A genuinely 'good' rejection

[E G Logan]

[My last contribution on this subject. Promise.]

This one came this morning. A perfect example of the point I was trying to make: no need for the 'we didn't feel strongly enough/it didn't enthuse me...' stuff.

Still utterly uninformative, but hey!

Very gracious. I feel let down so gently it hardly hurts.
AND if I ever (oh, please) have something I think might be The Next Big Thing, this lady will be the first agent I send it to. (I also have a Deepest Darkest Circle of Hell list of those who didn't bother to reply – they'll never see anything else of mine.)

The italics are mine.
Dear (Correct First Name),

Thanks so much for your query! I’m always grateful for the chance to consider a project someone has poured their energy and passion into creating. Unfortunately, I have determined that this project is not the right fit for me at this time.

Please remember that this is a highly subjective business, and another agent may well feel differently. I encourage you to push forward, and I wish you the best of luck with this project.

Name,
Literary Agent & SVP, New York Agency

 

[RK Wallis]

I had one almost identical yesterday A no is a no, so I just move on.

 

[E G Logan]

A no is a no, so I just move on.

Absolutely. I ceased to brood about rejections long ago. (Except the odd 'stinger'.)

But with the agent's good wishes and encouragement (as above), moving on is that much easier.

 

[KateESal]

I think it can make a huge difference to how you feel about the rejection if the form of words used is kind, sensitive and generally upbeat. It shows that the agent in question is being considerate towards the inevitable disappointment felt by the author...even if it's a standard message. It's still a well-chosen one!

It also makes good business sense: you and other promising authors will try again with another project or an improved version and that may be a perfect fit for the agent.