Blogger: Rachel Zurakowski
Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
I received a rejection for a client’s project on Friday. Interestingly, all of the editors’ responses to this book have been just about the same.
The rejections look something like this: “I really enjoyed reading this project. I can see why you love it. I’m probably making a huge mistake, but I’m going to have to pass. You should have no trouble finding a home for it!”
What do you do with fifteen rejections like that?!
Here’s my response as an agent:
First, I’m encouraged. This book IS good. I’m not the only one who likes it! (Even agents need encouragement at times.)
Second, I’m baffled. Why am I the only one willing to take a chance on this project? It’s a great book! Then I remember that the reward is much greater if you have to work hard for it, so I’m encouraged again.
Third, I take action! There are many things to do in the face of these positive rejections. For this book, I took another look at the proposal and project to see if I noticed something that could be improved. I reviewed my query to see how I presented my client. In this case, I noticed that a possible selling point hadn’t been included. I also went to the subscription-based website, Publisher’s Marketplace, to see which publishing houses are acquiring debut novels in this genre. It’s such at tough market that publishers taking on debut novels are few. Then I wrote to a couple of the editors who had rejected the project to ask what might have helped them to take the chance, and I’m looking forward to the responses.
I bet many of you are in this same place with your projects. You’ve sent out queries, proposals and manuscripts that have received positive feedback from agents and editors, but nobody seems to want to take a chance.
What do you do?
I’d love to hear from you!
What do I do? Much the same thing. I also face this probably almost on a daily basis. It can be depressing for an agent as well as his client. Do we give up? No. We do eventually run out of editors who might be interested, however. But we do continue to try until reaching that point. As Rachel said, agents face much the same problem as writers–we also face rejection and no matter how positive the response, it’s still a rejection.
I haven’t been in the same position, but my friend who is an amazing writer is going through the same thing. She has a great agent who LOVES her book, yet they keep getting back similar sounding positive rejections. I’m hoping my friend’s agent will be as proactive as you!
Thanks for sharing this!
Be encouraged. Those are great rejections!
Press on!! Thanks for this post!
There’s a lot to be said for respect. These rejections don’t hurt like “normal” rejections.
well…OK. Since you asked… 🙂
I do exactly what you did. I look at it, and try to see what’s lacking. And then I look for feedback from fresh crit partners. Can you send the book to fresh readers to find out if they think it lags anywhere?
I can only think that a book is turned down because the agent or editor doesn’t think he can sell the book (to the publisher or at the acquisitions meeting or to the public).
So, I look at the premise and see if it’s fresh. And then look at that first chapter. Is it reaching out and grabbing the reader? Is there a character who wants something and who is actively going about getting the thing he wants in the very first chapter? Or is there a compelling story question in the first chapter?
If the premise and the first chapter work then I look to see if the rest of the book delivers on the promise I’ve made in the first chapter.
I look at chapter starts and chapter ends to see if the reader is compelled to turn to the next chapter each time.
After that I look at the ending to see if it’s satisfying and if I bring my reader full circle from the beginning and if the character has grown emotionally and if the theme has been embedded and is not riding along the top and calling attention to itself.
When I have looked this closely at my work, I have always been able to find where any given manuscript is lacking. (And they all are lacking–wouldn’t it be nice to write a perfect book?)
I’m surprised that CBA houses don’t want to take chances on debut authors. In the ABA, debut authors are in a good place. They are much better off than published authors who haven’t sold as well as expected. Everybody is looking for the next big thing. And with a debut author there is always that hope that this one be the one.
I have a project that I’d been circulating to different agents, but, I kept getting such glowing, positive rejections, but nobody wanted to represent me for the project! I finally took the bull by the horns and started submitting the project to publishers myself (I’d made some contacts at writers’ conferences.) It’s still too early to tell if my submitting my project to publishers directly will have a positive result or not…we’ll have to wait and see! 🙂
I know what you mean. But just from the agent point of view. I have been trying to get agents to handle a book of mine. All I have gotten has been a lot of rejections, but many of those same agents have remarked on how good the book sounds. This is in at least 9 or 10 cases. Seems like the problem is now spreading to agents, because the publishers are not taking chances.
a lot of agents say to me
So Many Positive Rejections: An Agent’s Response | booksandsuch.com roy@gigemail.net