An X user (who I’m not convinced is real) recently posted a screed against literary agents for having the temerity not to represent her. It came off as pathetic.
I’ve had ups and downs in publishing, but I never entertained the idea of attacking agents. Is it frustrating to get rejected? Of course! But if you’re serious about publishing, you understand rejection is part of it. It’s part of any artistic field. It’s a part of life!
During my time querying (and even at one point getting an agent), never did one treat me unprofessionally.
What good would it do me to attack an agent because he or she passed? Who does it benefit?
If you post it on X, you’re broadcasting to the world “please, don’t ever consider working with me!”
Yes, you blew off some steam and feel self-righteous. And? You’re still unagented, and likely never will be.
Good luck out there to everyone stuck in the query trenches. Be strong. Above all else, be a pro.
An agent rejected me this morning. I saw the QueryTracker address in my inbox, felt the sense of doom that usually rears its head whenever I open a QT verdict from an agent, and then noticed something.
It was personalized! There was even a typo in it! Nothing major, and I don’t call it out to cast any aspersions on the agent–it was an open ( without a close. Any writer has had typos slip into his or her work; it’s a fact! Get over it. It doesn’t make them bad!
Simply put, the agent took the time to write some thoughts, specific ones!
Here’s what stood out: the agent said that I was a good writer based on my opening pages.
NEVER have I gotten a rejection that commented specifically on my writing. Speaking for myself, that’s the one thing I worry about above all else when an agent renders judgment: Is my writing any good? Is it up to snuff? I’d like to think I can string coherent sentences together without dreaded to-be verbs and go easy on adverbs/adjectives.
But until someone tells you, you don’t know.
The agent explained why the book might not be the best fit for the market, and that’s what gave pause.
Fine. I’m a big boy. I get how this business works. But I felt relief, in a sense. Not that I’m suddenly Faulkner or anything silly like that, but that I might have a puncher’s chance. Or not. It’s a brutal business, but I’ll navigate it with a little more confidence now.
If you’re a querying author, you must know about Query Tracker or else you have no idea what you’re doing. It’s a helpful author resource for writers to query agents representing their genres and easily keeps track of to whom you’ve submitted, and also archives who’s rejected you, and who’s requested material, and whether you’ve received an offer of representation or publication. Publishers (mostly smaller, independent ones) also use it.
That’s the love part. Not long ago, writers either emailed their material (and some agents still require this; it’s made clear on their profiles) or snail-mailed their queries with a SASE. One of QT’s popular features is a form many agents use, allowing authors to enter all pertinent information and requested materials (synopsis, first chapter, query letter).
Then there’s the hate part. The rejections. If you’re an author who’s been through the query trenches, you understand rejection comes with the territory. Those agents who use the QT form tend to reply, and mostly use form rejections that are emailed to you with QueryTracker in the subject line. And whenever I see that in my inbox, I get this sense of doom. Why? Because I know it’s a rejection. I’m going by experience here. And I’m not complaining. This is the business I have chosen. You simply delete and move on because the agent’s already done that with you. That’s the harsh reality because most reputable (and disreputable) agents receive hundreds if not thousands of queries a month.
But you must do it. I received a material request from an agent I found on QT, but it didn’t work out. So, there can be a positive outcome, if not the desired one
Some agents ask for the bare basics: Name, email, Book Info, Query, and sample material.
Other agents pose several questions for the author to answer (some are optional). That was my experience with an agent I queried recently. I was asked: How long have I been a writer? What’s my biggest strength as a writer? What’s my biggest weakness as a writer? What genres do I plan to write in the future? What inspired me to write my manuscript? What is my favorite part of the story? Why do I feel this agent is the right fit for me?
Personally, I love the agents who ask these questions (not many do, and this agent asked by far the most). Some authors might be put off by this, like, why does the agent need all this info? What’s the point?
Those authors are idiots. Does answering them require more thought and time? Yes! But I found that answering them made me think about why I started doing this in the first place and got me to reflect on my good and bad experiences in the publishing industry. Never has an agent asked me about my favorite part of the story, and it got me thinking. I answered honestly and enjoyed it because I remembered writing the dialogue and laughing along the way! And most importantly, putting in the time and effort to answer all the questions made me believe in my work even more. Corny as that sounds, it’s true.
I hope the agents who ask these questions read all the answers before rendering judgment because writers personalize themselves more if they take the questions seriously, and give an agent a clearer picture of the querying writer.
In the end, do I think the agent will ask for more material? My gut tells me no simply because it’s been my experience. I’m a grim realist, and I attribute this to living in New Jersey.
But whatever the case, I’m glad I was asked, and if answering those questions can help tip the scales, by all means answer them!
