You Liked It, Everyone Loved It, But Editor Passed

Rejections suck!

I fully understand it. You have put your heart and soul into your book. Your critique partners loved it. Your beta-readers loved it. You got connected with your agent because he/she loved it. But the editor passed on the story.

So what happened? 

This is something I have often written in rejection letters after I pass on a story. Too often, it comes down to a subjective call. There are just times when the writing just doesn't connect with the reader. 

So what do you do when this happens? I recommend the following steps"

NUMBER 1 - SCREAM, COMPLAIN, YELL, CRY and/or EMOTIONALLY EMOTE

NUMBER 2 - Re-read the letter and see if it was something to do with the writing, or something subjective.

NUMBER 3 - Move forward. 

Rejected Again? It May Be Your First Impression

One of my favorite quotes is from the Head and Shoulders Commercial: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Now, while this is often talking about the visual image you give to someone, it may also be the reason why you are getting rejections, despite the fact that your story may be pretty good.

Let's start first with some statistics from your standard job search market and then translate this to the publishing world and your submission packets. I did a quick search this AM on trends to get exact numbers on this. According to one survey, the researchers talked to over 2,000 hiring managers roughly 1/3 new they would or would not hire someone within 90 seconds of meeting that person. In another study, researchers found that employers knew within 30 seconds if the person even had a chance of getting hired. 

These studies also looked at how they read resumes. On a consistent basis, researchers found that recruiters often skimmed a resume for about 6 seconds. Now that many places have gone to automatic tracking systems or ATS, the algorithms were able to find or eliminate people at a quicker pace because of the words and phrases the utilized within their submission packages. 

I know what some people think. This is not fair. Employers are eliminating people without truly giving that person a chance. And yet, this is not a situation of being fair or not. This is a situation of natural human instincts. Add in the fact that employers are looking at a lot of people, the reality is that in the hiring process, they cannot simply say that they will devote 30 minutes or more to fully reading and getting to know those potential new hires. 

I would also add that while you might think it is not fair, you do the same thing all of the time in your real life. You make quick decisions about people in the grocery, on the street and even in church. 

So, let's talk about the publishing world and how you might really be hurting your own chances.

YOUR EMAIL

Surprisingly, your email says a lot. You may have created a really fun email address at one time. You were in college. You wanted something fun! Maybe you just wanted to set yourself apart from your friends and show your "personality." That's fine, but if it sends the wrong image, you may have just ruined your chances. sexybod@hotmail.net might not be the way to go. Why do you think so many authors have moved to using their name in their emails such as scotteagan@scotteagan.com? Looks a bit more professional. NOTE: THESE EMAILS ARE 100% MADE UP!!!!!!!

YOUR PSEUDONYM/NAME

So, you decided you didn't want the rest of the world to know you are an author (not really the smartest thing but oh well). Maybe you are ashamed to tell the members of your church you write erotica (OK, maybe that one might factor in). In any case, you have decided to go with a pseudonym. There is nothing wrong with doing this. However, if you are going by a name because it "reflects your personality" or "the style of your writing" you might be hurting your chances. Honestly, the biggest area I see this are the people writing fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, steampunk and so forth. In simple terms, if you name makes you sound like a freak, then maybe?????.....

Along the same lines, if you are someone who has decided to go with the single word name because, hey, it worked for Oprah, then again, you might be hurting yourself. Are you really at her level and status? Probably not. 

The same goes for nicknames. In this case, and yes this will sound stereotypical, it is often the men who do this. Your frat guys gave you a nick name, or maybe you earned it in the military Scott "Bucky" Johnson. You know what I am talking about here. There is nothing wrong with that name among your friends, but what message is this sending to the editors and agents? 

Here is a small one as well. If you want to write using your initials only (J.K. Rowling) that's fine, but when you write your letter to editors and agents use your name. It makes it a lot easier when writing back. "Dear R.L." or Dear Mr. Langston.

 

YOUR BOOK TITLE

Now let me just say to not obsess over your title. The odds are, it will change along the way. Still, if you have chosen a title that is awkward or sounds stupid, you will likely not get yourself very far. Keep it as neutral as possible. You write historical and decide to go with "The Sexy Squire and Voluptuous Virgin" might be a bit too over the top. 

