tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post5943804530235906203..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Replying to RejectionsBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-17662234308559624922009-05-05T13:06:00.000-04:002009-05-05T13:06:00.000-04:00Mags,
If I provide a link, then you will no longe...Mags,<br /><br />If I provide a link, then you will no longer be judging on what I write in here, but on the performance of my book.<br /><br />And let's just say that wouldn't be fair. It's no fun to have people just bow down because you've already done what they're trying to do. If I out myself then I'd just get people agreeing with me all the time, which is no fun.<br /><br />So just evaluate me based on the things I say. You don't get to see if you're "right" or not in your assessment of me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-45692465960012366222009-05-05T00:18:00.000-04:002009-05-05T00:18:00.000-04:00Jessica, that is excellent advice.
If only there ...Jessica, that is excellent advice.<br /><br />If only there was some way of making people take it!Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-50290752492709976082009-05-04T23:29:00.000-04:002009-05-04T23:29:00.000-04:00Dear Agent-Type,
Thank you for your rejection, b...Dear Agent-Type, <br /><br />Thank you for your rejection, but it does not fit my life style at this time. I will have to pass on your rejection. Better luck next time! <br /><br />Yours, <br />HKIko of the Shadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07094843889155751244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-10372006852398060752009-05-04T23:12:00.000-04:002009-05-04T23:12:00.000-04:00Anonymous 5:04pm said...... your craft reaches a c...<I><B>Anonymous 5:04pm said...</B>... your craft reaches a certain critical mass, it's true that it becomes hard to beat back the agents with a stick. If you have to go to them, well--that in itself should tell you something, shouldn't it?</I>Ooh! Do share the title of your book (w/out charging only $19.95 to unlock the secret to publishing, as only YOU KNOW IT, I mean). I'll Amazon you up if the reviews weren't all written by your mother. And if your book doesn't appear to suck. <br /><br />Seriously.<br /><br />Or if you aren't just some schmuck, trolling boards and dispensing "wisdom." A lot. <br /><br />Anonymously.<br /><br />Few are stupid here. Link, please?Magshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05350451902814461987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-87397607508207802742009-05-04T20:02:00.000-04:002009-05-04T20:02:00.000-04:00I only send thanks to agents who've given me a per...I only send thanks to agents who've given me a personal rejection, to show I appreciate them taking the time to point out the issues with my ms (and especially if they tell me I'm a talented writer). Never, though, with a from rejection. Those ones are more like a slam-the-door-in-your-face, and you never have to say thanks for that.Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-17045199656819818462009-05-04T17:04:00.000-04:002009-05-04T17:04:00.000-04:00Agree that 95% of the writers here are putting the...Agree that 95% of the writers here are putting the cart before the horse. They hear that you "need an agent," so they obsess over that more than their actual craft, which is what they should be concentrating on at this stage in their careers. When your craft reaches a certain critical mass, it's true that it becomes hard to beat back the agents with a stick. If you have to go to them, well--that in itself should tell you something, shouldn't it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-37321960506317306302009-05-04T16:52:00.000-04:002009-05-04T16:52:00.000-04:00omg the endless etiquette fussing! (barf)
The ult...omg the endless etiquette fussing! (barf)<br /><br />The ultimate feedback is waiting for you on amazon.com. Have you written someting and wonder if it has commercial appeal? Put it for sale and market it. You'll find out real quaick. You do't need an agent anymore! If you can sell on your own, the agent swill come to you. Until then, you don't even need an agent, you need to write a saleable book!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-22557789884668080112009-05-04T13:59:00.000-04:002009-05-04T13:59:00.000-04:00I think when it's engrained from a young age to al...I think when it's engrained from a young age to always say "Please" and "thank you" it's hard to turn that off in order to save the agent's time. I can see how it just adds to a cluttered inbox, but I have to admit I'm perplexed by agents that are annoyed by simple thank yous. <br /><br />I've had to stop myself a couple times from sending a response by second nature.PurpleCloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07933014134696608557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-63945283440547457782009-05-04T13:50:00.000-04:002009-05-04T13:50:00.000-04:00Thanks. I'd kind of wondered when you should and w...Thanks. I'd kind of wondered when you should and when you shouldn't, so this helps.Sheila Deethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-74833004103893218192009-05-04T12:02:00.000-04:002009-05-04T12:02:00.000-04:00I've received several requests (my fulls are still...I've received several requests (my fulls are still out), and no one has bothered to even send me a personal rejection--just a polite form. Why bother if they won't?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-30968714878597262552009-05-04T11:01:00.000-04:002009-05-04T11:01:00.000-04:00My partial was politely rejected with a presonaliz...My partial was politely rejected with a presonalized email. I replied asking for a clarification on the agent's constructive criticism. The additional feedback was not elaborate (one sentence), but it was spot on, and I really appreciate the agent taking the extra minute to offer more advice.Rick Daleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-8528517016524442332009-05-04T10:59:00.000-04:002009-05-04T10:59:00.000-04:00Great advice, thank you!Great advice, thank you!Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-18259883929042054002009-05-04T10:38:00.000-04:002009-05-04T10:38:00.000-04:00I usually send a thank-you after a rejection. It i...I usually send a thank-you after a rejection. It it simply good manners. The subject matter will say "Thank you note" so the agent can delete it if she chooses.<br />A thank-you note with a question attached is not really a thank-you note at all, it's fishing for information. There's nothing wrong with an agenda but it is what it is.<br />I agree with Lorra above when she states that most agents want authors to succeed. There's proof in the many agent blogs (that take time out of their busy day) that are helpful for us.Charlie Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02347938747849177632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-90657218570991799722009-05-04T08:55:00.000-04:002009-05-04T08:55:00.000-04:00If there are no comments, not even a sentence, aft...If there are no comments, not even a sentence, after an agent reads a requested partial or full, I send a polite thank you and I ask for a little feedback. (I've only received one form rejection on a full. I didn't ask for feedback in that case. What was the point?) <br /><br />I phrase the question so that it can be answered with a simple yes/no or with a one or two-sentence answer and I reassure the agent that they will not hear back from me until I have a new project to submit.<br /><br />From the feedback I've received --100% response rate, by the way -- I've learned a lot. More importantly, my sense is that agents really want to see writers succeed because their comments are thoughtful, helpful, and most important, honest.<br /><br />I know I risk alienating some agents, but I cannot learn in a vaccuum. And if an agent puts me on a black list for asking for a little feedback, would I really want to work with that agent in the future?Lorrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10002093220393559848noreply@blogger.com