Why Greyhaus Doesn't Tend To Look At Revisions

Writers often ask, after getting a rejection letter from most editors and agents if they can make changes to the story and resubmit. Let me say, this is a GOOD question to ask. If you received some great feedback it is worth the shot! Make sure to take copious notes from the feedback, and get that revision back quickly. For a partial, you should have those changes back within 2 weeks max!

Now, with that said, why is it that I don't ask for revisions from authors here at Greyhaus? I do want to add a bit of a note to this. I have asked for revisions in the past, and I am sure there will be a time that I ask for revisions again. It also does not mean that I will not consider the manuscript (later). Let me explain. 

If I totally love a person's voice but the story has issues that I think might be too huge to gamble on, I will tell the person in the letter. But I also say, if there is a second project that I like and works, we can always go back and revisit the other project. What I want to see in that second project is if the author can translate the revision comments into the newer work. Essentially, can they grow?

But there is also another reason. I almost always note that if a story doesn't work for me, it might work for someone else. This is that subjective side of the business. I do not think it is fair to the author to tell them I want revisions, commit all of their time to me, potentially reworking a story, only to hear no again. This is even more true if the story really would work for someone else. I personally think your time and effort could be better spent working on a newer project that incorporates the things I noted, or finding someone who is a better fit. 

There is also a side of this supports the editors and agents. If we gave you all of these revision notes, you do those and then take it to someone else, while that might be great for you, for us, we just gave away our service for free. Editors and agents are already doing a lot of that with contests, and even signing an author and waiting for that book to sell. 

Still, in the end, if you get comments from an editor or agent. ASK. The worse you get is a no. So move on. The bridge has not been burnt yet and you can still come back to that editor or agent with an even better story!