THE BUSINESS LETTER FORMAT

Yes we talk about this all of the time, but is your letter professional. Does it look good? Does it give the right impression? Do you talk about your book and your writing career only? 

Honestly, I reject a lot of people when I start hearing things such as:

• I hope I get this right.
• This is my first time and I am still learning.
• My last three agents couldn't help me/
• My three cats loved the story

Or my single pet peeve of authors talking about themselves in third person. 

In the end, the best suggestion is to look at your submission material before sending it out. Would you hire you, without ever knowing you or your writing? 

Common Tips That Promise You A Rejection

Are you someone who loves rejections? Are you that person who loves to brag at conferences of how many rejections you have received, or you have that completely manufactured list of great authors and the number of rejections they had memorized? Then wait no longer. I am going to provide for you today, at no cost, a list of guaranteed ways to get a rejection letter. And who knows, maybe you'll get a stack of "no responses" too which are equally as valuable a rejection letter!

1. Attaching your query letter to a blank email. Um, do you really think we'll open up an attachment like this in a time of internet insecurity?
2. Proclaiming your greatness and telling us we will be sorry to pass you up.
3. Talking about Aliens
4. Telling us Oprah or some other major author is considering your work. (I have actually had people tell me an author, who is dead, was considering the work)
5. Slamming another author, editor or agent. 
6. Providing the comments from other editors or agents as to why they rejected you for this same project.
7. Lying
8. Simply telling us to go look at your website to get all of the details
9. Telling us you have amazing sales but never giving us numbers.
10. Swearing or rambling on like some deranged person and then trying to justify that rant as an artistic expression and passion that simply cannot be contained.
11. Send us something we don't acquire (OK, I get this one is serious but it is a guaranteed rejection). 
12. Resubmitting the same project over and over again with a different name.
13. Sending out one letter and then cc'ing all of the other people you are sending it to.
14. Calling us by the wrong name (Hint, my name is NOT Mr. Greyhaus)
15. Telling us you love all of our authors but not knowing who they are, or showing us that your genre (see #11 above), which doesn't match, is equal to their writing.
16. Trying to justify that even though we don't acquire your genre, it is worth the effort.
17. Adding our email to your mailing list
18. Submitting your project in a fashion we don't want.
19. Complaining after a rejection (this will be for the next time you try)
20. Slamming us on social media and thinking we won't see it.

That should float you for the weekend.

Catch A Clue

We have all seen those psychology experiments with rats. They run to one end of their cage and if they click the right button, they get food. If they click the wrong one, they get a small zap or negative reinforcement. After a couple of tries, the rats learn.

Unfortunately, I have several authors out there who are probably not as "with it" as those rats.

Yesterday, I was working through submissions and stumbled across 3 authors who have submitted to me in the past. In fact, they have submitted A LOT of projects to me over the years. In all of these cases, I have passed on their projects. But here is the thing. I have passed on these stories, not so much because the writing was not good, but because these are projects that are simply not things I acquire.

These authors are like those rats who apparently cannot catch a clue that doing the wrong thing results in a zap.

I know I am not any different than other agents out there. Just because we reject a project does not mean you cannot submit again. Take the information we give you to you and adapt your next project if you truly want to work with us. But we do want you to learn. If I say I only accept romance and women's fiction, then learn from that. If you do not write this, then don't submit your next project to me.

When You Get A Rejection, Who Is To Blame?

Rejections are a tough thing to handle. You have spent months on that project and you think it is the best thing ever, and then the rejections come rolling in. "Are these people idiots?!?!" you scream. Clearly the editors and agents just don't see an amazing story when it sits in front of them. This is clearly why the market is the way it is. And the list of comments run on (I left out the four-letter words).

But the real question here, where does the blame lie? Whose fault is it?

Now, while I am sure there are some editors and agents who might have different motives for rejecting a project, although I can safely that all those I have worked with are genuine, writers have to remember that we are all out to find a great story. When we can find those gems and those books get out to the readers, EVERYONE wins!

