to it. Look at it this way, what do you have to lose? If they have rejected you already at least you'll find out this way.

Thanks guys, for the great advice. I think I will send it after all. It's interesting to see my emotional growth in handling non-responses on fulls. Five years ago I would've bawled my eyes out and crawled into a corner. Now, I think "hmm, wonder if I should hit them up again?"

Speaking of nudges, an agent has had my full for... like since March. What's the best way to nudge? And if I do nudge, should I mention I've done work on it? (The first chapter is almost completely different, for example.)

joeyc said:

Speaking of nudges, an agent has had my full for... like since March. What's the best way to nudge? And if I do nudge, should I mention I've done work on it? (The first chapter is almost completely different, for example.)

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I'm in the same situation. Full out with non-responder since March, but I've done extensive revisions so today I'm drafting a nudge. I'll probably go with something like "Was that a hard no or would you be willing to look at an extensive rewrite?"

I'm up to nearly 4 years on a full, lol!

Best thing is to set and forget. Some agents will request a high number of fulls and will ONLY read them when you come back with another offer on the table. I was hugely disgusted by the number of people I contacted after I got my (super quick) offer who hadn't even read the MS -- after sitting on it for months.

Keep plugging away and treat the full request as a nice tick, but indicative of not a lot.

Yeah, I have no idea if it's a "new" thing as this is the first time I've queried (my first agent came through an in-person meeting) but I've actually seen agents say they won't read unless they get a nudge with an offer. At the same time, they sternly warn you not to pretend you have an offer. It's all a bit strange as if everyone is sitting around waiting for an offer before reading, then obviously there will be no reads.

Kensi99 said:

Yeah, I have no idea if it's a "new" thing as this is the first time I've queried (my first agent came through an in-person meeting) but I've actually seen agents say they won't read unless they get a nudge with an offer. At the same time, they sternly warn you not to pretend you have an offer. It's all a bit strange as if everyone is sitting around waiting for an offer before reading, then obviously there will be no reads.

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FFS, why even bother to be an agent when they behave like that???

a lot of older/more established agents have almost nil incentive to take on something new, when their plate is already full, hence sitting on "maybe" piles for months.

it's one reason among many that I avoided slow responders and established agents last querying round. For what that is worth.

Kensi99 said:

Yeah, I have no idea if it's a "new" thing as this is the first time I've queried (my first agent came through an in-person meeting) but I've actually seen agents say they won't read unless they get a nudge with an offer. At the same time, they sternly warn you not to pretend you have an offer. It's all a bit strange as if everyone is sitting around waiting for an offer before reading, then obviously there will be no reads.

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Talk about a catch-22! I don't think I'd be interested in an agent that didn't read unless I had an offer. Has it come to this? That I'm hoping my non-responder didn't respond because the book wasn't very good and she just didn't have the time or energy to tell me something I should've figured out myself?

I would nudge, honestly. It's fine to nudge. If they don't respond, then write them off I guess.

got my first rejection! from an agent that usually takes a long time to return emails.

Had a full out, but now you guys have made me nervous

Form rejection from Apex for a story I sent to an anthology they were doing. I am now literally out of pro markets to send this piece to.

Honestly, I can only echo what Harlequin says re nudging - I'd do it. At this stage, even if they get back saying it's a no, at least you know. It may just be that they are snowed under, but your nudge reminds them your MS is waiting.

S.Eli, congratulations of a sort for the first R - somehow, it helps once you have the first one done, or it did for me anyway! There's no reason your full should fall into a black hole, fingers crossed you get feedback.

Sorry about running out of options, Taylor. It's a horrid feeling when you realise you're done and have to shelve something you've worked hard on.

Having a crisis of faith tonight (not for the first time). I got a full request from a small press that, frankly, I'd forgotten I'd queried. I'd queried them at the suggestion of the agent who was most into my book, so I didn't do much (or any) research on them. I started tonight and they seem legit and have good reviews and happy authors.

But my writing has become much more streamlined over the past few months, and this mush I started writing two years ago, while it's been heavily edited, and developmental edited, and on and on.... suddenly seems unbearably wordy. The style, Gothic, lends itself to that anyway. But I'm realizing why so many agents rejected haha.

It's still my baby, my strange, deformed baby... but I'm not lovin' it so much right now.

Has anyone had this happen?

Another rejection, this time from FFO. It's starting to become predictable at this point. I've submitted short stories to quite a few places, and there doesn't seem to be much interest. I have one more with FFO, which will most likely be rejected too since it's dark enough to be put in their "hard sell" category.

Really wish parents hadn't encouraged the writing thing.

Today's rejection from Metaphorosis had the subject line: Declined (but encouragingly)

Well that's...almost a comfort, I guess? I'm not sure they know how this works...

PitchWars postmortem. Basically everything I suspected. Too many POV characters, too grimdark. All the things I did on purpose because that's the kind of story I wanted to read but couldn't find, which is what people say you should write to begin with.

Shall we gather for whiskey and cigars tonight? Indeed, I believe so.

Another form rejection. I can’t even sell reprints!

I got some feedback from my pitchwars submission, which even though was a rejection, was actually motivating. Unlike a standard rejection. Unfortunately it means querying is going to be delayed again. But, hey.

Motivation.

Sorry on the rejections, everyone.

Several rejections in and I'm kind of surprised? Has this process always gone this fast because I remember differently. In fact, I was rejected for a query WHILE sending a query today, and I'd only sent the query two days ago (from ANOTHER agent that usually takes FOREVER! What is happening?)

Anyway, the journey continues! Let's all keep up with it!