tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post8310529993879088531..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Complaints or Excuses?BookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-12689551667001373782009-05-05T16:27:00.000-04:002009-05-05T16:27:00.000-04:00Love the straight out suggestions. ThanksLove the straight out suggestions. Thanksjakershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890121980303555417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-57160554476432209522009-04-23T20:58:00.000-04:002009-04-23T20:58:00.000-04:00I have yet to get to the point that I'm ready to q...I have yet to get to the point that I'm ready to query an agent. But to me, if one can't do so much as read simple guide lines and follow them, then perhaps they need to venture off into another field.That Writer Chic...https://www.blogger.com/profile/10454434206139489615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-37174515654181262902009-04-23T04:55:00.000-04:002009-04-23T04:55:00.000-04:00CNU:
No apologies necessary. If a book does fall ...CNU:<br /><br />No apologies necessary. If a book does fall in two genres try the agent (I've posted on this before). The worst thing that happens is a rejection.BookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-20294530523884977622009-04-22T22:54:00.000-04:002009-04-22T22:54:00.000-04:00Sorry if I happened to query you. I'm sure it was ...Sorry if I happened to query you. I'm sure it was a screw up with genres. I think I saw the word, 'spiritual, new age, etc' and figured the work was a similar genre. <br /><br /> What happens when a book happens to fall into two different categories, one which the agency accepts, one which the agency doesn't? <br /><br /> Anyhow. It won't happen again, if I did submit, which I don't even remember so it's possible I didn't. :)CNUhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07465712338087624687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-52020301974806026252009-04-22T22:50:00.000-04:002009-04-22T22:50:00.000-04:00I hate to even wade into this murk, and I'm probab...I hate to even wade into this murk, and I'm probably going to regret doing it, but:<br /><br />"Dear Sir/Madam" is only appropriate in the world of business when you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, as in the case of a letter to a customer service department. When you query an agent, you should always know his or her name, and the name should be properly spelled. To address an agent as "Dear Sir/Madam" shows a lack of research, and implies laziness.<br /><br />There are professional courtesies in writing and publishing that differ from the business world in general, not least because the relationship between agent and author has a strong personal component. If you as an author are not aware of the differences, then I am sorry to say that the problem is indeed your own.Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17779576142896860206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-67450754798002221682009-04-22T22:39:00.000-04:002009-04-22T22:39:00.000-04:00Absolutely, without a question, it's an excuse. I ...Absolutely, without a question, it's an excuse. I would not want literary agent standards to be any other way so that when I finally catch a break I will have something to be uniquely proud of.Weronika Janczukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02578288655500573458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-77637516234706495122009-04-22T21:59:00.000-04:002009-04-22T21:59:00.000-04:00You're assuming all agents have clear and concise...You're assuming all agents have clear and concise guidelines. <br /><br />Also if an agent happens to dislike a particular genre they ought to state that. <br /><br />Ex: "I absolutely do not accept fantasy." (I noticed Bookends stated that.*)<br /><br />If that's not in the mix, then blowing up at someone who saw the word 'fiction' and figured a 'magical realism' story might just be lost. <br /><br />It's also kind of funny that agents don't like form letters. ;) Is that not a bit of irony? It's nothing personal it's just people are busy and they'd rather move on with their day, both agent and writer. People have lives and can't always respond personally, though if work is submitted it should at least be considered.<br /><br />I agree that writers should familiarize themselves with guidelines, but those ought to be crystal clear. Otherwise people get confused, not because they're being stupid or vindictive.<br /><br />Just a thought...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-90437905308839811282009-04-22T21:06:00.000-04:002009-04-22T21:06:00.000-04:00“Why am I not grabbing an agent’s attention?” shou...<I>“Why am I not grabbing an agent’s attention?” should probably be your first question</I>Of course, when one gets generic rejection responses, it's hard to answer that question. You can ask other authors, both agented and not, and they can give you ideas...but ultimately, only the agent knows for sure.<br /><br />Just the nature of the business, I suppose...T. M. Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04315726033990784930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-67022182004561024052009-04-22T19:33:00.000-04:002009-04-22T19:33:00.000-04:00One thing we learned from #queryfail is that there...One thing we learned from #queryfail is that there are FAR TOO MANY agents who are just deleting a query unread due to little things (wrong name, misspelled name, 'Dear Sir') at the top of the query and I think that is where all the hate from #agentfail came from -- from agents who weren't even bothering to read the submitted query letter.<br /><br />If my query letter doesn't grab your attention, that is my fault. If you delete my query letter unread because it said 'Dear Sir/Madam' (which is a professional business letter style greeting) then there is a real problem here and it isn't the author who has the problem.evilphiliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10100843889719733921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-86688106076095181522009-04-22T18:15:00.000-04:002009-04-22T18:15:00.000-04:00Anonymous said:
