The Daily Rejection, Vol. 2

TeresaRose · Nov 21, 2020

Rejection, rejection, rejection. This sure is getting tiresome. On top of this pandemic, it stings extra deeply. But we keep going, don't we. Querying with crossed fingers and toes. There does seem to be a more than usual number of agents closed to queries; some agencies - more or most of the agents. Maybe it will get better when there is a turnaround. I think, whether you choose to have one or not, once vaccines are on the scene things will be better.

Liz_V · Nov 22, 2020

/* sticks head in, flings R cookies and slides R shots down the bar, ducks back out */

Belle_91 · Nov 23, 2020

TheresaRose--I hope you're right.

Is anyone doing #pitmad on Dec. 3? Though I haven't had much luck in the past, I think I'm going to participate again in Dec. My thinking is, I've got nothing to lose.

If anyone else is doing it, please let me know so we can retweet one another. My twitter handle is sarahshort1991.

I'm also chomping at the bit to query a particular agent, but I'm trying to hold off since it is the week of a major holiday. What is everyone else's thoughts about querying during the holidays? I've seen mix results, and some agents do say to hold off near Christmas, but with this pandemic everything is out of whack.

ValerieJane · Nov 23, 2020

TheresaRose, you're right. It definitely hurts more during the pandemic for some reason.

Belle_91, I wasn't aware of another #pitmad event. I, too, have nothing to lose but I'm feeling very discouraged lately, and I haven't had any luck with twitter contests. I'll think about it.

I just got a rejection on a partial. I was REALLY hoping this agent would ask for more because I REALLY wanted to work with this person. This one hurt BAD. The email was very encouraging and pointed out reasons why they had to step aside, but it still hurts big time.

I'm starting to think that this manuscript won't be the one. I've gotten some action on this one (a few full requests, a few partial requests, including one this week), but I'm not sure if this is the one to go all the way. How do you know when to stop querying a project? Is the fact that I'm getting some interest in it evidence that I should NOT give up yet? I need some guidance.

Belle_91 · Nov 23, 2020

ValerieJane- I’m typing this on my phone so apologies for any typos or bad formatting. I’ve been discouraged lately too on the querying front. I think most everyone on this board is. I think one thing you need to look at is your request rate. How many fulls and partials did you get out of the queries you submitted? They say 10% is a good rate. Even if you’re below that mark, it might just be that your query isn’t doing it’s job? Have the QLH peeps taken a look at it? They helped me out a lot. As to how many queries you send for each manuscript, it depends on each writer. Yet, I’ve heard submitting to over 100 agents before getting a deal is kind of common. Hopefully, by then you have a new project ready to go and can complete the project all over again. Persistence is key. I’m currently querying my third MS with a fourth one with beta readers. You just have to keep on keepin on.

Belle_91 · Nov 23, 2020

Also, while that rejection might have stung, it’s a good sign that the agent gave you feedback. Have other agents given the same kind of reason for a pass? I’ve had a couple of fulls and partial requests turn into rejection but they were mostly forms. Feedback from agents mean they saw promise in your work and took time out of their busy day to give you some advice. That’s good news!

ValerieJane · Nov 23, 2020

Thanks, Belle_91! I've been through QLH so I think it's doing its job. The feedback I've gotten on rejections have hit on different things, not all the same reason for passing. I appreciate your advice!

You say you're currently querying your third manuscript. Is this the third one you've queried? I guess my question is how do you know when to stop querying one MS to start focusing on querying another? I do have a couple other projects that are ready to be polished up, so it's not like all my eggs are in this basket. I just don't know when to make that decision.

Belle_91 · Nov 23, 2020

Yup, third manuscript I've queried. At times, I've queried two projects before, but usually what happened was I became much more passionate about the more current and newer project. My writing improved and so did my plotting and character arcs and...everything. I had a better sense of what I was doing, and saw that the previous pieces were just hot messes. There was absolutely no pain in trunking them, when, had you told me that before, I would have been devastated at the idea. I didn't mind too much, though, because I had the new shiny to keep me distracted.

Honestly, you just kind of know when you know. When you realize that you can leave the previous piece behind with no qualms. Also, keep in mind, that even if you trunk a piece, it's not like hitting the delete button. When you get an agent, you can tell them about the other manuscripts. From what I hear, they usually ask about other works.

noranne · Nov 23, 2020

For me, I stop querying when I reach the end of my list of agents. I have ~100. Yes I have queried multiple manuscripts ~100 times each. It's exhausting and demoralizing but here we are.