The odds are, the reason for the rejection is something happening on your end. Sorry to throw you under the bus on this one, but it is important that we start there.

Let me first begin with a definition of communication. I love this one. Communication is "the getting and the giving of information." This is a two part system. If your story is great, and we did not get it, yes, there can be an issue on both ends. Maybe the editor or agent just does not have the brain for figuring it out. On the other hand, and we hear this a lot, maybe it was the information that you gave to us that might be flawed. Consider

• Your query letter did not give us a true picture of the story.
• Your synopsis was really not giving us the complete picture.
• Your first three chapters really did not set the scene for us.
• Your pitch was pathetic (I know, this is harsh, but it is often the truth)

We have to make a decision on your project from what you send. If that information is not strong, it is not our fault. You cannot simply say, "If you read the whole story, you would get it." No one would have the time to do anything else. 

That query letter is just like any other cover letter and resume you send out for a job interview. You have to "get in the door first." You have to "make that employer" want to meet you face to face. Screw that one up, you will not get the interview, or in this case, the request for more.

The next thing to look at is really the quality of your writing. Yes, you love your story. You put your heart and soul into it, but the truth could be, the story might not be that good. It could be your writing.

When I request more of a project from that initial query letter, I can see the story could have promise. But, when I look at the reading, a lot of the time, the execution is just not there.

• The writing is forced
• The writing is lifeless
• The author chose an approach that does not work with the story
• The writing is elementary
• etc.

This is where I have to get a bit real here. There are some people out there who are natural storytellers. They can put a pen to paper and get a great piece of writing every time. But, unfortunately, that number is small and for many writers, this is a skill that needs to be learned. It is a skill that needs to be practiced and will take time. And this is where the "self-publishing" programs out there are really misguiding authors.

"Do you have a story to tell? Do you want someone to publish it for you?" These programs imply that everyone can be a successful published author. What they are really saying is that everyone can put something out there, but they cannot promise everyone will be successful. 

For many authors, they need to take the time to learn to write. Ask the majority of successful New York Times Best Selling Authors and they will all tell you their first story is still sitting in a file cabinet. It is bad! So, that rejection you are getting might be the truth. Your writing is not that good..

So, before you start throwing the blame on other people. Take the time to examine your end of the equation as well. If the mistake is on your end, this is something to work on fixing. 

Sometimes It Is Just a Subjective Call

I know that authors always want to have a reason why we reject a story. I get it! "If I can fix something through revisions, maybe, just maybe the story will be right." But that isn't always the case. Sometimes, the decision to pass on a project is purely subjective. It just didn't work for us.

There are a lot of times when I see a premise of a story and it sounds fantastic. I request additional material and yet, when I read the story, it just doesn't work for me. Structurally, there is nothing wrong. The writing is fine and the plot is fine. But the connection between the story and the agent/editor is just not there.

I am sure you have read books and seen this as well. When you are finished reading a story, your only comment is, "It was a book." Not bad. Not good. Just there. That is what we are talking about.

For an author, you want someone who is going to be 100% behind your book. You want us raving so much about the project that we cannot stop talking about it. But if it isn't there, for you as an author, it isn't fair for us to take on that project. If the passion is not there, we may not be able to market it the way you want.

I will tell you, as an agent, when I get projects like this, I do go back and take a look a second time. Even as I get ready to write the rejection letter, I look it over a second time. There is a chance that maybe I was in a mood that day that kept me from becoming engaged in the story. Maybe I had just read a string of really bad projects. Who knows?

So, if you do get a rejection letter that doesn't give you much to work with, understand that is the nature of this business. Sometimes it just doesn't work, and that is the best we can do.

The Publishers Weren't Open To My Story Idea - That's Why I Was Rejected

I love going to writing conferences and simply people watching (and certainly listening to people). It can be amazingly insightful, and certainly at times, entertaining, to hear how writers view the publishing world. It can be even more insightful to hear why some people think their stories were rejected.

