tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post3629986979490035773..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Rejections We Can't Stop Talking AboutBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-86586127111264078952009-03-10T00:56:00.000-04:002009-03-10T00:56:00.000-04:00I loved those. So, thanks for sharing.I loved those. So, thanks for sharing.Kimbra Kaschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16955657301998255029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-28156238098620017722009-03-09T23:42:00.000-04:002009-03-09T23:42:00.000-04:00Anon 8:19, I'm still smiling. I too have had ESL ...Anon 8:19, I'm still smiling. I too have had ESL students!<BR/><BR/>Jessica, you reminded me of something that happened when I was a student worker in college. Our department would send out regular letters to students and some would come back in the mail. One day we received a letter back with the following red stamp across it: "Does Not Accept Mail from Penal Institutions." How and when our community college became a penal institution, I was never able to learn, but as a low-paid Work Study, I found this much funnier than my supervisor did!Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17779576142896860206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-10562485682840037032009-03-09T19:40:00.000-04:002009-03-09T19:40:00.000-04:00Makes me long for the days of Miss Snark... ;-)Makes me long for the days of Miss Snark... ;-)T. M. Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04315726033990784930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-65606684761104865782009-03-09T17:36:00.000-04:002009-03-09T17:36:00.000-04:00I had a rejection from an agent that was not in li...I had a rejection from an agent that was not in line with the way Bookends would reject I'm sure. The agent was arrogant, nasty and truthfully not only full of herself, but just really mean spirited. I'd had a couple rejections before this one came along and both were professional, as they should be.<BR/>Now, I'm sure some authors would have fired back an equally offensive note, but I saw it for what it was and knew that most of the agents I'd dealt with were nothing like this particular one.<BR/>But, that doesn't mean I might not send her a nice autographed copy of my book when it comes out next year! :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-42108040160576918032009-03-09T16:04:00.000-04:002009-03-09T16:04:00.000-04:00I love the story about the middle-grade author. I...I love the story about the middle-grade author. It compells me to tell a story on myself, which I should not do. One of my first queries was to an agent who wanted graphic novels. I told how graphic my book was in describing the horrors of a slave raid...........I'm sure she got a hoot out of that!Weshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03077791761104576436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-74038178891023056212009-03-09T15:47:00.000-04:002009-03-09T15:47:00.000-04:00Forget the red stamp and get the fixings for choco...Forget the red stamp and get the fixings for chocolate martinis....<BR/><BR/>....not that I'm excusing the folks in your post (OBVIOUSLY not) but I work in a field in which this is rampant, too - ungrateful entitlement. I'm sorry you deal with it AND I'm sorry for those folks whose outlook on life causes them to feel that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-14402448481710623082009-03-09T14:30:00.000-04:002009-03-09T14:30:00.000-04:00Too funny. And what makes me smile even more is th...Too funny. And what makes me smile even more is that you tried to explain yourself. You are too nice, Jessica. <BR/><BR/>I've never written an agent back after a rejection, but my writer buddies and I still laugh over a rejection I received on my very first novel. My query was returned with a big, red "NO" stamped on the top. It was so shocking it was funny. My friend Candy was like, "What do you think she really meant by that?"<BR/><BR/>So keep plugging, Jessica. Or if you get really tired, maybe stop by Office Max for a red stamper kit.Angie Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05843918280581285622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-19869541497193199542009-03-09T13:55:00.000-04:002009-03-09T13:55:00.000-04:00That MG story would have been perfect for Thursday...That MG story would have been perfect for Thursday's QueryFail on Twitter, only if it were recent. Still... that's classic!<BR/><BR/>And Anon 8:19, the grave digging and the black kettle are a hoot! Love it!Karen Duvallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839711547501582977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-500459836596919392009-03-09T13:39:00.000-04:002009-03-09T13:39:00.000-04:00LOL on the letters. And sorry about the lack of ap...LOL on the letters. And sorry about the lack of appreciation. Wow.Jessica Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12365768876905444157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-33796672235077620262009-03-09T13:17:00.000-04:002009-03-09T13:17:00.000-04:00LOL This is a great Monday morning post. I have be...LOL This is a great Monday morning post. <BR/><BR/>I have been rejected by your agency and was grateful for your letter. I was new to query letters and although I had read literally everything I could find on how to do it, my query letter ends up sounding like a robot vacuum wrote it - in other words, it sucked!