Friday, May 11, 2007

Thanks, But No Thanks

I'm probably not supposed to publicly report my failures in the writing world, but oh well. No one's looking anyway, right?

So I got my latest rejection on Leftovers. If you're keeping count, that's only about three or four. Drop in the bucket according to those in the know. Still...it's disheartening, isn't it? This particular agent read the first 50 pages. She had nice things to say. Very nice things. Even *almost* specific enough to lead me to believe the letter was tailored to me, but I'm no dummy. It was a form letter. I'm wondering now if agents have their A, B, C, and D letters.

Y'know. Like D would be:

Dear Author:
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read your chapters. Unfortunately, (insert one here: my list is full right now and I'm not taking on new clients and/or I just didn't feel passionate enough to get behind the work). As you know, the publishing world is totally subjective; another agent might feel differently, so I encourage you to continue your search (or words to that effect).

Letter C is more like the one I got today:

Dear Author:
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read your chapters. Although you write well, the plot is well-conceived and the characters are well-drawn, I just didn't feel passionate enough to get behind the work. Cue the rest of letter D.

Letter B is one I don't seem to be able to get:

Dear Author:
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read your chapters. Although you write well, the plot is well-conceived, and the characters are well-drawn, I just didn't feel passionate enough to get behind the work. I do love your voice however, and feel your work has promise; do you have other material I can look at? (An alternate to that last sentence is the one that reads thusly: please feel free to send me anything else you have.)

Letter A is the one I've only gotten once (well, outside of the ebook I sold, which I'm not counting):

Dear Author:
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read your chapters. I find I remain interested in this project and would like to see more. Please send the entire manuscript.......

Sigh. Moving on.

Oh, I submitted an 800-word piece to an anthology yesterday. Got some positive feedback, but nothing's a slam dunk, is it?

3 comments:

John said...

At least you are out there pounding the pavement, sort of to speak. Don't give up.

Kari said...

Maybe you should try courting the American University in Cairo press. But before you do so, make sure to throw in some orthographic or grammatical errors, because that seems to be all they'll publish.

Seriously though, keep at it... "To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

Glad you're enjoying my blog! :)

Randy said...

Thanks for dropping by, Kari! Hey, folks...I've pointed you in her direction before, but be sure to go get updated. Kari's latest foray took her to...well, let's just say bullets flew.