One common thing I hear over and over again, especially when it comes to authors moving to the self-publishing market is that "publishers wouldn't take their books or their ideas." This is often extended to the fact that their stories were so unique that publishers just didn't want to take a chance with the book. On the extreme end, we hear that "the publishers weren't willing to expand their thinking about what they wanted to publish."

I do believe that many of these authors are missing a couple of points about the submission process and what the editors are looking for with those submissions. I should also add here that this same idea extends to agents as well.

THEY HAVE A MARKET THEY WORK WITH I have brought up this point before. Publishers (as well as agencies) have specific markets and specialties. They focus on selling a certain product to their consumers and those readers have come to know what to expect in those products. They have carved out their own individual niche in this huge publishing world. Some publishers focus on more of a literary voice. Some focus on a lighter and easier read. Some focus on the quirky. The point is, if you submit a story that is not what they are looking for, you will get a rejection.

I know I have rejected people in the past because they have submitted a story that isn't a romance or women's fiction, or even if it was a sub-genre I do not represent (such as sci-fi romance). I then get an email telling me they submitted in the hopes that I would have a "bigger vision" and that I might just "change my business model" because their writing is so good. Ummm, would you tell a hardware store they should reconsider their marketing plan because you want to sell lingerie there? I don't think so.

THERE IS NO MARKET FOR YOUR BOOK - Look, I get you like your book. I get you enjoyed writing it and you have a passion for it. But, with that said, this is a product the agents and editors are selling. If there really isn't a significant market for your book out there (beyond you and your friends) then guess what, the story will not sell.

I had someone once pitch me a series of books that were romances set in the RV's. Their rationale was that there are a ton of people out there into the RV thing so therefore, this was a built in market. Umm, no. Yes, people are into RV's but that does not mean there is a huge population out there of people who would buy books set about people in RV Rigs traveling across America having romances.

THE STORY IS NOT GOOD I saved this one for last but it is really one of the biggest issues. I don't care how much time you put into it. I don't care how much you love the idea. Heck, the premise of the story could be amazing. But, if the writing is not good, we are going to reject it. If there aren't great characters, fantastic dialogue, amazing narration, a plot that is worthy, a conflict that is believable and significant, a theme that has a great take-away...then we will pass on it. If you show you have terrible grammar. We will pass on it.

And no, you cannot say that these self-publishing companies will take it so therefore it is good. Self-publishing says that it is all riding on your shoulders.


The point of all this is pretty simple. We pass on stories for a lot of different reasons And yes, many of those reasons are sitting on your shoulders as an author. Editors and agents are not out there passing on your stories just because we hate you, or we disagree with your ideas and thoughts. There are indeed other variables!

Frequent Reasons I Reject Stories

I saw a twitter post from one of the other agents before the 4th of July describing how many submissions their agency had received, how many stories they requested more of and how many they signed. In this case,  according to the Tweet, the Bradford Agency received around 900+ submissions during the month of June, Out of those they requested 5 partials, and 1 full. She also added that in June she made 1 offer to rep.

I think for authors, these are pretty eye-opening numbers, but in reality, these are pretty consistent across all of the agencies out there. We get a lot of projects and turn down a huge percentage of those. Here at Greyhaus, I just signed a new author (welcome aboard Lynda Schuessler) in June and you had to go back over a year ago to an author I signed from the Chicago conference. Just to let you know, we just sold that book so that one took a year to get to a publisher!

The thing is that we do reject a lot of authors, so I thought I would take some time to highlight the top 5 reasons I tend to pass on projects :

