How Successful Are R & R's?

Undercover

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Well, she just got back to me and now she wants all these new changes. I found it disappointing that all she said to my revisions was that it was good, but she still wants more. I'm afraid she's just nit-picking it now. And I don't agree with all the changes she wants me to make.

I fear that if and when I do make these new changes, that still won't be enough. She's not even my agent.

I told her how I felt and that I was overwhelmed in all the changes she wants me to make again and that I'll think about it. But I just don't agree with it anymore. The first revision I agreed with wholeheartedly and now this one, well like I said...I still don't think (even if I were to change it again) that she'll want to represent it.

I still have a partial and a full out, so maybe I'll wait. What do you guys think?

(oh, she just got back to me and said "I wish you the best of luck." and that's it. So ya see? She wasn't that interested enough to say, well I'll be glad to work with you on it or whatever...) Oh well.
 

kaitie

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What is she supposed to say? You basically said you'd think about it (which makes you sound uninterested) and blew her off. She isn't going to go beg you to come back. No one would, even if they were enthusiastic.

Personally, I would have just made the changes I agreed with and discussed the ones I didn't and given it a try. My agent had a whole list of changes to make after he'd already had me do an r&r, and it didn't strike me as odd, honestly. Granted, he'd signed me at that point, but even if he'd come back asking me for them before that, it wouldn't have seemed that strange to me.

Anyway, you've already made your choice and acted on it, so I'm not sure what we can say that is supposed to make a difference, unless you just want us to agree that you said the right thing. Personally, I would have given it another go, but if you don't feel like the changes are worth it, then it's not something you should do.

Not really sure what you want from us.
 

heyjude

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Sounds like you already have your answer. Wait and see how the other requests go and keep querying.

As far as "She wasn't even interested enough...", agents have plenty to choose from. Sad but true. If they see you as difficult to work with, they can just move on to the next writer that grabs their attention.

Personally, if I really liked the agent and thought we had a good rapport, I would have made the changes I agreed with and at least tried the ones I didn't love to see how they'd work. But if it doesn't ring true to you, it doesn't, so... move on!
 

Katrina S. Forest

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Undercover, I get why you're frustrated. Getting a second R&R feels like running a mile, getting your best time ever, and then getting told, "Really nice. But do you think you could cut another 30 seconds off that last time?" On one hand, you're farther than you've ever been before. On the other, you just don't see how you have the strength in you to do it again and do it better.

I had an R&R with one agent that made a lot of good points. It was early in the process, so I halted queries to other agents and spent more hours than I care to think of "re-visioning" the book. The R&R was a no, with an invitation to submit future work. I went on querying the new version of the book and now I'm back with another R&R from a different agent.

Sometimes you just need some time and distance to look at the book with fresh eyes. While I'm not sure, "I'll think about it," was the best choice of words, I don't think you burned any bridges either. Set the manuscript aside and work on something else for a bit. Then come back and read the comments again. They might be more helpful than you originally thought.

As to your concern that, "She wasn't that interested enough to say..." You don't know why she wrote what she did. Don't go around making wide assumptions based on a single sentence. You'll drive yourself crazy. Assume she really did mean to wish you the best with whatever decision you make and move on.
 

Undercover

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Thanks guys. Yeah, I pretty much got the answer already. I did say I would think about it. It wasn't like I said, no I can't. And it is really hard to wrap my head around a whole load of new revisions when I just did all that.

I still believe in my gut reaction. There were some posters that even said if I don't agree with the revisions than don't do it. I still think she was nit-picking on too many characters and not focusing enough on the MC.

Well, it's over now anyways. Perhaps as time passes, I will revise again. But I don't think I was wrong in telling her how I felt.