So that's my advice. Just keep going. Don't make querying your focus--have it going in the background while you work on something new. When you reach the end of the list with one manuscript, start with the new one! Rinse and repeat...

Also probably don't take my advice because it's clearly NOT working for me. In your case, if you're still getting interest from agents, I'd keep on for sure.

R hugs!!

ValerieJane · Nov 23, 2020

Belle_91, thank you for this. It definitely helps to hear. I am very sad today but I don't think I'm at the point where I am willing to give up. It's good to know it's one of those gut-feeling type of things.

noranne, thank you for your advice. I've got about 85 queries under my belt (not all of them have responses yet) so I'm not there yet but approaching. Pretty soon the semester will be over and I will be free to work more on my next manuscript. Hopefully that will give me the boost I need to get out of this query-rejection slump.

Thanks, everyone <3

TeresaRose · Nov 23, 2020

ValerieJane, sorry for your rejection. Yeah, it's an especially painful gut-punch when it's an agent you really like. I totally agree with Belle about shelving/putting aside a manuscript, listen to your intuition. And also, as Belle says, everything is out of whack. Nothing is normal . . . right now. Our world recovered from the Spanish Flu, and we will get through this one, and probably much faster. :e2steer:

Lakey · Nov 24, 2020

Mexican food is not my favorite, but I’m pouring martinis for anyone who wants.

You can drive yourself crazy trying to guess whether COVID will cause agents do this or that, or whether the holidays will cause agents to do this or that — because every agent is different. Some might find that being stuck at home makes work super-efficient, so they turn around faster than usual; others might be juggling school-aged children and hybrid class schedules. Some might make a push to get their inboxes cleared before year’s end; others might put down everything except writing Christmas cards and baking cookies once Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror.

Try not to overthink it.

I will do the same with the rejection I got from a literary magazine today, which was more encouraging than “sorry, not for us” but not all the way to “please submit to us again.” The exact words were “Unfortunately, your piece is a pass for us, but we enjoyed reading it and we're glad you shared it.” An intermediate-tier rejection? Who knows? All I can do is turn around and submit the piece someplace else, which I’ve now done.

Good luck and happy thanksgiving to everyone.

:e2coffee:

Liz_V · Nov 25, 2020

My approach is generally to query whenever I have the time and ambition to do so. Trying to game the calendar just adds another obstacle to get over, and besides, email is asynchronous for a reason. If agents aren't dealing with queries around the holidays, they can just read mine in January, right?

Mind you, I'm still un-agented, so what do I know?

ValerieJane, sympathy and cookies on the R. Sometimes one just gets to you, eh?

As for when to stop, I personally do so when I run out of agents I'm at all interested in working with. If I'm down to the ones I have to really work to talk myself into, it's probably time to shop another book. Or else find a better list of agents. And since you're getting requests, it sounds like your current MS has legs; it's probably worth sticking with it for a while longer.

R cookies to Lakey & anybody else who needs 'em.

Belle_91 · Nov 25, 2020

Well, I sent off two queries this afternoon. I had read posts saying holidays weren't a good time, but I suppose the agents won't be looking over their query emails during this week. Someone mentioned putting charms over the keyboard before sending off queries, and I hate to admit it, I'm almost at that point lol. As that poster pointed out, it's the one thing you can control in a chaotic environment such as publishing. I really hope I didn't hurt my chances, but I'm impatient and wanted my book deal yesterday. After all of the manuscripts I've queried, I still haven't learned lol.

I hope I didn't just hurt my chances if agents are in a rush at the end of the year.

Also, in case you couldn't tell, I have anxiety! This is what an anxious brain looks like. So much fun. So much worry and hyper-focusing on things outside of my control and what-ifs.

I hope everyone stateside has a happy Turkey Day.

Liz_V · Nov 27, 2020

Belle, go you for sending 'em! I'm sure it'll be fine; if the right book meets the right agent, I doubt the time of year matters.

Lakey · Nov 30, 2020

Two rejections came in within 15 minutes yesterday evening.

Two different stories. One was a bog-standard form rejection. The other was a higher-tier form rejection — not personalized or anything, but very sincere sounding, along the lines of “please please please send us something else as soon as the next submission window opens.” I will certainly do that.

:e2coffee:

zmethos · Nov 30, 2020

15 queries sent so far. 2 rejections received, 1 partial request, 1 full request. Mixed responses lead to me having mixed feelings... I'm scared to hope but can't seem to help it.

