Blogger: Rachel Kent
Believe it or not, agents don’t actually enjoy rejecting people, but it’s part of the job. I think it’s my least favorite part of my job. I often do all of my rejection emails and letters on the same day each week, and I never feel good about that day when I go home. It’s not fun to think about crushing the hopes of so many writers. The agents I know never set out to be insensitive when it comes to writing a rejection to an author, but sometimes we sound as if we don’t care just because of the number of rejections we have to send out. It’s humanly impossible for an agent to represent every good project that comes along; so we have to evaluate each project using these criteria:
1) Is the project something I’m excited about?
The best representation comes from an enthusiastic agent. I want to be excited about my clients’ projects, and my clients want me to be enthusiastic about their writing.
2) Could I show this project to my established network of publishers?
Every agent has a network of editors and publishers whom they’ve established relationships with. These editors and publishers are usually interested in the same type of material the agent is; so the relationship has been built on a mutual love for certain genres or topics. Agents want to represent books that could be shown to many different editors and publishing houses in their preexisting network because the possibility of selling the project is higher.
3) Could I work well with this author?
The author-agent relationship is very important. There needs to be mutual respect and trust between them for the relationship to last. I have a phone call and exchange several emails with potential clients before I offer representation. I try to get to know them as much as I can because I would much rather be very careful about whom I work with than having to end a relationship because it didn’t go well.
4) Can this author write well and revise if necessary?
I look for clean writing in submissions and often will suggest revisions not only to help to improve the project but also to see if the author is willing and able to make revisions. It’s understandable that authors don’t want to change their “babies,” but when I see changes that need to be made, I want clients who are going to trust my judgment and do a thorough and professional revision.
If the answer is “no” to any of these criteria, I’m going to choose not to represent that writer. When I send a rejection, I hope that author will find the right agent for his or her project; I want every author to succeed.
How do you handle rejection? Have you ever had to reject someone’s work? How did you feel about it?
Rachel, I’m glad you addressed the fact that sometimes you ask for revisions before representation. I’ve much to learn in these areas … I’d heard that was an easy rejection (nothing easy about rejection). So, I’d wondered and been confused about that.
Shelli, I once had to do two full rewrites before a terminal No.
Yeah, Andrew … that’s the disheartening part. I’m sorry. 🙁
Shelli, thanks. It was disheartening, and I think the hardest thing was coming to grips with the impression that my commitment was seemingly seen to be limitless, while the agent’s place was to Sit In Judgement. (I hasten now to say that the agent was NOT part of Books and Such).
* My perspective was flawed; my work might have become something worth publishing, but it’s not the agent’s place to nurture. She/He had to make a living, and could devote no more time to my efforts.
Your attitude is so encouraging and contagious. 🙂
Thanks, Shelli. Speaking specifically to you – if I may – I believe that your writing is working hand in hand with the Almighty, to bring a transformation and transcendence of faith.
* Never, ever quit. God is already signed on as your representative.
Andrew, thank you. I’ve had a hard week. Thank you for taking me by the shoulders and keeping me on track. 🙂
Shelli, it’s an honour.
*So often have you wiped the mud and blood from my eyes, and gently held my face to the Light of the Lord with your heartfelt words!
Glad that was useful! 🙂
I don’t mind rejection. It’s just a part of life. And I try not to justify my attitude by the “well, if she said no, there’s a Yes waiting for me…”
* Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. Sometimes you do your best, and you fail. Live with it.
* I have had to reject people who were highly skilled and very highly motivated. Unfortunately, the qualities they lacked – generally falling under the aegis of ‘circumspection’ – would have led themselves, and others, to extraordinarily unpleasant death.
* I found it best to give them ways to find apotheosis, if that was what they truly desired, along other paths.
You have a good attitude about it! It hurts me to have to pass on just about every project.
Rachel, thanks for sharing the angst that agents (and some editors, I suppose) experience when rejecting a query. As someone who’s been on the other end of that exchange, I’ve often wondered if an agent ever sees a change in a writer they currently represent, and what it takes for them to end the relationship. This must be even harder than an initial rejections.
Yes, breaking an author/agent relationship is also hard. Some circumstances are worse than others and it’s always nice when the relationship can end on good terms.
Rachel, thank you for an honest look at rejection from an agent’s point of view. And also for pinpointing the areas you look at as deal-breakers. This is very helpful.
You’re welcome! Have a great weekend!
Thank you for the thoughtful and organized way that you go about this, Rachel. Although we hate getting the rejections, it is good to see how the process works and where they are coming from.
One thing about rejection…it’s personal, and that’s a GOOD thing.
* We all have our own preferences and tastes, and we all have ‘feelings’ about those with whom we can work, and about those to whom represented work is presented.
* But NONE of this necessarily speaks to the quality or appeal of the work that you, as a writer, have produced.
* “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” was offered to over thirty publishers before it was accepted, and launched with little fanfare. And that small book – less than 10K words – changed millions of lives. And it’s still in print, nearly fifty years on.
* The one person who’s got to believe in your work is you.
The first employee I hired was also the first employee I fired. I learned to be careful who I hired.
* No one likes rejection, but I’d rather be rejected outright than saddled with a relationship that doesn’t work well for anyone. Thank you for this insight, Rachel, and for the reminder that wrong fit doesn’t always equal bad writer.
Rachel, thanks for your heartfelt post. I actually find the criteria you shared encouraging. It’s good to know what you expect in anagent/client relationship. I also appreciate the fact you ask for revisions because it shows you care enough about a writer’s work to make sure it’s the best possible before
submitting it to an editor.
Thanks, Lara!
Rachel, do you ever have second thoughts and reconsider the project at a later date? Sounds unprofessional, I know, but I would think as a Christian agent there might be times when God nudges you in a different direction than you were originally thinking.
