That sucks. Well, I suppose if you had stuck with her, she wouldn't have the enthusiasm that you deserve for your work.
Favorite rejection quotes
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That sucks. Well, I suppose if you had stuck with her, she wouldn't have the enthusiasm that you deserve for your work.
"Oh, it's you again."
From a classic pulp magazine that had been through a recent revival at the time.
From a classic pulp magazine that had been through a recent revival at the time.
Favorite worst rejection
Marion Zimmer Bradly is famous for her scathing collection of form letters. My favorite was from many, many years ago, to a not very good short story I submitted:
Suspension of disbelief does not mean hanging it by its neck until dead.
Lol. I can look back and laugh now...
Marion Zimmer Bradly is famous for her scathing collection of form letters. My favorite was from many, many years ago, to a not very good short story I submitted:
Suspension of disbelief does not mean hanging it by its neck until dead.
Lol. I can look back and laugh now...
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Hands down my favorite from recent rejections:
"Feel free to seek representation on future projects elsewhere."
That's a quality rejection. She not only rejected that novel, she wanted to be clear that I wasn't to submit to her ever again.
"Feel free to seek representation on future projects elsewhere."
That's a quality rejection. She not only rejected that novel, she wanted to be clear that I wasn't to submit to her ever again.
Hands down my favorite from recent rejections:
"Feel free to seek representation on future projects elsewhere."
That's a quality rejection. She not only rejected that novel, she wanted to be clear that I wasn't to submit to her ever again.
If it makes you feel better, I've seen someone else report the exact same rejection. I think this agent tried to combine two ideas in one sentence and never bothered to proofread. With this attention to detail, maybe you're better off without her.
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Hands down my favorite from recent rejections:
"Feel free to seek representation on future projects elsewhere."
That's a quality rejection. She not only rejected that novel, she wanted to be clear that I wasn't to submit to her ever again.
LMAO damn.
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I had a similar experience. An agent read the full of one of my MSs, rejected it after two R&Rs, but left me with a note that she would be happy to look at anything I sent in the future.
I sent my next book, she rejected it after another round of R&R, and closed with mentioning that another agent would probably love my work.
I queried a third novel a year later, and she said that while the query looked intriguing, given her experience with my work in the past she wasn't interested.
Ouch ouch ouch.
Needless to say, I'm not querying her with my fourth.
Oh, and how could I forget the response to a query that just said "Me too." When I asked -politely-what the hell that meant it turned into a form R.
I sent my next book, she rejected it after another round of R&R, and closed with mentioning that another agent would probably love my work.
I queried a third novel a year later, and she said that while the query looked intriguing, given her experience with my work in the past she wasn't interested.
Ouch ouch ouch.
Needless to say, I'm not querying her with my fourth.
Oh, and how could I forget the response to a query that just said "Me too." When I asked -politely-what the hell that meant it turned into a form R.
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Thank you for your submission. However, it is not the right for [Publisher Name]. I wish you the very best.
--after noticing the typo, I felt less bad about being rejected.
--after noticing the typo, I felt less bad about being rejected.
Is it better to get a rejection rather than silence?
I have an odd respect for someone who will (virtually) flip me off to my face, but the "wait and see for 6 weeks and then if you haven't heard from us, well then, guess what you lost!" is way more aggravating. Misplaced hope is a killer (especially for the OCD/more buoyant among us, who have to check our emails several times a day, because you never know). I just got my first rejection for a query and it was in a record 24 hours, with a "we are extremely selective even about review materials" (I presume she meant the chapter I posted in my query email) but I was strangely flattered that she even took the time for that.
I have an odd respect for someone who will (virtually) flip me off to my face, but the "wait and see for 6 weeks and then if you haven't heard from us, well then, guess what you lost!" is way more aggravating. Misplaced hope is a killer (especially for the OCD/more buoyant among us, who have to check our emails several times a day, because you never know). I just got my first rejection for a query and it was in a record 24 hours, with a "we are extremely selective even about review materials" (I presume she meant the chapter I posted in my query email) but I was strangely flattered that she even took the time for that.
korrinblue
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My first on R on a requested full about one month ago. Kind of reminded me of my first time with an older woman:
I have carefully reviewed your material, and I regret to inform you that we will not be offering to represent your manuscript at this time. While I think that you have a terrific and promising project here, I believe there is still some more work to be done editorially. Perhaps we are not the right agents for this one....