**The key words for me was "stayin...Anonymous said:<br />**The key words for me was "staying published". I understand that there is typically a three book leeway given by a publisher; that if by your third book you haven't hit certain expectations (books sold) that you can pretty much figure your publishing career is kaput or at least mortally wounded. Am I right?**<br /><br />That's not necessarily so. An old acquaintance, Alis A. Rasmussen said that Bantam dropped her after sales of her 4 novels fell below 500 a month. ( Or maybe it was 5000--I forget). The novels were a science fiction series. She re-invented herself, and as Kate Elliott she's had 14 fantasy novels published by DAW. (15 if you count her collaboration with Melanie Rawn and Jennifer Roberson.) So hope is there.Gilbert J. Avilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13486171205815907095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-37588412650932971432009-04-22T16:19:00.000-04:002009-04-22T16:19:00.000-04:00I'm a Jennifer and Jessica is a pet peeve of mine ...I'm a Jennifer and Jessica is a pet peeve of mine as well. :)<br /><br />Why does that bother us so?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-5208777333007271892009-04-22T16:10:00.000-04:002009-04-22T16:10:00.000-04:00Anon 3:43
Maybe agents don't skim through the que...Anon 3:43<br /><br />Maybe agents don't skim through the queries, trying to spot the gems. FYI, I heard somewhere that Twilight was originally 150,000 words and the finished product is around 120,000 words. You would have skipped right past it.<br /><br />(By the way, I skimmed right past a bunch of the queries on Agent for a Day, too... glad I'm not an agent.)<br /><br />:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-56649544443645588812009-04-22T15:43:00.000-04:002009-04-22T15:43:00.000-04:00I'm curious, though...
Having recently participat...I'm curious, though...<br /><br />Having recently participated in Nathan's "Agent for a Day" by reading and commenting on 50 queries, I actually found it much easier to navigate through the pile by eliminating the ones where the querier truly had no clue. <br /><br />You know someone wanting to submit a 120,000 word YA novel or or a query that told about the author but not the book's plot.<br /><br />In a way it made me wonder why agents complain about a person NOT following directions. Doesn't that just make moving through the query in-box that much easier?<br /><br />(of course, people NOT sending queries would be better, but still...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-83886767622737644062009-04-22T15:40:00.000-04:002009-04-22T15:40:00.000-04:00Jessica - thanks for the post.
I'm amazed at the ...Jessica - thanks for the post.<br /><br />I'm amazed at the back and forth discourse lately between agents and writers. Did it all start with #queryfail day? Was that the catalyst for the myriad of blogs from both agents and writers venting their frustrations? Has the proverbial worm turned? : )<br /><br />Personally, I follow the guidelines set forth and hope for the best. I study the writing blogs and aim to perfect my query letter into a shining beacon of brilliance that will have agents knocking down my door. Lastly, I continue to write. It's what I do.<br /><br />As for why I don't have an agent yet? I just haven't found the right one. He/She is out there somewhere. One day (soon, I hope), he/she will be stunned (in a good way, I might add) by my query letter and offer immediate representation. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he??Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905515473737579937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26153345779092688912009-04-22T14:30:00.000-04:002009-04-22T14:30:00.000-04:00This is an interesting post. The most fascinating ...This is an interesting post. The most fascinating thing I read was that agents have different guidelines (published on their site) if they request more work. I've noticed submission guidelines for queries, but never for after the initial query. I'd always assumed the agent would just tell you specifically what s/he wanted if they requested more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-47102625031164499532009-04-22T14:21:00.000-04:002009-04-22T14:21:00.000-04:00I spent months researching the query process, visi...I spent months researching the query process, visiting agent sites, and preparing my strategy for publishing my book. <br /><br />There are lot's of resources to narrow down to the right group of agents, the right formatting of queries, and all sorts of advice from agents and editors on publishing etiquette. <br /><br />I've found agents have been a godsend in working towards my goal of getting published. And because of the advice, I have started getting requests for partials on my manuscript.<br /><br />Thank you all for the time you take to put the word out to us hopefuls!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-24079696505035205442009-04-22T13:51:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:51:00.000-04:00Jessica,
My first name is Jessica as well, so Je...Jessica, <br /><br />My first name is Jessica as well, so Jennifer is a pet peeve of mine too.Jessica Russellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-28897679408596297782009-04-22T13:12:00.000-04:002009-04-22T13:12:00.000-04:00Jessica:
"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it agai...Jessica:<br />"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, getting published and staying published is hard enough without making it harder on yourself."<br /><br />The key words for me was "staying published". I understand that there is typically a three book leeway given by a publisher; that if by your third book you haven't hit certain expectations (books sold) that you can pretty much figure your publishing career is kaput or at least mortally wounded. Am I right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-18120846015338095902009-04-22T12:39:00.000-04:002009-04-22T12:39:00.000-04:00I'm dating myself, but wayyyy back in college, I h...I'm dating myself, but wayyyy back in college, I had to take an Intro to Computers class. The professor was very specific-80% of your grade was based on following her directions. We were psyched. An easy A.<br /><br />True story, she still teaches at UNH actually--most of the class failed. Her directions were always basic. "I want 1 in margins, two lines after the date, etc." But for some reason, even by the end of the semester, people still didn't follow them. They'd get their assignments back and complain about their grades. They weren't being given a fair shake, blah blah. It wasn't their fault. blah blah.<br /><br />Finally, the last day of class someone asked WHY??? And she said it was the biggest, hardest and most important lesson every student needed to learn in order to be successful--how to follow directions. She also said it never ceased to amaze her how few could or how well those that did fared later in life...<br /><br />I've never, ever forgotten her, or to remember to use the right font. Eek.Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15896519648818458407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-18480445402153655212009-04-22T12:17:00.000-04:002009-04-22T12:17:00.000-04:00Thanks, Jessica for the vote of confidence! I'm A...Thanks, Jessica for the vote of confidence! I'm Anon 9:42 and my 3 mss. have been out from 6 weeks to 5 months. I did nudge at the 3-month and 4-month mark but nothing final, just "I'll get to it soon..."<br /><br />Isn't it true that agents who are excited about your work respond sooner, not later? If there's a problem, I wish they'd tell me so I can fix it. The waiting is nerve-wracking! What's a writer to do without being a pest?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-25577611636331063442009-04-22T12:04:00.000-04:002009-04-22T12:04:00.000-04:00Regarding word count: I am sure this has been aske...Regarding word count: I am sure this has been asked before, but are you looking for the standard word count (where you could up the words on the page and do the math) or the word count generated by Microsoft Word? Sometimes those numbers can be different, and I'm not sure which to use.Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01920175688407593776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-74263341685589738922009-04-22T11:59:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:59:00.000-04:00The reason so many aspiring authors neglect profes...The reason so many aspiring authors neglect professional guidelines, I think, is because there's still a rose-colored mythos of writing as a pure "art" - if you're unacquainted with how the publishing industry works, maybe it's harder to accept the fact it IS an industry and there ARE rules to follow.<br /><br />I guess you could call it artistic hubris (my book is the next American novel! What do you mean, word count?), but I think it's more about first-time submitters not realizing that things like word count, genre, proper address really do make a difference.<br /><br />I'm not a writer myself, but a fanatic reader. A while ago I started looking for book review sites, ended up on the agent blog circuit somehow, and realized just how many aspiring authors I'm glad DIDN'T get the go-ahead. <br /><br />I know this sounds harsh, but really, when you look at sites like QueryShark it makes you realize just how many people think they're ready to be published authors when in reality, they're light years off. The least you can do, if you truly are a good writer, is to do a quick bit of research on what is expected. <br /><br />If you can't or won't because of hubris or sheer ignorance - that tells me you're not very smart, or have severely overestimated the quality of your own work. So I have less confidence that I'd want to actually read your book down the line.<br /><br />I have great respect for those who have the discipline to create a book out of nothing. But even if you have done this, AND are extremely gifted, that is no guarantee this one particular work you've queried is going to be attractive to me as a reader.<br /><br />I trust the double gatekeeping agents and editors do for me: when I go into a bookshop, their filtering makes sure EVERY single book I see around me has something good going for it. I trust agents' judgment as a reader. Why shouldn't you, as an author?<br /><br />Conversely I really hate to think amazing books are getting passed by because of a crappy query letters, so if you're sitting on that kind of golden egg, shape up! Better queries!frauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07404410708894838876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-42974572682066413002009-04-22T11:52:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:52:00.000-04:00You know, considering the fast and easy availabili...You know, considering the fast and easy availability of various agents' submission guidelines; the voluminous amounts of advice on how to write a stand-out query; and including the harder to find but very helpful tips for writing a good synopsis...as far as I'm concerned, the query/submission process has always been the EASY part. <br /><br />It's not rocket surgery!Sarah J. MacManushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03430266551248332700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-41644220467957115192009-04-22T11:41:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:41:00.000-04:00I've had to jump through plenty of hoops for other...I've had to jump through plenty of hoops for other jobs. A Certified Professional Nanny earns top dollar for a darn good reason! <br /><br />What I gleaned from that experience is that 'jumping through hoops' is one more way to prove you're willing to do all the hard work and follow the rules, thus reassuring those concerned you're capable and can be relied upon.<br /><br />I only ask that agent and editors keep their guidelines clear and up-to-date.Kimber Lihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03982239712083114488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-57410550773740369042009-04-22T11:32:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:32:00.000-04:00*bangs head on desk* Darn typos!*bangs head on desk* Darn typos!Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15060752369115661100noreply@blogger.com