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Original poster

Keep your fingers crossed...

62 replies

ImperialBlether · 19/08/2015 18:37

Two agents have asked to see the full MS of my new novel. One has had it a fortnight and asked for it within an hour of getting the first three chapters. I sent the other the first three chapters yesterday and today got a lovely email back asking to read the whole thing.

Wish me luck, please!

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TippetyTapWriter · 25/08/2015 16:37

Good luck, Imperial and wordassociation! Very exciting (and inspiring)!

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 25/08/2015 16:38

One down now... very nice rejection, wanted a more complex plot. She said if I didn't get representation to get in touch and send her my other books.

Four more to go...! I'm not expecting anything from two of them. I'm worried they will all say the same thing.

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Poledra · 25/08/2015 16:48

Oooh, fingers crossed! I read your book wot you put on Kindle (don't want to out you here!), and really enjoyed it (left an Amazon review for you).

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 25/08/2015 16:50

Thanks, Poledra!

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madhairday · 27/08/2015 11:06

That is brilliant, Imperial, well done! :) I'd love to read your book when it's published.

I'm just about to submit - getting synopsis etc together and finalising edit. Such a nervous time!

All the best, sounds like you have written something awesome there.

wordassociationfootball · 27/08/2015 11:35

Thanks Tippety. And IKHYFeel Madhairday. It takes forever to pull together but once you're submitting to your 6th, 7th 8th agent it takes a fraction of the time.

MrsSchadenfreude · 28/08/2015 22:41

I've had an agent dithering about with mine for the past few months but she emailed me last week and said no. So I guess I need to look for someone else now. Have also been told that my YA novel needs to be 15,000 words longer.

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 28/08/2015 23:09

Did she make any suggestions as to changes, MrsS? Do you have two separate novels on the go there? I can't work out whether the YA novel is the one the agent rejected.

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MrsSchadenfreude · 28/08/2015 23:22

No, IB, just that she had finally decided not to take it.

This is an adult novel. It is on a subject that very few people know anything about, but a lot of people are interested in (particularly Sun and Daily Mail readers) and there is nothing similar out there.

I've also written a Young Adult novel, and am now trying to pad it out a bit with another 15000 words. (Don't young people have quick reads any more?)

I have nearly finished my third novel (it's about 85% done) and have started a fourth (at planning stage, but have written the first six chapters.

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 28/08/2015 23:27

Had she seen the full manuscript or just the start?

I think you'd do better to focus on one of the novels now and just make notes on the others as things occur to you.

How long was the YA novel? A lot of young people like really long novels, but I think I'd go onto Amazon and look at the length of the top 10 in your category - look at those with traditional publishers rather than self-published.

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MrsSchadenfreude · 28/08/2015 23:46

She'd only seen the first three chapters and the synopsis and was apparently dithering whether to see the whole thing.

Good idea re looking on Amazon at word count for YA novels.

And I will finish the third one, before doing any more on the 4th!

madhairday · 05/09/2015 15:49

Have you heard any more, imperial? I've sent mine to 6 agents so far and heard from one who rejected. My first rejection! I went into a big slump of confidence about the whole thing, stupid I know - do others of you find that you struggle with confidence in your work? How do you cope with the rejection thing?

I'm thinking now as I haven't heard from any of the others after a week that no one's interested, and suddenly seeing all the flaws in my ms and feeling despondent. ..

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 05/09/2015 23:29

If you're seeing the flaws in your ms that's a good thing - you should be pleased! It means you can make it better and thus increase your chances of success with the next round of agents if none of this lot bites.
I think the key re confidence is not to worry too much about your ability (just assume you have it) but recognise that no matter how able you are there is probably a big gap between the work you have produced so far and the best you are capable of. So just keep on striving to make it better and better, and as long as you are still improving, there is no reason whatsoever to be put off by rejections.

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 06/09/2015 13:24

An update: So four agents still have the full manuscript. I've had three detailed rejections, all saying the same thing. They were very complimentary but their response was still no. One (as I said above) asked to see the other books, so I will do that if an when everyone's told me to sod off.

