Hiatus from the agent search...when rejection starts to interfere with writing

beck_magruder · Apr 17, 2014

Found out this morning that I didn't make the cut in not one but two pitch contests I entered into recently, both of which were announced this morning.

Have sent out probably 25 queries with only 1 request for a full, which was ultimately rejected (granted I still haven't heard back from about 1/2 of those, but I don't take that as a good sign).

I feel like my writing is good, but I'm wondering if my story is too generic. But the point is, all this rejection is making me less and less excited about finishing it (and before I get yelled at, YES the manuscript is finished, but it's a trilogy and I'm almost done with the third book; the other two are done). I'm writing this because I love to write, yet I find myself getting wrapped up in the "I NEED TO PUBLISH" craze and it's not good...

On a side note, should I stop admitting in my queries that the novel is part of a trilogy? I feel like that's getting me automatically rejected by people who don't want to take a chance; but I also don't want to lead agents on, so if they request a full, and read it, and think "WHAT? IT'S NOT FINISHED!" and then they're especially angry with me...

OK, so I'm rambling. This was just not a good way to start my morning.

But I'm thinking of just taking a hiatus from trying to find an agent, to sink back into my writing and get it finished. Then maybe I can pitch it as either a trilogy or a reaaaaally long novel, and agents can take their pick.

UGH.

Calla Lily · Apr 17, 2014

If you're thinking you need to take a break from the query-go-round, then why not? Publishing isn't a race.

About querying an unfinished trilogy... I wouldn't. Query one book, and make sure it can stand alone. Then when you talk to an agent, you can tell him/her about the other two, and when he/she pitches the one book to pubs, he/she can mention all 3. But... make that first book stand completely on its own.

Good luck!

beck_magruder · Apr 17, 2014

That's the thing, though, it can't, really...unless I completely reorganize it, and add a "fake" (or less important) plotline. I suppose I could, and it would be a good challenge, but I would worry about it just being filler.

It does have its own intro, build-up, and climax, but it definitely ends with the idea that there's much more to it than that. Sort of the way The Fellowship of the Ring can't stand alone.

I actually had been thinking about that a lot this morning, and how I could make it stand alone and be more marketable to agents/publishers. I suppose I should finish the third book and then go back and restructure the first. I CAN DO IT....

And thanks for the encouragement.

Calla Lily · Apr 17, 2014

Thing is, LotR was written as one big, honking, epic doorstop. It was artificially split into 3 volumes by the publisher. Also, that was in 1937. The rules have changed.

I like a good trilogy, and do check in with the SFF forum on this, but I think current advice is each volume stands alone.

Finishing the whole thing and then restructuring is an excellent idea. Going back to a JRRT interview I read awhile back, he said that when he finished, he too went back and rewrote it all from the beginning based on what happened throughout. So you're following in established footsteps.

Chris P · Apr 17, 2014

Dude, I could have written your post. Except for the trilogy part, you aren't saying anything I haven't thought about my own work. I absolutely hate querying and I suck at it. I realized today I have been querying one work for a full year now, but I'm only averaging about one query letter every 10 days or so. Only one request for a full.

Is it my letter? My agent selection process? What am I doing so wrong that seems so easy for everyone else? My query letter has been through QLH three times, and the beta readers say I have a strong opening and a good story. What's wrong with me? What's so catastrophically wrong with me that is so obvious nobody will even tell me? *dissolves into a sobbing ball of bitter, bitter tears*

Now that I've identified, I'll fall back on what those in the know tell me: 25 query letters is nothing, only one full request in 25 queries is no big deal (but MIGHT, or might not, be a sign of a bigger problem), and not hearing anything from half of the agents is about par (I can vouch for that one!). Don't give up five minutes before the miracle happens.

beck_magruder · Apr 17, 2014

Calla Lily said:
Thing is, LotR was written as one big, honking, epic doorstop. It was artificially split into 3 volumes by the publisher. Also, that was in 1937. The rules have changed.

I like a good trilogy, and do check in with the SFF forum on this, but I think current advice is each volume stands alone.

Finishing the whole thing and then restructuring is an excellent idea. Going back to a JRRT interview I read awhile back, he said that when he finished, he too went back and rewrote it all from the beginning based on what happened throughout. So you're following in established footsteps.

Hmm, I actually didn't know that. I knew all three were published in rapid succession (which suggested to me that it was finished all at once), but I didn't know it was a publisher move. Ugh, and I call myself a Tolkien fan!

Thanks!

And Chris, good luck to you on this "quest" as well. I don't think I knew how hard this game was when I first got into it, but man, ain't no better way to kill self-esteem than querying.

whiporee · Apr 17, 2014

Beck, write the book as a stand-alone. Don't leave a cliffhanger; end the story the characters are in, if for no other reason than to be fair to your readers -- say they read it, love it but the publisher doesn't want to do the other two. You've screwed them. I think things that can be a series are great, but each one needs to be able to live and breathe on its own.

And don't talk about the others in your query. You're trying to make them want to see this book. That's all.

I think we tend to think of the query as an entity of itself. Others may disagree, but the book matters a lot, and if the premise is intriguing, then the query will be as well. So make sure the book works before you even start querying. And after you start querying. And after you get an agent. And after that agent submits to publishers and the next round of fun rejections begins (if I seem bitter, that's because that's where I am right now). Be sure the book works before you do anything else.

aus10phile · Apr 17, 2014

whiporee said:
Beck, write the book as a stand-alone. Don't leave a cliffhanger; end the story the characters are in, if for no other reason than to be fair to your readers -- say they read it, love it but the publisher doesn't want to do the other two. You've screwed them. I think things that can be a series are great, but each one needs to be able to live and breathe on its own.

And don't talk about the others in your query. You're trying to make them want to see this book. That's all.

I think we tend to think of the query as an entity of itself. Others may disagree, but the book matters a lot, and if the premise is intriguing, then the query will be as well. So make sure the book works before you even start querying. And after you start querying. And after you get an agent. And after that agent submits to publishers and the next round of fun rejections begins (if I seem bitter, that's because that's where I am right now). Be sure the book works before you do anything else.

I second this advice, and will add -- since I don't think anyone has said it yet -- spend some time critiquing queries in Query Letter Hell on this site. Then post yours for critique. If you have a strong query, you should be doing a bit better than 1/25 I think (though it only does take ONE ultimately). Because even if you make book 1 stand alone and your query isn't doing it justice, you may not get requests. Good luck with whatever you decide! No harm in taking a break if that's what you need to do.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 17, 2014

Make the first book a standalone. This is frequently done with trilogies, and it really isn't difficult. But if you aren't getting requests for fulls, your query is definitely a problem, however the books are written.

beck_magruder · Apr 17, 2014

Well, I think part of the problem is I've said in each query that the book is part one of a trilogy. I think that had been hurting my chances. I do plan on posting my query in QLH as soon as I reach 50 posts and am allowed to.

Phaeal · Apr 18, 2014

If it's a trilogy, it's a trilogy. Distorting the first book to make it look stand-alone isn't necessarily going to up your chances.

Stop querying and complete the trilogy if the process is really wearing you down. Otherwise, just keep pushing that first book. Took me 281 tries to find the right agent. Others here have had even longer searches.

Routine is your best friend, both in number of queries per week and number of words per writing day. Stick to each quota and rant in between, on your "own" time.

Hiatus from the agent search...when rejection starts to interfere with writing

beck_magruder

Beck

Calla Lily

On hiatus

beck_magruder

Beck

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

beck_magruder

Beck

whiporee

aus10phile

committed plantser

Jamesaritchie

beck_magruder

Beck

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.