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Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.

1 2 3

Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.

Creative writing

Oh god

75 replies

ImperialBlether · 04/07/2013 20:06

Yesterday I got the email I've always wanted from an agent! I won't paste it in here just in case but it includes the words:

Really impressive
Stunning denouement
Powerful psychological thriller
I want to talk to you
Send me the other one (I've written two)

It says just about everything I've wanted to hear - it's been a long time coming but wish me luck!

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ImperialBlether · 16/07/2013 22:46

It's really awful. Mind you if it's bad news, I'll wish she'd taken longer!

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lurkedtoolong · 22/07/2013 17:21

Brilliant news, so excited for you. I just came on here to blabber about what I'm up to and this is just the boost I need. Hope it's going well.

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TunipTheVegedude · 23/07/2013 09:06

Fingers crossed that she gets a move on.

Lurkedtoolong - come on then, tell us what you're up to! You can start a new thread/post on the starting a novel or the editing a novel thread if you don't want to do it on Imperial's.

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lurkedtoolong · 25/07/2013 17:54

Ooops, sorry Turnip . Will start my own thread.

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TunipTheVegedude · 25/07/2013 18:20

I didn't mean it like that! I doubt Imperial minds!

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lurkedtoolong · 25/07/2013 18:22

Oh, no, sorry. I'm sure Imperial doesn't - but I realised that I probably had lots to say so my own thread was probably better.

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fackinell · 29/07/2013 23:53

Ooh I just saw this!! Well done, Imperial, that's amazing news. Keep us posted

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 14:57

Thought I'd come back on, though my wounds are still smarting.

After that email, I wrote to the agent and told her that actually it had been taken on (though nothing was signed) by an agent before and that it had been sent out to publishers. I also sent my second novel.

She completely backtracked. She picked holes in the second novel - nothing that couldn't have been sorted in a week - it was clear she was very disappointed in the whole thing.

She has suggested starting from scratch with a new novel. I've just sent her the synopsis and I'm waiting to hear from her.

However, I'm finding it a struggle to start writing it. I feel like I've lost all my confidence.

The original agent (I had to write to ask her which publishers she'd sent it to) has asked to see the second novel, but I've no doubt she'll pick the same holes the other one did.

It's so frustrating. I do believe if she'd taken on the first one at least, I'd be halfway through the new book by now. I just keep looking at blank paper and wanting to cry!

Be careful what you wish for, eh?

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Negroni · 07/08/2013 17:46

Hi Imperial, been lurking on this thread but saw your post and had to de-lurk and say how frustrating that all must be. Totally sympathise with you finding it hard to get going on new book too. So much that dictates what we do is down to how we feel and am sure you must be feeling annoyed!

Sending good luck vibes that the first agent will love the book she has and do remember that both agents really liked your book so that means your writing is fab! It's a set of irritating circumstances. Please have lots of

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 18:11

Thank you!

I have a problem with the start of a book - I feel it's like abseiling or something, where you are literally staring into the void and then taking a jump! I've nearly finished chapter 1 now, and will finish it today. I have to keep saying to myself, "It's only the first draft..." because it really is rubbish at the moment.

The thing is that when the first book didn't get published the agent told me to write another. So I did and now I've got to write another, that's better than either of them! No pressure, eh?

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Negroni · 07/08/2013 18:34

It is like abseiling though - well, I haven't written a book- but creating something from nothing is very much like jumping into the void.

The fact that you could go off and write a second book shows you can do it. And you do have a book that 2 agents liked, and one of them really really liked it!

Am lurking on these threads - as I imagine others must be- because I haven't quite got round to getting over procrastination about writing something. But you have written 2 books and 1 chapter so be very proud of that!

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 18:43

I've written three! The first one I wrote a few years ago, when my children were smaller. They'd go to bed at 9 pm and I'd sit down and write from 9 - 11 every night, 1000 words a night. The book took three months to write, though I edited it afterwards.

I can do it if the synopsis is full enough. If it's too vague, I just do mental screaming!

In fact I was looking at Frasier on Wikipedia - someone had done a brief synopsis of each episode and it was exactly the sort of thing that helps me. It's here.

What do you like to read? What would you like to have written?

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Procrastinating · 07/08/2013 18:50

Hello ImperialBlether just wanted to say that I have been in your position and I gave up because I lost confidence. I'm impressed that you are getting on with it. I think I will always wish I had taken the chance while it was there. Good luck to you.

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 18:54

It's enough to knock the confidence out of anyone, Procrastinating! It's never too late, though! Do you write at all now?