I've had a couple of other rejections that were standard - when I've looked at it properly they weren't agents who had a specific interest in the genre I enjoy writing.

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Original poster
ImperialBlether · 06/09/2015 13:28

madhairday, if you haven't heard from them it's because they haven't read it yet. If they're not interested they will respond immediately with a standard rejection email. If they are interested they will respond as soon as they've read the first three chapters and ask to read the rest. Don't take it personally if you haven't heard anything. I've found there's a massive range of waiting time, from a week to 12 weeks. It all depends on how many submissions they get and whether they're actively looking for new authors. The biggest and most famous agencies take on so few new authors that they can afford to let you wait a few months before rejecting you. Hope you get some good news soon!

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Original poster
ImperialBlether · 06/09/2015 13:29

Very good advice, Countess! It's hard to accept that in the nights following a rejection, but you're absolutely right. How are you getting on with your next book?

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madhairday · 07/09/2015 11:00

Imperial sorry to hear about the rejections, it does sound like they've been really positive though and you still have agents looking over it, good luck! I'm sure you'll get there, you obviously really hooked them in with your style of writing. Nice that they gave you some good detailed feedback. My one rejection has been a generic 'no thanks' thing.

Countess - yes, great advice, and you're right, seeing the flaws is a good thing, and I've spent the last couple of days doing some more editing on it - found some helpful sites with lists of 'overused' words (then, just, suddenly, felt etc) and was amazed at how I had, indeed, overused some of these. The 'find' facility is proving useful :) Also re-writing some parts that don't quite work. I think I might have sent it out prematurely - I did think I'd finished, but not sure we ever have really! I feel lie I owe it to this story to do the best I can for it, if you see what I mean.

Hope it's going well with your book.

Onwards and upwards...

thehypocritesoaf · 17/09/2015 14:04

Imperial, Rejections saying the same/similar thing is helpful at least. Is it something you can work on and send back to them?

I got a nice whole mss rejection from the agent I wanted most, but I didn't fee the door was particularily open to re-do and return. I've got another company who gave me suggestions for edits and are waiting for its return - but I'm not sure about them and have temporarily lost my wah.

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 17/09/2015 21:17

Sorry, madhairday, I didn't see that. Yes, they have been really positive. Still have it with four agents, one is looking at my suggested changes. Another has been told I've been thinking about changes but hasn't got back to me. The other two are silent as the grave.

Yes, thehypocritesoaf, I'm working on it at the moment. It's hard, though, as it was a really tight story, so it's hard to put new scenes in.

It's so easy to lose it, isn't it? What did she say in the rejection? Why aren't you sure about the suggestions for changes? Is it a well-known agency/experienced agent?

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MissBattleaxe · 20/09/2015 16:11

Keep going hypocritesoaf. Everytime you give up, another aspiring writer overtakes you in the marathon. Put your shoes back on and get back in the race. When it's hard, that's when others fall at the hurdles.

thehypocritesoaf · 23/09/2015 16:05

Thank you both-

I feel like I've done loads of marathons now missbattleaxe! It's true though I know :)

The novel is a YA one- not my usual- and the feedback was from a publishing company, it was v fair I thought, but the company itself is new and somewhat...vague...so I'm not feeling that excited. Yet.

Any news imperial?

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 23/09/2015 16:06

The agent I'm most interested in wants a rewrite before she'll commit to anything. I'm halfway through that now. I made suggested changes, she agrees with me they're what's wanted.

Nervewracking stuff!

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thehypocritesoaf · 23/09/2015 16:14

That's all positive tho! A good relationship with an agent is a big step...

You're welcome to send some chapters my way - you once read a play for me (I'm still working on it-slow!)

Original poster
ImperialBlether · 23/09/2015 16:21

Thank you! I will be sending it everywhere before I send it to the agent again! Luckily I have a thick skin! I remember the play - it was very funny, wasn't it?

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thehypocritesoaf · 24/09/2015 09:08

It wasn't very funny, no! Smile

Yes, do send. A friend of mine was published recently (radio four book at bedtime etc etc). eight years ago I read a couple of chapters for her. I like to think (eight years later!) I had a hand in her success!!

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