I have carefully reviewed your material, and I regret to inform you that we will not be offering to represent your manuscript at this time. While I think that you have a terrific and promising project here, I believe there is still some more work to be done editorially. Perhaps we are not the right agents for this one....
I recently got "Your book is too long" for a part of an epic saga which has 177k words. I found that one rather funny. But I know that there are books that are longer though?
For first-time authors books often have to be either under 100k (depends on genre exactly how much under) or painfully outstanding, so good they're like a punch to the gut. It might just be that this book didn't fit the particular editor. It can't hurt, though, to go over the first chapter or so and make sure it doesn't run overlong in places--make yours a lean epic, where there's lots of detail and every bit counts.
"I'm afraid that I'll be passing. The writing just didn't impress me, but I trust another agent thinks otherwise."
Um, okay. Can I ask from whence that trust is springing?
Um, okay. Can I ask from whence that trust is springing?
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My rejections have been pretty standard--nothing terrible. However, Jenny Bent has awesome rejection letters (that sounds terrible). She's so nice that when she lets you down, you almost feel happy... I recommend everyone getting rejected by Jenny at least once
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I haven't received a "no," but I have received a "No thanks." And you know what? I like it better than a no response, and I can't imagine it takes any longer for the agent.
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My favorite rejections:
First runner up: A chicken-scratch felt-tip markered "NO" on a Post-It that was stuck to my query. And the Post-It had a big coffee ring on it. Ew and aggravating.
Winner: I'd subbed a partial to an editor at one of the Big Six who rejected it, and added a snarky little "you need to pay better attention to details" on the rejection.
She spelled my name wrong.
Surprisingly, she is no longer in publishing and I went on to receive an offer from Samhain for that book.
First runner up: A chicken-scratch felt-tip markered "NO" on a Post-It that was stuck to my query. And the Post-It had a big coffee ring on it. Ew and aggravating.
Winner: I'd subbed a partial to an editor at one of the Big Six who rejected it, and added a snarky little "you need to pay better attention to details" on the rejection.
She spelled my name wrong.
Surprisingly, she is no longer in publishing and I went on to receive an offer from Samhain for that book.
dondomat
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This is my favorite rejection for the first half of 2013
Hi XXXXX,
Thank you for your submission and for thinking of YYYYY. I looked over your manuscript and am quite impressed. You have a gift with the written language. Unfortunately, I don't think we are the right publisher for this particular story. We haven't done well with books in such a large category. It seems that YYYYY does well with smaller sub genres like DD, F/F, M/M or other smaller genres. I would hate to sign your book and not be able to give it justice. I think it belongs with a publisher that does well in your genre.
Although, if you ever decide to write in the genres we seem to do really well in, I would love to see what you have. Like I said, you have an amazing storytelling voice.
Thank you,
YYYY
...This letter was a good excuse to gulp down a bucket of coffee and then roll around on the floor in contradictory ecstasy.
Hi XXXXX,
Thank you for your submission and for thinking of YYYYY. I looked over your manuscript and am quite impressed. You have a gift with the written language. Unfortunately, I don't think we are the right publisher for this particular story. We haven't done well with books in such a large category. It seems that YYYYY does well with smaller sub genres like DD, F/F, M/M or other smaller genres. I would hate to sign your book and not be able to give it justice. I think it belongs with a publisher that does well in your genre.
Although, if you ever decide to write in the genres we seem to do really well in, I would love to see what you have. Like I said, you have an amazing storytelling voice.
Thank you,
YYYY
...This letter was a good excuse to gulp down a bucket of coffee and then roll around on the floor in contradictory ecstasy.
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Many of these are hilarious! I haven't subbed anything yet, but this almost makes me look forward to the rejections I'm sure to receive.
Almost.
Almost.
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