Well, even though I haven't queried since last fall, I received a rejection today after I'd already given up on the agents I'd queried and hadn't heard from.
"Sorry, not right for me."
Five words. Five words with so much power in them.
Yet, after I considered the words and got over the initial disappointment and flash of 'hurt', I feel ... not quite so bad anymore.
At least said agent didn't say, "This manuscript sucks so hard, it's like the Black Hole of literature."
Just, "...not right for me."
Possibly, it's right for someone else. I might submit it to someone else though I don't hold out much hope. I've submitted it to quite a few agents/publishers and the ones who haven't replied with rejections, haven't replied at all except for one publisher who requested the full. Still, haven't heard from that publisher either since the full was sent in August.
Should I keep submitting or give up on this particular novel? I haven't written anything that good since finishing the 3rd book in my trilogy (it was actually the 5th book in a ... quintelogy?).
I just seem to have run out of creativity. Not sure how to get it back.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Get hold of the person who requested the full. At the very least they should let you know they received it.
ReplyDeleteKeep submitting! Don't give up just yet :) If it's not right for that agent, it will be right for someone else.
ReplyDeleteI started querying agents last year and received loads of 'it's not right for us' comments - though also quite a few partial requests, a full request and 'I was sent this by my colleague [at same agency] as it seems exactly like my kind of book!'
The next person you query could love it so keep at it. :) And you could still hear about the full yet.
You should be working on something new regardless of whether or not you're getting rejections. It doesn't sound like a great plan—business-wise or mental health-wise—to spend your time not writing while you await news from agents.
ReplyDelete"Five words with so much power in them."
They only have as much power as you give them. The only person who can stop you from writing is you. And you won't do that to yourself, will you?
I'm in the keep submitting camp. Check your queries to make sure they include the emotional/physical costs to your MC and brush up your first 5 page sample.
ReplyDeleteDon't give up. I just got a mention that my piece (submitted in July last year) made it to the second reader.