Belle_91 · Dec 2, 2020

zmethos--congrats on the partial and full request. Hope you hear good news. I get you about being scared to hope. I always was bad in indulging in my fantasy of the agent emailing that they wanted to talk. But it could very well happen! You never know! Good luck.

Lakey--Sorry about the rejections. You do sound like you're getting positive rejections in that they do want you to submit to them again in the future. That's something.

I'm participating in #pitmad tomorrow for my suffragette piece. I feel like it's a long shot and that the YA people get more attention, but what the hell. If you feel so inclined to give me a retweet or a comment on my pitch so that it has a better chance of being seen by agents, my twitter handle is sarahshort1991. Also, if anyone else is participating please let me know and post your twitter handle so I can give you a RT.

On the bright side we have one more month left in 2020!!! And they're already talking about getting the vaccine out. Hopefully, 2021 will be better.

zmethos · Dec 3, 2020

Another rejection (form, "not a good fit for my list") and the only PitMad like so far is from a small publisher that... does not look promising to me. Still have that full and partial out, but hopes are sinking.

Hope you had a better PitMad than I did, Belle_91!

Belle_91 · Dec 3, 2020

Nah. No likes at all. Oh well. I kind of expected it. I don't think agents participate as much as they have in the past, especially this year with everything going on. Oh well.

zmethos · Dec 3, 2020

I received a late like from an agent... at an agency I've already sent a query to (to another agent), so... if that one passes, I'll hit this agent up next. But yeah, I didn't see a ton of activity from agents, and I don't know if it's fatigue or just that there are so many writers pitching now that it's impossible for them to sort through all the tweets. Especially with all the retweets.

TeresaRose · Dec 4, 2020

zmethos - Congratulations on the full and partial requests. I say revel in hope, enjoy the moment! :partyguy:

As for me, more rejections to add to the pile. Oh well, there are still more agents to query, and still haven't heard from a few. ....

SciSarahTops · Dec 6, 2020

Lakey said:
Two rejections came in within 15 minutes yesterday evening. Two different stories. One was a bog-standard form rejection. The other was a higher-tier form rejection — not personalized or anything, but very sincere sounding, along the lines of “please please please send us something else as soon as the next submission window opens.” I will certainly do that.

Ooh Lakey that sounds super promising! Are you writing something new for this?

So this year I've gone from submitting 0 stories ever, to having submitted 5

One very form rejection from Dark Matter magazine.

I had 2 daily science fiction rejections in 2 days. Really gutted about those as I've waited about a year to work up the courage to submit one of those and they were both written with DSF in mind. I don't know where else to submit them so if anyone has any ideas please hit me up!

I had a lovely (possibly non-form) rejection from Lackington's encouraging me to submit in the next window. Trying to bring a story together for this but it's stalling a bit.

I had one story passed over from Clarkesworld and Uncanny but it's elsewhere now.

I have another story which has apparently gone on for further consideration which is exciting but also, when I read it now it feels not good enough so I'm suppressing my hopes as best I can :Shrug:

.

noranne · Dec 6, 2020

Yeah I have found that Twitter pitching events seem to be pretty overwhelmed and unproductive these days. I definitely wouldn't take it as a sign of anything if you didn't get many bites!

As for me, I am well and truly sick of MS7. So I'm done with my careful batching of queries and endless editing. I've decided to send out 5 queries a day until I'm through my query list. I've now got 24 queries out and I should be done by the end of the week. I may do another round after the holidays, as I have a lot on my list that are currently closed to queries. But it's time to be done with this one and really sink my teeth into MS8. Planning to do an edit of it this month and see where it stands.

Tamlyn · Dec 6, 2020

SciSarahTops - I've written so many flash pieces I thought were perfect for DSF and have never even gotten past the first round there. Sympathies <3

If you use Submissions Grinder, there are a few flash markets around you might be able to try.

The Daily Rejection, Vol. 2

Not my first rodeo.

With her nose stuck in a book

With her nose stuck in a book

With her nose stuck in a book

With her nose stuck in a book

the possibilities are endless

professional dilettante

Not my first rodeo.

With her nose stuck in a book

Not my first rodeo.

professional dilettante

from words to worlds

With her nose stuck in a book

from words to worlds

With her nose stuck in a book

from words to worlds

late cretaceous

the possibilities are endless

fish skeleton