Thursday, April 01, 2010

Note to All Writers

I will not return your phone call simply to give you detailed advice of why I rejected your proposal, especially when I have no idea why I rejected your proposal, because I only have a very vague recollection of said proposal at best.

So please stop calling.

Jessica

22 comments:

JE said...

Okay, I'll stop calling. Kidding. Once again, I can't believe people actually do this sort of thing. Geez.

~JD

Donna Lea Simpson said...

Writers need to stop taking rejection so personally. One rejection means ONE person didn't think they could sell your book.

Sheesh! It doesn't even mean the agent/editor didn't like it, just that they weren't crazy enough about it to sell it.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Sure glad you aren't talking to me.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

But, I was just calling to get your home address so I could knock on your door and ask you in person during your private time why you rejected me. Is that so wrong?

Goodness, people, get a life. Like sh*it, rejection happens. A lot. Get over it and move on.

Stephanie Damore said...

Debra, you're too funny.

Writers, accept the rejection and move on!

this writer said...

I never called. I read your rejection, thought it wasn't meant to be between us, and went out and found an agent.

Melissa Sarno said...

I always find these kinds of posts hilarious. At least these outrageous people make me feel like I have a leg up on the competition ;-)

Kate Douglas said...

Thank you. I really, REALLY needed this this morning! Sheesh...would chocolate help?

Sarah J. MacManus said...

I've had first dates like that. At least they're not tapping on your window at 2 am because you were dumb enough to let them know where you live....

Ms A said...

If I've reworked my query letter to the point where it is now an entirely different letter with much better substance, can I resend it?

I don't want to fall into the camp of those people who just don't get it, but I really like you as an agent and would love it if I could give it another swing.

I promise I'll take a second rejection at face value(should that be the case). If it makes it any more appealing, version two of my letter has already gotten a few responses from real live agents asking for pages.

jjdebenedictis said...

Well, it is April Fool's day. You have to expect to hear from a few fools. ;)

~~~~~~~

Ms A
She rejected your book, not your query letter. If the query has been rewritten but the book has not, then you're probably wasting her time re-sending the query.

I'm smiling though, because I know exactly how you feel. We all get that impulse to re-try our dream agents. Best of luck in your querying. :)

Aimlesswriter said...

Does this mean you won't give personal critiques to all 9 Bazillion queries you get each week?
WWWwhhhhhaaaaa!

Kimberly Kincaid said...

It never ceases to amaze me what people out there in queryland will actually do! And I'm your basic newbie at this- still querying myself. Wow.

Ms. A- don't fret and congrats on the nibbles for your pages. I was in this exact same boat a few months ago, and it *is* disappointing when someone that you respect and admire declines. In my humble experience, the earlier poster who said that unless you've re-worked your MS, you probably won't get far is dead-on. I re-queried and still got a no, thanks. Doesn't mean it will happen to you, of course, but other sgents have since expressed interest. So keep working :)

Nice to see I share that boat with a fellow writer!

Kimberly Kincaid said...

That would be querying, myself...

If I queried myself, do you think I'd get any better results?! ;)

Oh, it's the end of the week!

Anna Banks said...

I keep getting collect calls from the county jail. I'll trade you, Jessica.

Barbara Ann Wright said...

But what if we whine a lot? Whining helps, right? C'mmmmmoooooonnnnnn. Ah, c'mon!

Stephanie said...

Wow!! I can't believe writers actually call you!!! Yikes! That takes a lot of brass....and I don't mean that in a good way!

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm the lone person to disagree with the commenters, but I found your post to be extremely condescending and needlessly snappy. I've read you faithfully for over a year now and it just made me think, wow, this agent is not a nice lady. And for the record, no, I have never dared to call an agent. Pity anyone who makes that mistake!

Cynthia Reese said...

Oh, no, they didn't.

How can people be so DUMB?? My condolences, not just to you, but to ALL agents and editors who have to endure this.

Carol J. Garvin said...

And a Happy April Fool's Day to you, too, Jessica. :)

Anonymous said...

I don't think I would want to have representation from this agent. Her posts always sound as if she's on her period.

Unknown said...

Wow! People actually do that? *mindboggle*