Updates on a round of submission reading

This weekend, like many agents, I spent the time reading and getting caught up on submission readings as well as working on my current client's WIP's. I thought today I would give you some insight into my thoughts on many of the projects I read this weekend.

Out of the stack (the pile I did yesterday was 1 1/2 feet tall) I rejected nearly all of the stories. I did find one that I wanted a full for so there was a positive side there. I also found a couple that I wanted to see more just to verify some things. Still, the majority I read were rejections.

Now this should not come as a surprise to authors out there. Agents and editors reject more projects than we sign all of the time. But, what I think I find interesting is that the reasons I give for rejection tend to be the same time and time again.

The list for yesterday...

* Weak Character Development Here is what I see with projects like this. I honestly think the writer had an idea for a character but that was it. They never really sat down to figure out what that character would actually think like and behave like. In these stories, I had external descriptions of the characters and I watched them move on the page from one activity to the next but that was it.

* Lack of depth (my all time favorite) I really wish I didn't have to write this one but it always comes up. The lack of depth issue deals with how much access the writer is giving us to the world they have just created with these characters. If I am left with a ton of questions about the chararacter, setting, plot or theme, then I am missing the depth necessary to draw us in. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying to give us all the answers at the beginning, but if I have no clue where I am, or who these characters are, or why they are out killing someone so soon, then we have problems. Books are to be savored (even fast reads). That happens with depth.

* Forced writing The issue of forced writing often comes from two groups of writers. Beginning writers that have just finished their first novel and are already trying for the NY Times list, or those authors that are writing the "Great American Novel". These writers have wordsmithed the hell out of the manuscript in the attempt to find the right phrase and the right wording to describe the creme brulee. Paragraphs go on and on rambling about something that could be said in a sentence or two. And please, don't let me get started on the use of similes and metaphors. Looks a little is fine but a lot kills us.

* Great writing but same old, same old I have talked about this one. Editors and agents can't simply find stories that are just well written. We have to find something that is unique as well. In this case, I most of the "same old, same old" comments went to historical regency writers and romantic suspense writers. Why? Because according to the loops, they were "hot genres" about a year ago and now that wave is pounding heavily on our shores right now.

* Premise was great but the story fell apart With this one, there were again two different types of stories. The first simply came from writers that spent a ton of time on chapters 1-3 but from 4 on, the editing and thought simply wasn't there. Simply put, the quality of the writing decreased significantly due to the lack of attention on the craft side of things. The other group here fell apart with the from the initial premise through the end. This is where that synopsis came into play. A great idea was pitched but from the material given to me, it was clear the writer realized he or she didn't have enough to write about so they started adding "stuff". Plot lines went in 20 different directions, themes were added, second and third level characters and plot lines were created. Ugh! Stay focused people.

I want you all to know that when you get a rejection, you aren't unique. Unfortuntely, many more of you got that same letter with the same comments. Does this mean it was a form letter? Nope, you just had the same mistakes.

Scott

Form Letter or Regular Response - What do you want?

OPTION A

Dear A______,

Thank you for submitting your story for consideration. It is just not right for us.

Best of luck with your writing.

J. Editor

or

OPTION B

Dear A______,

Thank you for submitting your story to us for consideration. I am afraid this story is just not going to work for us. The writing is shallow, the plot line is weak and there is just not much in terms of the narrative to want me to keep reading this story.

Sincerely,

J. Editor

So, which one do you want to receive in the mail?

I hear time and time again how writers hate getting the "form letter" response for their submissions. They have slaved over that manuscript for months (and sometimes years) and they wanted to receive more than a form rejection.

But do they?

I have to say that writing rejections is not a fun task and one that I will frequently try to avoid as long as I can. I understand that writers have a thin skin and hearing that the story is awful is not fun for anyone. With that in mind, I have to say there are times when we get submissions that are really awful. There is no nice way of saying it other than "what was this person thinking?" What's worse are the days when I get more than one of those in my pile of submissions to read and respond to.

I don't want to have a suicide on my hands after a person gets one of my rejection letters so sometimes, we have to resort to the "form" response. We want to save you and our conscience from a fate that we really wouldn't want to see.

Now, I do know that there are agencies and editors that use the form response for all that they get. Why? It's really rather simple. They get so many submissions from people, some good and some awful, that a personal response for everything is humanly impossible.

Of course, in my head, I see an easy solution to this but that is for another day. The point that I do want to bring up though, is to appreciate the response you get from the editors and agents that take the time to give you a response. Send them a quick note and thank them. I did this just yesterday when a project was passed up. I called and told the editor how much I appreciated the time taken on the response. It was a small gesture but you know something, every now and then we want to hear those things.

So, next time you get a form letter, consider the source. Don't blow it off and if you have a thin skin, think that the form letter came because they were swamped and the competition was fierce in that batch of submissions.

Publishing is a 7 day a week business

Break? What's that?

In the publishing business, there is simply no time for a break. This is one of those jobs that require the participants to be thinking work all of the time.

Editors and agents work all day in the office and then return home to do more work. This weekend, for example, I have a load of work on my plate.

1) Finish a critique
2) Prep for next weekend's conference and presentation
3) Read submissions
4) Read and respond to the online Marketing Your Fiction Novel Class (if you haven't checked this out yet, visit the website. Next class starts in Sept.
5) Respond to e-queries.

And then we have the work around the house:
1) The two oldest kids have two swim meets this weekend
2) The youngest has her swimming Saturday morning
3) Have to make a trip to the grocery
4) Might make a trip to Nordstroms
5) Catch up on professional contacts outside of publishing
6) Mow the lawn

Writers.... I don't want you to let up either. Every single day, you need to do something for your writing. Write a chapter, outline the next scene, research something for your character, market you upcoming book, set up a book tour, update your website, and if you are a great friend of mine from RWAOL, be like Claire and start packing your shoes for Nationals!

What has Scott been doing today?

This was one of those days when I felt as if I did nothing but work my butt off and at the end of the day, or at least at 2:00 when I had enough time to land and write this, I feel as if nothing has gotten done.

This type of day is actually one of those pretty typical for most agents. I woke up this morning thinking I just had a few "loose ends" to tie up. But with everything, when you finish one project, 20 more creep up and scare the you know what out of you.

On the task for the rest of the day?

1) Finish up reading and critiquing one of my clients new writing projects.
2) Hopefully get to reading a stack of submissions (although for some reason I see that happening this weekend).
3) Get to a critique from a chapter.
4) Verify that all is up and running for the online class beginning next week.

That should keep me busy for a while