1) Not romance, women's fiction, or something I acquire This is the biggest one and is always the one that shocks me the most. I have tried to be very clear in the material I put out there about what Greyhaus acquires, and yet, I find myself writing so many stories that are not romance or women's fiction projects. This also includes genres and sub-genres that I don't acquire. As an agent, this is probably the most frustrating of all the rejection letters I have to write. The frustration isn't so much of what I have to say, but the fact that it takes time to read the query only to find that the project isn't something I want. And then there is the time it takes to write the letter, record it in the data base... Ugh.
2) Not right for me personally Out of all the rejections, this is the one that I think happens more often than not with most agents. As I have described it here on the blog, this is that subjective nature of the business. As an agent, we have to really fall for a story or the voice of a particular author. Sometimes that connection is just not there. There isn't much an author can do with this one other than to try another agent. As much as you might want to work with one given person, sometimes the story just doesn't fit. Does this mean the writing is bad? Absolutely not. Does this mean the story will not sell? Nope! It just didn't work for me.
3) Poor execution of the story In the middle of the pack of rejections is this one. I find this one happening a lot after I read just a query letter or hear a pitch. Sometimes authors have a great ability to pitch a story, and it sounds awesome. And then, when it is time to read the writing, it just falls apart.
For me, I often find that in those first three chapters (the size of my normal partial I request) the character development isn't enough to really get me hooked.
In some cases, the problem is an issue of the author just telling us what is going on instead of showing us. This happens simply because the author has all of this information in his or her head that they believe the reader needs to know right now! In reality, it just bogs the story down.
4) Premise not marketable In this case, I am looking at whether or not this is something I can sell to a publisher. No here, we have a lot of different potential variables that come into play. It might be a story that is simply going to be a tough sale. When that happens, I may still sign the author but make it known that it will be tough going. That was the case with Jean Love-Cush's story we just sold to Harper Collins. ENDANGERED had to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right editor. In other cases, it is an issue with the word count. Too short or too long becomes an issue. Finally, regardless of how good the writing can be, if the premise is something the market is just not going to want to deal with, then we pass on it.
5) Poor writing In this case, I often don't ever see the manuscript. In most cases, the poor writing comes across in the query letter. Poor grammar, lack of knowledge of basic grammar skills and what not is an immediate problem. As I said, I can catch most of these with the query letter, but in some cases, the author can sneak it past me and I don't catch it until the actual partial comes in.

I think the one thing you should notice is that we are pretty open to a lot of projects. We do keep our eye out for that great story that will make the world stand up and take notice! Laura Bradford's numbers I think are a great testimony of this. We really are looking for some great stories.

A Rejection Doesn't Mean The Industry Is Out To Get You

Rejections from editors and agents totally suck! I get it! As an agent, we deal with rejections all of the time as well and remember, for us, we have to deal with it two times - once when we hear from the editor and once when we have to call our client. Along the same lines, editors and agents often will state that writing rejection letters is not an element of our career that we enjoy. We know you have worked hard on this project. We know of your desire to be published and be successful. We know how much of you is every page of that manuscript. Still, rejections are indeed part of this business. But, with that said, we have to remember that publishing IS a business and it is not an organization of the good ol boys out to ruin the lives of those who are not privledged. A rejection is not a sign of the establishment out to get you.

If you submit a project to me here at Greyhaus because you are interested in agent representation, there will be 5 reasons why I pass on a project.

1. The story isn't what I represent In this case, the rejection comes as a result of poor research on the part of the author. Each agency as well as each publishing house has specific guidelines for the type of project they are looking for. This will certainly include the genre and word count, but it also goes further than that. There are certain characteristics of projects that need to be present. This is not because the business is against outside and innovative ideas. It is simply an issue of marketing the product. Therefore, if you submit something that we don't represent, or acquire, expect a letter. For example, at the time of this blog post, Greyhaus is currently open to only submissions for the Harlequin lines. For a writer, if you are not familiar with the lines, then the odds are you will be seeing a rejection from me. Oh, and by the way...sending a submission to an editor or agent that is closed to submissions, as well as sending a project to an editor that only accepts agent submissions, will result in a rejection.
2. The story isn't right for the current market - The market shifts all of the time. What sells one year may not be the hot commodity on the market right now. Although your writing may be outstanding, if the project is something that simply will not sell right now, you will see a rejection. This goes for both the editors and agents. For writers, it is crucial to pay attention to all of the industry information and see if you have projects that fit the market.
3. The story reads like everything else out there - In simple terms, we are looking for something that doesn't read like a carbon copy of everything else out there. No this does not mean so off the wall and out there. We want that unique twist and voice. I know all of you who have attended conferences have heard agents and editors say this time and time again.
4. The story has flaws in character or plot development, or the writing is poor quality - Obviously this one comes down to the quality of the work. If the writing is poor, then we will be passing on this. Now, with that said, if editing is not your cup of tea, there are plenty of avenues to take to fix this. You can hire book doctors and freelance editors. Heck, if anything, cruise over to the local university and find some creative writing people that might be interested in doing the editing for you.
5. The story simply didn't connect with me This is really the tough one. Sometimes what works for one editor/agent will not work for someone else. You want someone who will be 100% behind your book and simply falls in love with it. There are plenty of times that the rejection is simply due to a lack of connection with the person you sent it to. In this case, it comes down to personalities.