Yes, actually, Norma. I’ve had projects that I can’t get out of my head that I have reconsidered long after the fact. Usually they are projects that would be a risk to take on, but I have to take that risk in the end because I loved the idea so much.
Interesting. I’m glad to know it happens. Thanks for responding.
It’s a difficult job of the agent when it comes to rejection. I have been rejected but was grateful the agent ask me to submit and took the time to send me an email. The agent, who is with Books and Such, rejected my work in a most up lifting way. My concern is that the agent might feel uncomfortable when they see me at conferences. They do not need to be.
I have had the thrill of getting accepted Which makes me happy.
🙂 That’s very sweet of you to say. We are all fine with reconnecting with people even after a rejection. Sometimes the next project is the right fit or maybe the publishing climate changes and we are more free to take on a certain project. It’s not that we don’t enjoy connecting with you all in person! We love to see you–especially if you are part of the blog community here!
It’s a difficult job of the agent when it comes to rejection. I have been rejected but was grateful the agent ask me to submit and took the time to send me an email. The agent, who is with Books and Such, rejected my work in a most up lifting way. My concern is that the agent might feel uncomfortable when they see me at conferences. They do not need to.
Rachel, only a psychopath would enjoy deliberately disappointing writers. I think we all understand that agents are just doing their jobs when they turn us down. Of course those people who think God dictated their manuscripts might disagree. 😉
🙂
Rejection is never easy to accept, but there are times when it is necessary. I’m also learning that sometimes rejection leads to a new perspective, growth, and some surprising twists in the path.
*I appreciate you sharing the things you look for before agreeing to represent a client. And I appreciate hearing your perspective when you, as an agent, have to reject submitted works.
Jeanne, that reminds me of the lyrics from Casting Crown’s “Just Be Held” …
Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
I value and appreciate your post. We need to know your thoughts and concerns about rejections. We’re not perfect. I heard today that one agent said, “I’m not looking at your transcript to see how I can publish it, but looking how I can reject it.” This thought scared me, but it’s not going to stop me. Because I have been following you and the other agents on Books & Such, I rest in the truth that not all agents are made the same.
Thank you! Yes, not all agents are the same. Some are much more business focused and others care about the relationship, too.
Rachel, I’m going to offer an entirely untutored thought…please feel free to atomise it
*One thing that may be worth considering is that agents and acquisition editors are ‘professional evaluators’; their decisions have to be based on issues broader than enjoyment of a work, and personal preference. They’ve got to look toward the future, and hazard guesses on what will sell in two years’ time.
* They’re definitely a different breed of cat from your beta readers…and, of course, praise from betas means nothing at the monetary end of the trail, but this still does not have any real bearing on the merit of your work.
* Betas can be wrong…but so can be professionals. Look at how many highly-touted films with massive budgets sink after a ho-hum opening weekend.
I agree with this. A project can be great, but it can be too risky to take on, but taking a risk can also pay off hugely. Like The Shack, for example. It was rejected by so many, but turned out to be a huge bestseller. And the opposite is true too, we can think a project will sell easily and then it doesn’t or it does sell and the book doesn’t do well after all.
Back in college when I was considering being a professional writer someday my roommate told me if you don’t have any rejections you’re not a professional writer. She was right, although lots of publishers don’t even let us know when things are rejected today. I know they’re busy, but I still think that’s rude.
I’m guilty of not letting people know, but typically it is because I actually like the work and I’m hoping the right time will come along to take on the project. I need to do better about handling this though!
I appreciate this thoughtful look at a tough subject. Thanks for sharing.
And I’m sorry for this difficult aspect of your job.
I once sang on a worship that had graduated past “we’ll take anyone” to a solid core of singers. One guy, though, had ZERO in the way of vocal skills, but he’d been around when no one wanted the job. So, instead of telling him “thanks, but we’re moving in a different direction”, the sound people simply killed the guy’s microphone just as church started. For YEARS.
No one had the heart to tell him he was awful.
That was worse than actually sitting him down and graciously and kindly telling him the truth.
The humiliation of being “carried” for years (seriously, YEARS) and then finding out he was a pity hire would have been far harder to deal with than the loving truth.
Nobody wants to be a pity hire. Especially someone who think’s they’re good.
For me, the honest rejections were much easier to deal with than I thought they’d be.
They were still very hard, but at least I knew the truth.
Yes, but sometimes…I worked with a pity hire who literally no one else wanted, and he was dreadful. Almost killed me once.
* But the thing is, he was OURS. His pay, and having to cover for him, was the price of loyalty downward.
* He thought he was good. He wasn’t. But he made us better in the calling for us to love him, and carry him.
* I don’t know if he was humiliated when he found out, but in the years that followed he demonstrated loyalty back in any way he could. If you needed a jacket, he’d be the one to go cold.
Case in point…the chap of whom I speak once decided to dismantle an old petrol tanker with a cutting torch, with predictable results. He was blown about fifty feet, and landed like a rag doll because he was so drugged up. When we got him we kept him off the drugs and alcohol, but his judgement was as ‘sharp’ as ever.
I’m rather late to the table on this one, so I don’t know if you’ll even see this, Rachel, but, I’m curious to know: Out of all the unsolicited queries you get, approximately
– what percent receive a “no-response” rejection?
– what percent receive a form rejection?
– what percent receive a personalized rejection?
Dear Rachel, Thank you for your perspective here which is very refreshing. It must be hard to get a “read” on how the relationship will go without testing the waters. I appreciate Shelli Littleton and Jeanne Takenaka’s comments, as well. This process is kind of like taking someone home to meet your family (your valued contacts in this case). Wouldn’t you be cautious about that in your personal life? Of course. So your candor and approach is open and transparent,which is welcome. And the tips are such a help, too, thank you!