We need a rejection bell

[Robinne Weiss]

Must be "be nice to writer's day"

 

[Jason Byrne]

Ooh! I have to share one I got on Friday, from Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger:

"Dear Jason:
Thanks for sending along the opening pages of The First Vision. Truth be told, though, I'm afraid these pages just didn't draw me in as much as I had hoped. I'm pressed for time these days and, what with my reservations about the project, I suspect I wouldn't be the best fit. Thanks so much for contacting me, though, and for giving me this opportunity. It's much appreciated, and I'm sorry to be passing. I wish you the very best of luck in your search for representation.
Best,
Andrea"

Here's what I said:

"Andrea:
Your personalized response is a breath of fresh air; thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read, and to reply. I completely understand, wish you all the best, and thank you for the work you do for meriting authors. Once more unto the breach!
Jason"

Got another one yesterday, but it was a form letter. Ah well. Only 21.75 years of submissions left to go!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

DING! Rejection by no response. *sigh* That's 2 out of the 50 rejections James Rollins received. I have 3 more expiring this weekend... we shall see. At least one, they guaranteed that I'll get a response of some kind.

 

[Jason Byrne]

I'm at... 42 rejections, out of 65 submissions. 13 still outstanding. I have... 42 left on my list, to submit to.

 

[Lex Black]

Ah well. Only 21.75 years of submissions left to go!

OK, I have to know what that is about.

 

[Jason Byrne]

OK, I have to know what that is about.

I was trying to find the particular thread where it was discussed — someone link it if you find it, but that one guy tried to publish his book for 22 years, before anyone accepted it, and it went on to be a bestseller. In there with the travails of famous authors and their many rejections.

There was the guy that committed suicide when he couldn't get published, and his mother sent it out for another 8 years, after which it was published, sold millions of copies, and won the Pulitzer Prize, but he didn't live to see it.

 

[Lex Black]

That's really something. I hope you don't have to wait that long before finding success.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Me too. That would suck.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

"He's dead Jim." Me before I get a book published lol

 

[Bernard Stacey]

There was the guy that committed suicide when he couldn't get published, and his mother sent it out for another 8 years, after which it was published, sold millions of copies, and won the Pulitzer Prize, but he didn't live to see it.

John Kennedy Toole - A Confederacy of Dunces
Well worth a read.

 

[Jason Byrne]

"He's dead Jim." Me before I get a book published lol

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Ten points to Gryffindor if you can tell me what the **** is going on, there.

Another ten if you can guess which house I get on every single test.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Bittersweet rejection this morning: I can't tell if the letter was personalized or a form letter, but it did say that my story was strong, it just wasn't a good fit for her. So I'm taking that as a much-needed "keep at it"

 

[Jason Byrne]

Bittersweet rejection this morning: I can't tell if the letter was personalized or a form letter, but it did say that my story was strong, it just wasn't a good fit for her. So I'm taking that as a much-needed "keep at it"

I don't think they would say that your story is strong in a form e-mail reply — they wouldn't risk their reputation in the form reply going out to a horrible submission, and publicly reflecting poorly on their taste. I would take it as legitimate encouragement!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I don't think they would say that your story is strong in a form e-mail reply — they wouldn't risk their reputation in the form reply going out to a horrible submission, and publicly reflecting poorly on their taste. I would take it as legitimate encouragement!

Then woo hoo! I'll take it!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Then woo hoo! I'll take it!

Sold! Next item up for bid is this lovely antique silver soup tureen. What am I bid? Don't be shy.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

I agree, it's a positive rejection

 

[Nicole Wilson]

*sigh* Another rejection, this one from one of my dream agents. She was super nice about it and told me that her client list is really full right now so I should spread my query around. She ended with don't think of it as a rejection, think of it as a redirection to another agent. Which I appreciate. Still a bummer.

 

[Emurelda]

Got my first rejection! Didn't hit me as badly as I thought it would. Standard stuff that I assume a reader sent rather than the actual agent it was addressed to. Though I am refreshing throughout the day

 

[Jason Byrne]

*sigh* Another rejection, this one from one of my dream agents. She was super nice about it and told me that her client list is really full right now so I should spread my query around. She ended with don't think of it as a rejection, think of it as a redirection to another agent. Which I appreciate. Still a bummer.

Those ones sting no matter what. You pull yourself together, but you allow yourself a few extra minutes of "now what."

 

[Jason Byrne]

Got my first rejection! Didn't hit me as badly as I thought it would. Standard stuff that I assume a reader sent rather than the actual agent it was addressed to. Though I am refreshing throughout the day

Good job! Keep that chin tucked in. You'll do just fine.

 

[Emurelda]

Got another rejection! That moment between clicking and reading response can rip through time-space continuum if harnessed

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Got another rejection! That moment between clicking and reading response can rip through time-space continuum if harnessed

Sorry to hear that! Keep submitting, though. You've already had interest in it, so it won't be long before someone picks up your query/synopsis and says "hey. This is some pretty cool stuff!"

 

[Emurelda]

Sorry to hear that! Keep submitting, though. You've already had interest in it, so it won't be long before someone picks up your query/synopsis and says "hey. This is some pretty cool stuff!"

Cheers!
Yep...keeping on keeping on. We will one day say 'we kept on keeping on'..I look forward to that.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

As did I, in just 1 week from A M Heath :-(

 

[Emurelda]

As did I, in just 1 week from A M Heath :-(

Yeah sounds familiar. Think I submitted to them too.

Wow am now up to 4 / 11 rejections. Still waiting on 7. I should start the process again.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Whew...

Okay, that actually wasn't so bad.


Hi Jason,

It was a good query! But as I said, this is all subjective. In this case, we’re really not known for fantasy, and then only handful of fantasy we do is YA fantasy. So my only constructive feedback would be to research the agency a bit more in your subs, but it’s not a criticism, because of course you’re just reaching out to people you want to work with and there’s nothing wrong with that (it just might not yield a match in sensibility).

Hope that helps,

Lucy

 

[Nicole Wilson]

One more for me. I can't tell if this is personalized or not. Kind of hoping not.

Thanks so much for sending along the sample pages of Deception. I’m sorry to say, though, that I just wasn’t as completely drawn in by the material as much as I had hoped. What with my reservations, I’d better bow out.

Thanks so much for contacting me, though! I really appreciate it, and wish you the best of luck.​

 

[Alistair Roberts]

No, I'd say a standard reply, sorry.

 

[Emurelda]

One more for me. I can't tell if this is personalized or not. Kind of hoping not.

Thanks so much for sending along the sample pages of Deception. I’m sorry to say, though, that I just wasn’t as completely drawn in by the material as much as I had hoped. What with my reservations, I’d better bow out.

Thanks so much for contacting me, though! I really appreciate it, and wish you the best of luck.​

Tricky to know. But I never thought about it tbh. Sorry that you got this

It's never nice.