I think the one thing you should note here is that rejections are not coming because:

• You were self-published
• You were in e-publishing prior to this
• Your age
• Your sex
• You might have disabilities
• You're conservative, liberal or whatever
• You are part of one writing group and not another

Rejections simply come down to the story.

Common Reasons For Rejections

Obviously this list is not the ultimate guide to rejections, but it might certainly give you some ideas of why many authors receive those ugly rejection letters. I should also note that this list most likely includes those famous authors we always like to reference when we talk about the number of rejection letters they got (Seuss, Rowling and so forth...)

SENT TO THE WRONG PERSON This one goes back to the same thing I have said here over and over again. You have to do your research. Your writing doesn't fit with every person out there. Each publishing house and each agency has a unique voice and characteristic. But, this idea can be extended even further when it comes to individuals within the agency or publishing house. Each editor has a unique voice. This is all an issue of matching your writing with the right person.

For example, if an editor tends to buy the hot steamy stories, the odds are your "sweet romance" is not going to be something they especially like. There will simply be no connection with the reader and therefore...rejection letter!

DIDN'T READ THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES This one is key. If the person you are sending the manuscript to has a specific word count or list of genres they are interested in, failing to meet those guidelines will result in a rejection. For example, at Greyhaus, the minimum word count for a single title romance is 75,000. Sending me a single title that is 50,000 will be a rejection. Yes, I will look to see if the story will fit a category line, but in all honesty, if you don't know what your story is, the odds are the writing will reflect that.

AVERAGE WRITING This is a sign of the times. There are so many authors out there right now, and yes, the market is still struggling (although we are improving). People are still deciding between buying milk and buying a book. This means we see a trickle down to the writers.

In the past, editors were able to buy books they liked. Now, editors are looking for books that they have to love. Taking a risk on an author is just too risky with the market as volatile as it is. Your writing can be fine. The premise can be OK, but if that is all it is, the odds are you will be seeing a rejection.

SPAMMING EDITORS AND AGENTS We all know everyone does multiple submissions. That's fine. But, one of the biggest reasons we reject people is when we see that you have simply sent the query out to us along with a ton of other editors and agents. Dear agent, editor and/or publisher style letters means you haven't even bothered to see if this is what we want. In the end - rejection.

Don't get me wrong. We do look at the quality of the writing, but these mistakes are ones you can simply control.

Just a nice friendly reminder.

Scott

A Bad Review Doesn't Mean The Reviewer Was Wrong

We all want success with everything we do. We all like to be told what we did was the best thing every. I think we can all agree to this one. However, there are times when we don't hear what we wanted to hear and our reaction is sort of interesting.

When writers send out their projects for review, we all know what they want! We want to see those 4 and 5 star reviews. We want to be told this project was the best dang thing out there and no one has ever or will ever read anything like this. Now here is the interesting twist. When authors get those comments, they run around and tell everyone. We want to brag about those critiques! That's fine! I have no problem with that.

But what happens when the book tanks. You get a bad review. Heck, maybe you get several reviews that are less than favorable. The response is often far different. Instead of reflecting on the quality of the book like you did with the great review, the focus shifts from the author and the book to the reviewer. Clearly the reviewer was wrong. Clearly the reviewer was out of touch from reality and didn't know their butt from a hot rock.

While this does make us feel better, there is something to consider here. Maybe that person was right. In other words, a bad review isn't always wrong, just because it wasn't what we wanted to hear. Publishing is a very public business and success of the authors depends on people liking their books. There will be times when your stories just aren't right. So, instead of playing the "blame game" listen for a moment. That negative comment may just be right on the money.