<BR/><BR/>I may never write that story perfect for your agency, but I feel you are honest and forthright in that honesty without being cruel, traits I hold in high esteem. So, even though I had done my research as best as I could, I was still rejected. However, I hopefully have not burned any bridges with anyone I sent query letters to.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the time you take in responding to your query letter. It helped me to write the next one for a sci-fi story (I REALLY want to write romance, but its the sci-fi that has me right now!) which an agent has accepted.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your help!<BR/>LeonaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-51954916894803431692009-03-09T13:12:00.000-04:002009-03-09T13:12:00.000-04:00I had no idea many authors whose queries are rejec...I had no idea many authors whose queries are rejected actually write back to you with angry words! To be honest, I once got a nasty rejection from an agent (starting "Dear author" which kind of makes you wonder if your query was read at all), and she sent it twice on two different days so it felt like being rejected twice. I thought about writing back to her, and I may have the email in my drafts still. Hehe.<BR/><BR/>I'm now published (though still without an agent), and your blog is always informative. Keep it up. :)Marwa Ayadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01774648496320887950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-71847861425741902272009-03-09T12:54:00.000-04:002009-03-09T12:54:00.000-04:00I suspect a degree of Narcissistic Personality Dis...I suspect a degree of Narcissistic Personality Disorder is involved in these types of harsh and unwarranted responses to criticism and rejection.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Confucius says; man who drive like hell, bound to get there.Sookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04309019627346019836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-75817864978045065062009-03-09T12:31:00.000-04:002009-03-09T12:31:00.000-04:00Jessica,I think all of the hurt and anger that get...Jessica,<BR/><BR/>I think all of the hurt and anger that gets thrown back at you is that authors are so emotinally invested in their manuscripts, it's like you are rejecting them. Folks have to understand that this is business and that you have been through the war a million times. You know what will sell and what will not. It's really that simple, isn't it?<BR/><BR/>I submitted a novella to you awhile back, which you THANKFULLY rejected (it was nowhere near publishable, but I wasn't as wise in the ways of the publishing world then). You took the time to respond to my follow up on the rejection, which I really appreciated.<BR/><BR/>I think you and others like Nathan are a credit to the profession.Scott Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09744436601853807608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-58976176215167723912009-03-09T12:13:00.000-04:002009-03-09T12:13:00.000-04:00Oh wow, LOL! Gosh, a lot of the time I think you h...Oh wow, LOL! Gosh, a lot of the time I think you have the coolest job in the whole world. (Seriously.) And then sometimes, I don't envy you at all!Spy Scribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299551957327543491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-5686248791686849192009-03-09T12:11:00.000-04:002009-03-09T12:11:00.000-04:00Sad that so many writers reply with such anger, wh...Sad that so many writers reply with such anger, when there are so many more agents to query.<BR/>Not sure why you spend so much time replying to these irate writers, then give form rejections to those requested mss. who may come close? Always puzzles me how agents seem to give more courtesy to the obvious rejects and ignore the rest...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-4277690912573609092009-03-09T11:59:00.000-04:002009-03-09T11:59:00.000-04:00It is so nice of you to send out those explanation...It is so nice of you to send out those explanations and I find it incredibly rude they didn't thank you for taking the time to clarify. I think you earned yourself some good query karma for that LOLJ.R. Johanssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02671109654769467131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-8694105462592113902009-03-09T11:46:00.000-04:002009-03-09T11:46:00.000-04:00Well, when I'm looking for rejection, I know I can...Well, when I'm looking for rejection, I know I can get first rate service with a smile from BookEnds Literary Agency!<BR/>*giggle*<BR/>It's very HARD to word a rejection letter. It really is. All you can do is be honest, and hope that the sincerity carries.