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Procrastinating · 07/08/2013 19:02

Yes, I write non-fiction now but it took me a long time to get over the experiences I had with agents. I have a proposal with a publisher and another proposal with an agent at the moment. I'm waiting to hear - it is horrible.
My first agent showered me with praise, left me waiting for news for months and then just ended my contract. My second agent just kept asking for different plots but nothing, it seems, was good enough. I'm writing in my two areas of expertise now but I'm still expecting to get nowhere with it. I keep trying to work out why I do it!!
What are you writing Imperial?

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TunipTheVegedude · 07/08/2013 19:02

Oh no, just seen this. Bugger.

You know what it's making me think of though - that novel on the Booker shortlist that got rejected 47 times.

I think the fact that you are sitting down in front of a piece of paper says quite a lot. You are committed, you will get there. Someone on Twitter today tweeted someone-or-other famous saying a writer needs two out of three things to succeed: talent, luck and determination. You've got the talent and determination and you will break through. Maybe soon.

Keep at it x

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Negroni · 07/08/2013 19:08

Those Frasier synopses are great!

I like to read lots of stuff - fiction, that is ignores huge pile of magazines and newspapers in the living room I like reading crime fiction and thrillers as well as more general contemporary fiction. Would like to have got on and written a book for teenagers and I also read some young adult/ children's fiction.

Inspired by your getting down to writing between 9 and 11. I could do that. Am always finding excuses - mainly work and looking after DDs - for not getting on with writing.

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Negroni · 07/08/2013 19:10

Yes, and like others say, do keep at it!

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wordfactory · 07/08/2013 19:14

Hi OP.

I was just wondering if it might be worth sending the second book out to other agents.

I can't help feeling that this agent is probably a no-go, and that by the time you've written another book on her say so, who knows where she'll be or what her list will look like.

If it were me, I think I'd bin the book that has been sent out and rejected by publishers. You really shouldn't be sending that to agents - it'll just pee them off when they find out!

Don' consider it dead, though. You can resurect it in time to come when you've secured an agent and publisher ...

Why not start a fresh round of subs with the untested book?

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 19:21

When I was writing from 9 - 11, it made me very focused. Everything had to be done by 9. I didn't want to go out to the kitchen at 11 and have to start cleaning up and I didn't want to go up to the bathroom and find it a mess. It was a really good focus and you know, it was a bit like getting ready for a date. I'd get really excited and be running around desperate to get everything ready for the 9 pm start.

I feel I've got to keep going. I'm in my 50s. If I don't do it now I risk never doing it. I can't take that risk!

Thank you for all your support; it means a lot to me.

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Procrastinating · 07/08/2013 19:25

I know what you mean about the risk of never doing it Imperial. I'm in my 40s and I feel like that too.

Unless you really like the agent I would try another agent with the new one as wordfactory suggests. It is a bloody rollercoaster isn't it?

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wordfactory · 07/08/2013 19:28

I think if you have a half decent book already written, I wouldn't take the owrd of this one agent that is too flawed. Keep in mind her view will be slightly tainted by discovering the first book had already gone out to market!

If you think it's good enough, Op, then sub it to more agents. What have you got to lose?

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ImperialBlether · 07/08/2013 20:08

Hi again

Wordfactory, I've sent the second book out to quite a few agents and nobody's shown any interest. This one was the first that read all of it; the others saw the first three chapters.

It's really hard to get agents now (stating the obvious here) and many just don't reply at all if they're not interested.

This agent did read it through. She said I am a good writer and had a good plot. However, the three main characters had flaws (from her point of view.) I didn't really agree (in fact I didn't at all) but I would have been willing to work on it. You're right though, having learned that the first one had been seen by publishers before, she decided to back down.

However, she does want to see whatever I write next. She's said I should feel free to see other agents for the first two books.

The original agent now has the second book and I haven't heard from her yet.

This second agent is a good one (well, they both are) and I do trust her. I think she was hoping the second would be better than the first so she could present that to publishers and then ask them to look at the first book, too.

I'm not going to send the first book out to anyone now. As you suggest, I'm going to hold onto it and hope book 3 does the trick, then hope like hell they want the others too!

It's a bloody nightmare, isn't it?!

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TheRealFellatio · 07/08/2013 20:10

How fantastic! Loads of luck.

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Abra1d · 07/08/2013 20:13

'it had been taken on (though nothing was signed) by an agent before and that it had been sent out to publishers.'

They really don't like that--but there are ways round it. My second published novel had actually been round the houses some years earlier. I just kept revising it every time I was between other books and eventually, with a new name, it was published. Really the best thing is to keep on writing another book. You can always return to earlier works and either decide to keep them in the bottom drawer or give them a reworking. :)