Be professional, take the time, think about what you’re typing, and don’t cut and paste generic answers you might have concocted for simplicity’s sake!
In the end, you can and will get your book published. Be it traditionally, indie-trad, or full indie yourself. The journey might have bumps along the way. Learn from them. And keep moving.
For the first time in at least a decade, I’ve reached out to a New York Times bestselling author to hopefully endorse a book I wrote.
It’s a new form of the querying process. You don’t like doing it, but you must. And it’s not that you dislike asking a particular author for this favor. You look up to these writers. They inspired you.
The prospect of rejection weighs on you. But as Hyman Roth of Godfather II fame once said, “This is the business we have chosen!”
So, it’s out there. Others will join it at some point, but you must start somewhere.
If you’ve ever queried a literary agent, you know what I’m talking about. Rejection is a part of every writer’s life. Some sting more than others. The sting subsides, though. Usually, after you fall asleep and wake up the next day. You keep a wary eye on your inbox and can guess the result (rejection) accompanied by a feeling of doom when you see a QueryTracker reply from someone you queried. On QT, if you’re familiar with it, you know that a red frowny face appears on your query if an agent rejected it. You wonder whether there’s a green smiling face out there.
Buck up. It’s life. You gotta have a thick skin. Getting rejected by an agent is a lot worse than getting picked apart in Publishers Weekly. I was thrilled to see my work had been reviewed! (Then I read the review.)
And today wasn’t necessarily a bad day for me. Yes, I got a rejection, but it rolled off me. The sting comes when you begin questioning yourself, your ability. If you’ve done everything you can to perfect your manuscript, paying a professional editor to give you the god’s honest truth and then heeding advice to fix it, revising the manuscript (and having tons of fun doing it because what the editor said was spot on and you discover ways to fix things), then keep going. And always remember you are not alone.
As of right now, I have 51 subscribers on WordPress and fewer than that on Twitter/X/Evil Elon. I have an Insta account, but I don’t post photos of meals I’m about to eat (I like to paint, so I post them on occasion). I have no idea who most of you are, but I thank you sincerely for sticking with me after years of inactivity. There’s a reason I’m poking my head out of my shell: I’m an author who hopes to get a book deal this year. I know, join the club.
I’m previously published through independent presses and even garnered praise from several New York Times bestselling authors and Bram Stoker Award winners. I’m also terrible at publicity, but I would like that to change. I mentioned a book I hope to get published. It’s humor-based, and that’s my calling. I’ve written supernatural thrillers, horror, and straight crime thrillers. Most, if not all, of them had elements of comedy in them, but stayed more along the serious side. This new one, a Krampus novel, is rooted in satire and humor. The sophisticated kind, not the lazy bathroom variety.
My options are as follows:
Query literary agents (which I’m currently doing);
Submit to independent presses that accept unsolicited manuscripts (also in the works);
Go it alone. Take the plunge. Become a true Indie Author and publish it myself.
The third option is the most daunting because I’ve never done it before. Fortunately, though, writers have this option. If you’re an indie filmmaker, you need to buy/rent a bunch of equipment, scout locations, hire actors, and probably a million other things I cannot think of. How do you distribute the film without studio backing? I have no idea, but filmmakers do it because they love it and want to share it with the world. Do they want to make money? Sure, that’s part of it, but not the primary motivator.
That’s where I am. I’ve written a book I love and believe is funny, and I want to share it with the world and give it the best chance to reach readers. The Big 5 publishers are the best way to do this. But like with everything in life, that ain’t easy. You need a literary agent to get your work in front of them. And it’s challenging to get one. But it’s not impossible. I had one years ago for a book I wrote, but we weren’t able to get a deal. That’s fine. It’s called dying on submission. Happens all the time. I ended up getting it published without that agent (who literally vanished on me).
I’ve neglected this blog for years, and it’s my New Year’s Resolution to post something every day. (That’s not difficult, actually. I mean, I could post a sentence that reads “This is my post for the day,” and it would qualify.) But I’d like to share this daunting journey of rejection and hopeful acceptance with readers. And if I go it alone, I will explain what I’m doing and why I hope it works. If you’re an indie author reading this and have thoughts, advice, or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you. Likewise, if you’re an agent reading this, I’ve probably queried you or someone in your agency. Hello.
The one thing you won’t get from me is complaints about the publishing world, like, it’s so unfair!
Grow up!
If you’re endeavoring to succeed in the arts or any competitive field, you will be rejected. Be professional about it. Don’t act like Johnny Fontane.
Please give it a look and feel free to subscribe/follow if it strikes your fancy. And if you’d like me to follow back, please contact me, leave a comment below. I’d be happy to chat. It’s a vast world out there, and I hope to meet a few of you.