<BR/>But seriously, that "middle-grade" thing cracked me up. That poor author!Sarah J. MacManushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03430266551248332700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-38469696149563439532009-03-09T11:29:00.000-04:002009-03-09T11:29:00.000-04:00It's sad that they didn't thank you--would have be...It's sad that they didn't thank you--would have been quite professional--but I bet they were embarrassed as heck. Esp the middle-grade writer. I think we've all felt mortified once and wanted to disappear and hope everyone else forgets quickly...<BR/><BR/>*sigh* I wish there was something to MAKE new authors spend hours on agent blogs and writing forums, read query advice etc, just to make the process smoother for agents and softer on authors' (ex fewer queries with "instant bestseller!" claims for agents to wade through, consequentially fewer cold-seeming form rejections for the uninformed author). I know I started querying too early -- and I had done research first, just not I feel enough. Thankfully, ignorance is a curable disease...AIThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00256420680945546328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-52081353119993626252009-03-09T11:03:00.000-04:002009-03-09T11:03:00.000-04:00Too funny! In the world of rejections (and we all...Too funny! In the world of rejections (and we all live there) I have two that I treasure.<BR/><BR/>The first was rather snotty, coming from an editor telling me that her publication 'had grown beyond my type of story'. The story was accepted by another publication and appeared, right next to a story written by that same editor.<BR/><BR/>The second told me that the suicide in my tale wasn't plausible. Well, it was based on an actual jail suicide, so I bristled a bit. Then I realized that the problem was that I didn't communicate the method of suicide well enough for the reader to grasp it. I needed to rework it.<BR/><BR/>Like Stephen King said, 'it is the tale, not he who tells it.' You are rejecting the story, not the writer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26307158102872450142009-03-09T10:17:00.000-04:002009-03-09T10:17:00.000-04:00Sounds like somebody needs a great big slice of Ja...Sounds like somebody needs a great big slice of Janet Reid's clue cake. . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-52703123408018598862009-03-09T10:15:00.000-04:002009-03-09T10:15:00.000-04:00Jessica, Truly funny. I think writers should do wh...Jessica, Truly funny. I think writers should do what I did in my last novel - send rejection letters to the agents! http://debralschubert.blogspot.com/2009/02/art-of-query.html<BR/><BR/>The most beautiful rejection I've ever received was from you. I truly appreciated your time and suggestions. At least, some of these replies are genuinely funny and provide much needed comic relief to your job. (And thanks for not calling my work "middle grade." That really would have been rude.)Debra Lynn Sheltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08238268767406623274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-90546888198926562932009-03-09T10:10:00.000-04:002009-03-09T10:10:00.000-04:00I got one of those {SPAM} replies yesterday. I act...I got one of those {SPAM} replies yesterday. I actually thought it was quite cool that the agent actually went INTO her spam folder and found me.<BR/><BR/>She said no, but I won't be writing back and making an ass out of myself...<BR/><BR/>Some people just don't learn.Jenn Nixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02022474889558395766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-54794418773061697622009-03-09T10:06:00.000-04:002009-03-09T10:06:00.000-04:00I can only hope that as writers grow they learn to...I can only hope that as writers grow they learn to accept their work as imperfect and to appreciate honesty from others - including and especially agents they query. <BR/><BR/>The replies to rejections you posted are truly funny, but they also make me feel badly for the writers. They're so invested in their own work and blinded by any flaws in it, that they see a professional rejection as a personal attack. Meanwhile, they need only to heed the advice and resubmit. <BR/> <BR/>~DebbieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-8866476017530210332009-03-09T10:02:00.000-04:002009-03-09T10:02:00.000-04:00Another AC! I may have to change my screenname :)I...Another AC! I may have to change my screenname :)<BR/><BR/>I don't respond to rejection letters for the same reason as bon, figuring most agents have enough e-mail to deal with!<BR/><BR/>The middle-grade thing was so funny, but I guess those of us who frequent agents' and editors' blogs would be flabbergasted at how little research some writers do before submitting. At least we all get a boost hearing about the antics of fellow writers and can tell ourselves, "at least I'd NEVER do that!"Anna Clairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08774415814789806840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-91260655958779527062009-03-09T09:53:00.000-04:002009-03-09T09:53:00.000-04:00I agree, a response letter (whether a rejection or...I agree, a response letter (whether a rejection or not) with any type of explanation is always great to me. Plus I tend to read rejection letters three or four times before I respond with my usual "thanks for your time". I know, I'm a gluttant for punishment. LOLAChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17262489276030221881noreply@blogger.com