tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post6914455442217382824..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: The Evolution of the RejectionBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-62423319915430241772007-05-11T11:35:00.000-04:002007-05-11T11:35:00.000-04:00I've been thinking a lot about this cycle lately. ...I've been thinking a lot about this cycle lately. I seem to have stalled at 4, 5, 4, 5 and never get to that elusive 6. <BR/><BR/>The interesting thing is, when I first started writing, every step was a celebration. Heart beats faster, beaming smile crosses face. As we hit 4 and 5 over and over again, it becomes heart falls, furrowed brow crosses face.<BR/><BR/>It's nice to hear that these steps are in fact, something to still get excited about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26931738454360014532007-05-10T22:24:00.000-04:002007-05-10T22:24:00.000-04:00I was spotted by an agent from one of the top 5 ag...I was spotted by an agent from one of the top 5 agencies after a short story of mine was published. She has now offered me representation...I didn'r realise how lucky I was, not having to go through this process. Going to work extra hard on my full length novel for her now...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-27848246743932208042007-05-10T20:12:00.000-04:002007-05-10T20:12:00.000-04:00Anon 12:07Tell me about it! I got two rejects in a...Anon 12:07<BR/><BR/>Tell me about it! I got two rejects in a row from magazines with "I can't tell you why I'm rejecting this, because there's nothing wrong with it. But I don't love it enough to take it."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-88521335333473149142007-05-10T14:14:00.000-04:002007-05-10T14:14:00.000-04:00There's another step: when the author sends the pa...There's another step: when the author sends the partial or full and never gets a reply.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-46169934440042065532007-05-10T14:13:00.000-04:002007-05-10T14:13:00.000-04:00I've decided the evolutionary cycle is a circle, o...I've decided the evolutionary cycle is a circle, or sometimes it gets stuck. I've been all the way around, to the point of damn near selling the book but couldn't get an agent interested, and back to form letters, then on to requests, to not quite there but almost to back to form letters.<BR/><BR/>I'm getting dizzy. :)Tori Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02514585159442285006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-53647187247945978752007-05-10T13:30:00.000-04:002007-05-10T13:30:00.000-04:00Thanks for reminding me that steps four and five r...Thanks for reminding me that steps four and five really are something to be proud of. Somtimes when you hit that wall it's hard to remember the progress you've already made.Travis Erwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09420879160702098979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-69781112703369833992007-05-10T12:46:00.000-04:002007-05-10T12:46:00.000-04:00Yes, many if not most writers have some room for i...<I>Yes, many if not most writers have some room for improvement, but rejections aren't always about there being something wrong with the story/writing.</I><BR/><BR/>Thank you for saying this. When I was querying, I kept hearing, "Oh, if you're getting personal replies, that means you're close." Well, I got mostly form rejections to my partials and fulls, and wondered if that meant I was a sucky hack. But then an agent from one of the biggy NY agencies--someone I really wanted to sign with--offered representation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-73224652507319301112007-05-10T12:07:00.000-04:002007-05-10T12:07:00.000-04:00There's also the step where the writer just gets r...There's also the step where the writer just gets rejected because the agent's taste is subjective. Yes, many if not most writers have some room for improvement, but rejections aren't always about there being something wrong with the story/writing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-78980071128237746772007-05-10T10:30:00.000-04:002007-05-10T10:30:00.000-04:00I'll say this about form rejections, especially th...I'll say this about form rejections, especially those which come after the partials and fulls:<BR/><BR/>I'll be lucky if I ever find an agent to champion my novel. When that day comes, I'll grovel and supplicate and do whatever it takes to keep the agent happy.<BR/><BR/>But if... <B>IF</B> fortunes ever smile on me to the point where I have offers from two agents at the same time...<BR/><BR/>Well then I'm going back to my query tracking spreadsheet and checking the past responses of those agents. If it comes down to Ms. FormLetter (postcard, ug!) Agent Vs. Ms. Scribbled-An-Encouraging-Note-In-the-Margin-Last-Time, guess who gets my contract?<BR/><BR/>If an agent asks for a partial -- especially with the addition of exclusive reading rights -- and keeps your ms out of circulation for more than six weeks, courtesy dictates they owe you at least one personalized sentence, even if it's meaningless codespeak for "you suck."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-91011251576309676372007-05-10T09:43:00.000-04:002007-05-10T09:43:00.000-04:00Great post! May I request a follow-up? I'd love to...Great post! May I request a follow-up? I'd love to hear the evolution of the publishing deal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-5189147404833239742007-05-10T08:39:00.000-04:002007-05-10T08:39:00.000-04:00Really? Really, really really? *writer hugs hersel...Really? Really, really really? *writer hugs herself upon realizing she's closer than she thought* Thanks! I SO needed this today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-90457194514485589112007-05-10T08:27:00.000-04:002007-05-10T08:27:00.000-04:00Thanks for the reminder of the steps, Jessica. So...Thanks for the reminder of the steps, Jessica. Sometimes it's important to remember them and what the mean to your journey.Teresa Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09000600005136863441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-56948871545301938712007-05-10T08:20:00.000-04:002007-05-10T08:20:00.000-04:00On a related note. I have yet to make it to the 'a...On a related note. I have yet to make it to the 'asks for more' step yet, and pushing about 35-40 rejections now on my suspense novel, but I got one, 'one' mind you where I got the 'I didn't connect with the characters, but... you are obviously a talented writer.' It's amazing what a pithy half dozen words has done to keep the confidence high and going strong that I will indeed make it some day.JDuncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00487305836910594252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-20648391283583832272007-05-10T07:49:00.000-04:002007-05-10T07:49:00.000-04:00And writing, like evolution, moves at a snail's pa...And writing, like evolution, moves at a snail's pace. I have gone from step one to five and back again, here I am starting anew, and it feels like eons have gone by...<BR/>LOLSamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05943062466398436785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-9721523266233247562007-05-10T07:30:00.000-04:002007-05-10T07:30:00.000-04:00To just expand on the analogy to evolution, as man...To just expand on the analogy to evolution, as many evolutionary biologists have noted, evolution doesn't go in a straight line.<BR/><BR/>Same here. Undoubtedly unless you're either magnificently talented or magnificently lucky, you'll go through all these steps. You're also likely to get to step 4 and then for a year find yourself back to step 1 and 2 and skipping around. Life's like that.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-84862595284200060012007-05-10T07:04:00.000-04:002007-05-10T07:04:00.000-04:00Is there a step (or is it allowed) where you are a...Is there a step (or is it allowed) where you are asked for a sample of your writing and you get a form rejection, then you revamp and strengthen the work? Are you doomed with that agent forever? Will she never want to see the new stuff ever again?Beverley Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09175915580179121447noreply@blogger.com