Well, just in case I might be getting a swelled head over finding an agent (to match the various swelling hives everywhere else), today the first of the few houses she'd submitted the work to rejected it. It was a nice rejection, but a rejection nonetheless. Still, there are more places we have yet to hear from, and more to submit to after that.
Whee!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Ah, The Sweet Smell Of Rejection
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15 comments:
You posted on Oct. 7th you have an agent and already she has submitted your manuscript to publishing houses? Whoa, that seems really fast. Or maybe it's not and that is normal, I don't know.
Did Jessica ask for revisions before signing the contract? Or do the revisions come during the process of submission feedback? Or are no revisions being foreseen?
It'll come. Was this this bead series she sent around?
Ah, yes. It's good to get that first rejection out of the way.
Makes the acceptance you'll get all the sweeter.
Alex -
I have no idea how fast agents usually submit work when they sign you. Since the book is complete, I assume it's easy enough for an agent to send it out...the sooner it's out there, the better chance it has of beating something similar into editors' hands.
Revisions: at this point, Jessica isn't making revisions. She tells me that the publishers probably will, though she is trying to sell the book on proposal + first three chapters. I have a friend who won one of the St. Martin's contests who tells me her editor asked for *major* revisions, so who knows??
Having never done this before, I can only assume that it's "normal!"
Yep! Beady, beady, beady.
LOL! Good way of thinking about it, Leah!
Laura,
The idea of selling a book based on a proposal and 3 chapters and then letting the publishing house decide on what if any revisions are needed sounds really logical given the editors may well ask for revisions in any case. And you might as well do only one set of revisions if needed.
I was just curious because the agent I had and broke with asked for revisions first which led to 4 months of work and then she flaked out on the selling angle.
I think agents do things differently. Or put another way, some are logical and effective and others aren't.
Oh, Alex, that sounds like a NIGHTMARE! Sounds as if you were right to break with that agent.
Hi Laura,
My friend, Deb, said when I got my first agent rejection, "Well, isn't that better, I mean, what kind of story would you be able to tell if the first agent you queried picked you up?"
So, I'm with Leah on this. I, too, am glad you got that first rejection out of the way.
It's all coming together for you. I can just feel it.
Terrie
Rejection smell like trying to me.
Hmm, Terrie, never quite looked at it in that light!
Travis,
Yes, very trying. Just kidding.
Laura- Houseguest just left, so I'm late to this party, but was that beady, beady, beady comment for us crusty geeks who remember Buck Rogers in the 21st Century?!
Ah, I can practically smell the hot spandex on the cool soundstage...
I always figure the nice rejections are a sign you're not being treated like a talentless hack but like a pro whose current project may or may not fit in with the house's near-future plans.
P.S.[Fingers remain crossed.] Lucky I can type this way.
P.P.S. GO SOX!
Laura, you've made an incredible leap towards publication by gaining representation. That's an accomplishment in and of itself. Trust the process and trust yourself. Remember, too, that publishing is first and foremost, a business and decisions to accept or reject reflect business and current markets. Best of luck in finding a suitable house.
Felicia Donovan
Author, THE BLACK WIDOW AGENCY Series
www.feliciadonovan.com
Thanks, Felicia. I am really not all that upset about the rejection and I think partially that's because the rejecter is a nameless, faceless editor. It was much harder to deal with agent rejection since I only submitted to those agents I'd met! And Jessica is fabulous, so all I can say is if the publisher works out as well as she did, I'll be very happy!
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