I want to also note that this idea can also extend to authors submitting projects ot editors and agents. Getting a rejection doesn't mean that editor or agent was wrong. If one editor or agent likes a project and the other doesn't, we cannot automatically make the statement that the rejecting editor or agent was off the mark.

I know this is tough to consider and digest, but I think we have to force ourselves to accept this reality. Besides, if we can learn to listen to those less than favorable comments, just maybe we can improve as a writer.

Scott

Sometimes We Just Don't Like It

Like most editors and agents out there, one of the toughest jobs we have is writing those rejection letters to authors. Now, I know that some have simply given up on the whole rejection letter approach. Their idea is if you don't hear back from us, it is a no. Obviously, if you have been on this blog before, you know I don't agree with that. Others, have simply taken to using a form letter that says the project just didn't work for them. Everyone gets the same letter. Again, not something I fully agree with, but there is some merit in this approach.

I do find when I am writing letters back to the authors, I end up using many of the same phrases over and over again. Honestly, there are only so many ways to say the story lacked the depth of character and/or plot development. But the one answer I want to focus on today connects back into that comment I made in the prior paragraph about projects that simply don't work with an agent.

There are simply times when we read a project and there really isn't anything wrong with it. Plot is fine, premise is fine, writing is fine, and I am sure the author is a pretty good person, but for some reason the story simply didn't connect with us. This is a tough one for the author receiving the letter because he or she is trying desperately to make that first sale and make improvements with their writing. The problem here is that there might not be anything to improve or fix. The story just didn't work.

As an author, you want an agent who really loves your story. You don't want milk toast here! You want passion for a project. Regardless of how good the writing may be, there are simply times when the story itself (for no particular reason) is just ho-hum for us. No, adding plot isn't going to fix it, adding more sex scenes isn't going to do it. It is just "there" to us.

Don't get frustrated with this one. Letters like this might simply mean you just sent the project to the wrong person. Move on and see what happens.

Scott

Sometimes We Pass On Really Good Projects

There is a common misconception that rejections only go to stories that have flaws. While this is true in many cases, there are those rare occassions when we have to pass on stories that are really good.

So why do we do it?

You have heard me say in the past that as an agent, we have to look at the marketability of the stories. No only are we looking if the story will sell, we also have to look at whether or not as an agent we can sell the story effectively. In other words, is this a project I would know what to do with?

This is really a tough situation. When I get these, I often find myself really struggling before finally sitting down and writing the rejection letter. One side of me tells me the story is worth really finding a place for it. The other side keeps telling me that while the story is really good, it isn't fair to the author.

Each agent has his or her strengths and weaknesses and sometimes, those weaknesses are enough to keep us from wanting to take on a project.

In the end, this rejection is really a good thing for you. Remember that you want an agent who can really represent your story to those editors. An agent can take it on, and yes, there is a chance they might be able to sell it. But as an author, you want the best deal. That might only happen if it comes from another agent.

Have a great weekend.

Scott

Your Writing May Be Good But...

Agents receive a ton of submissions daily. Obviously some more than others. I think, however, it is important that writers understand why we want to look at more of some projects and pass on others.

Frequently, writers will stare at that rejection dumbfounded. "How could Scott have passed on the project when he hasn't seen the writing?" Or, "He only read part of the story and decided to reject it. I don't get it?"

There are several things to consider here. First of all, and this is something I have brought up before on the blog, readers are not going wait around for the story to get good. The story has to hook us early on. This can be with great description, great dialogue, fantastic action... it really doesn't matter. Something has to do it. Now, obviously if the writing in those early pages isn't strong, or we see some trends and patterns in the writing, we will pass on it.

I will say there are some times when we keep reading because there is something in it that still keeps us thinking there might be something there but we can't put our finger on it. This, unfortuntely, is not the norm.

But what about those situations when a writer only sends a query with no manuscript. Maybe they just send a synopsis. How can an agent pass on that project.

In this case there are several reasons for this - the premise isn't something we represent or can market, or it is something that just doesn't intrigue us. In other words, we don't care how good the writing is, the premise is the thing working against you.

