We need a rejection bell

[Alistair Roberts]

Ouch @Madeleine Conway sounds like an agent to steer clear of!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Yes, I second @Alistair's comment. How awful!

 

[KG Christopher]

I have a belated rejection - I actually signed an agency agreement last year, but after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, I've been told although my writing is fine, there is no chemistry so I am free to seek representation elsewhere. Apparently he had never filed the agreement with the agency's lawyers, so it didn't count....

Sorry to hear that. I am sure its very easy to set yourself up as an agent and fish for new authors / submissions.

 

[Carol Rose]

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Madeleine Conway]

Sorry to hear that. I am sure its very easy to set yourself up as an agent and fish for new authors / submissions.

Sadly, he wasn't a fly-by-nighter but a staffer in a fairly well known agency. Sigh.

 

[Madeleine Conway]

Thanks for the sympathy - much appreciated. Ah well, bloody but unbowed, onward and ready to submit again.

 

[KG Christopher]

Well I suppose one positive is you got accepted by a well known agency, that's an achievment in itself.

 

[Marc Joan]

I have a belated rejection - I actually signed an agency agreement last year, but after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, I've been told although my writing is fine, there is no chemistry so I am free to seek representation elsewhere. Apparently he had never filed the agreement with the agency's lawyers, so it didn't count....

Eh? If you signed the agreement and they signed the agreement, it is a legal contract. Doesn't matter what their internal processes are or who they did or didn't file it with. Are you saying it was counter-signed? Mind you, if the agreement didn't actually oblige them to do anything, then you can't sue them for not having done it...but then why have an agreement at all, I wonder?

 

[Madeleine Conway]

Eh? If you signed the agreement and they signed the agreement, it is a legal contract. Doesn't matter what their internal processes are or who they did or didn't file it with. Are you saying it was counter-signed? Mind you, if the agreement didn't actually oblige them to do anything, then you can't sue them for not having done it...but then why have an agreement at all, I wonder?

I'm writing to MD of the agency in spirit of bafflement. He sent me the agency agreement, I signed and sent it back, but he says he didn't 'file' it...Hey ho. It doesn't make the agency look good, but on the other hand, I want him as my agent as little as he wants to be my agent.

 

[Marc Joan]

I'm writing to MD of the agency in spirit of bafflement. He sent me the agency agreement, I signed and sent it back, but he says he didn't 'file' it...Hey ho. It doesn't make the agency look good, but on the other hand, I want him as my agent as little as he wants to be my agent.

Probably best, then, to just not waste your time on them.

 

[Chase Gamwell]

Another for me. The form letter was positively worded, so that was nice, but it is a rejection nonetheless.

 

[Chase Gamwell]

I'll amend that to 3 rejections today - pretty much every one I sent out the other day to ping my work...ouchies...

 

[KG Christopher]

sorry to hear that mate.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Bummer mate! I haven't sent out many recently, it's getting harder to find agent's who deal with fantasy. Murder mystery will be easier (?) but I've yet to get my first one beta read.

 

[Chase Gamwell]

Bummer mate! I haven't sent out many recently, it's getting harder to find agent's who deal with fantasy. Murder mystery will be easier (?) but I've read to get my first one beta read yet

There are a lot of agents that you can query for mystery, but I think that there are a lot of people writing mystery right now. I think my list currently has something like 150 agents on it and I'd like to get, at least, one partial for full request from one of them. Here's hoping!

I'd also be happy to give your MM a read when you need to have it beta read...just let me know.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Bummer mate! I haven't sent out many recently, it's getting harder to find agent's who deal with fantasy.

Yes, I agree. But there are a few fantasy publishers that accept unagented submissions. Unfortunately, most of them won't take YA fantasy...

 

[Chase Gamwell]

Yes, I agree. But there are a few fantasy publishers that accept unagented submissions. Unfortunately, most of them won't take YA fantasy...

You should take a look at querytracker...I've found quite a few of agents on there that take sci fi/fantasy, including YA stuff (I think I have 50ish agents bookmarked).

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Did Querytracker to death!

 

[Chase Gamwell]

Figured I'd post here, since I just got a rash of rejections from the few I sent out last week. So much for testing the waters...

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Figured I'd post here, since I just got a rash of rejections from the few I sent out last week. So much for testing the waters...

Sorry to hear that. Think of it as good experience...or an excuse to eat cake...here's a dwarf cupcake, guaranteed to take the sting out of a rejection.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

Figured I'd post here, since I just got a rash of rejections from the few I sent out last week. So much for testing the waters...

Aw bummer. How is there no sad button that doesn't negatively affect ratings???

 

[Madeleine Conway]

Figured I'd post here, since I just got a rash of rejections from the few I sent out last week. So much for testing the waters...

Commiserations. It's part of the process, but that doesn't make it hurt less.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Gong, after 4 months this time. Given I've sent out 109, I think it's time to call it quits.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Gong, after 4 months this time. Given I've sent out 109, I think it's time to call it quits.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that.

 

[Sea-shore]

Gong, after 4 months this time. Given I've sent out 109, I think it's time to call it quits.

Oh no. Really?

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Ding! Just a short story rejection, though. And with constructive feedback! Rejections don't get better than that, so all good!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Aw bummer. How is there no sad button that doesn't negatively affect ratings???

Yeah, what the hell is this?

 

[Jason Byrne]

Sorry to hear that. Think of it as good experience...or an excuse to eat cake...here's a dwarf cupcake, guaranteed to take the sting out of a rejection.

And... re-purposed to wish Nicole a happy birthday because I'm late to the party and didn't know we were bringing gifts!

This is for you...

 

[Nicole Wilson]

And... re-purposed to wish Nicole a happy birthday because I'm late to the party and didn't know we were bringing gifts!

This is for you...

Aw thanks!!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Aw thanks!!

Ew! A used cupcake?