Obviously, if you send me a project that I don't represent, then a rejection is easy. At Greyhaus, I don't represent many genres. The rejection is an easy one. Sometimes though, a writer sends us a story that does fit that genre, but the idea behind the story is something that editors might not be looking for, or is simply not marketable. Remember this is a business and we are dealing with market analysis. In other words, a story can't just be well written, we have to be able to sell it.

The other issue with a story not working with us deals with a gut instinct or just a preference. This business is very subjective and what works for one person may not work with someone else. As an agent, we have to really love the idea behind a story to want to sell it and push for it. When I see a story premise that just doesn't sound exciting, then I won't be able to fairly represent it.

I know that many of you writers might be saying, "Well, I'm just not good at writing a query. Maybe I just didn't explain it right."

I have two things to say to this. First of all, you are in a profession that requires "effective communication skills." It is your responsibility and obligation to convey an accurate message to the reader. Secondly, if you can't tell me what your story is aboout, the basic premise and idea, then you may have an equally large problem with your manuscript.

Rejections are tough - both to write and to read or hear. But it is the nature of this business.

Hopefully this perspective will help some.

Scott

Why So Many Rejections?

In the last couple of days, I have really worked through a marathon amount of submissions. Some were e-queries and some were the partials from prior queries. As much as I would like to say otherwise, the vast majority of those projects were rejections for further material. Now, the questions many writers have when they hear this is simply, "why did you request it in the first place?" or, "So if you liked the story, why can't we work to make it better?"

There are several factors here that come to play.

THE INITIAL PREMISE OF THE STORY WAS GREAT - In this case, the writers have drafted a fantastic blurb for their book. In this case, it is simply like reading the back cover of a book and saying "Wow, this sounds fantastic." But like books, how many times has the premise been great but when you start reading, you wonder how on Earth the book was even published. The same happens here.

In these cases, the writing was the weak element. One comment I frequently tell writers is that with today's market, the writing has to be both strong and have a great premise. You can't get away with just one of the two factors (until you become famous that is).

THE BOOK FELL APART - This situation is where the beginning of the story is really off to a great start, and then something happens. We have talked about this with writers that frequently submit to contests. Those first three are amazing due to the amount of time the writer spends on it, as well as the number of people who have critiqued it. Something happens though and the steam and energy of the story is lost in chapter 4 and beyond.

THE STORY ISN'T WHAT WAS PITCHED - In this case, the story blurb in the query was just a glimpse of the total book. When the author sends me the additional information for the story, either in the material they add to the cover letter with the partial, or with the full synopsis they send, I see what was left out. For example, I recently had a writer send me a great manuscript from a foreign country. I loved it. I was excited. But then I found it was already under contract with another publisher (in this case it was not a self-published author). This was a small oversight and certainly not something I would hold against the writer, but you get the idea.

So in answer to the questions we started with... Why do I ask for more material? The answer is simple. There was something in the initial writing that sounded like a story that would work. It is that gut instinct. In some cases, it might simply be a type of project I am currently looking for, either because I see a gap out there in the writing, or because an editor is requesting the material. Now, if the writing isn't up to snuff, then the rejection happens.

As for the second question of why we don't work with mediocre writing, that one is a bit tougher. Sure, there are writers that we will sign because we see something in the writing and we know we can fix it. But for the most part, agents cannot take the risk on working with an author that is just coming to us with an extreme outside chance. I have always like Miriam Kriss's comment that "a maybe means no." It may sound harsh, but with the number of projects we see, we simply can't take on all the maybes.

I think one additional thing to remember is this. Consider the demographics. Publishers have shifted more of the burden for "screening the slush pile" to the agents. There are far less agents out there than publishers. Combine in the fact that each agent will work with only a select number and you get the idea. Over 9000 writers in RWA alone and everyone is fighting for the same writing slots.

Yes, this might seem discouraging, but it is a reality. If you get a request, relish the moment. It doesn't mean you are closer to being published, but think of it as one small step. Sure you may get a rejection, but learn from it and move on to your next project.

Off to wrap up some more projects.

Scott