One 'full' request from 40 agent submissions - should I give up?

[PutdownableThriller]

I'm feeling low. I've been submitting my adult psychological thriller for about a year now - continuing to revise my material from time to time. I finally got a 'full' request - yay! - a few months ago, but it's just come back as a 'no' from the agent.

The agent praised the writing style, structure and plot but felt some of the book's themes were underdeveloped. Ultimately I guess she didn't love it.

I'm unsure where to go now. I feel I've got as far as I can go with the writing itself in terms of my own and fellow amateurs' input. A professional edit or joining a writing course isn't an option financially for me.

I suppose I'm after opinions from others in a similar boat. Should I press on with this novel; shelve it and try to write another; give up altogether?

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Write something new while submitting the old one. This is a taste business, so it can take multiple attempts, but the more you write the better you get.

Thanks rosees. I know that's the sensible thing to do - I'm just finding it hard to cast this novel out of my brain and pull together the ideas I've had for the next one.

I agree - if you have got any full requests at all you are doing something right. I guess your options are either to strategically edit the one you have, taking on board comments made by the agent (if they ring true and you agree with them), although maybe give yourself a deadline to do this or you could end up writing the same book forever. Once that’s done, or if you’d rather not do that, just continue submitting and get on and write something else.

Thank you celestebellman . I do very much take on board the agent's comments and I've been trying to think of ways I can add depth to the themes she mentioned. I think after working on the book for so long, I've become a little stale, so I might shelve it for a while and try to get going on the next one.

Well done for receiving a request for a full manuscript and getting positive feedback. Based on your last post and if you agree with the agent's feedback but don't feel able to have the distance to make the improvements then I would park it and write your next. Few successful authors who sell actually sell their first novel(s) for a reason. When you have some distance, try to reflect why you write and what the slog will involve to try to reduce disappointment when the next novel receives negative feedback before being successful.

Good luck.

Thank you Zilla. You're absolutely right about needing distance from the novel.

I write because I enjoy writing, whether or not I get anything published. However the hope of publication motivates me to polish and improve my work and (naturally) I'd like to think of my books being enjoyed by people apart from friends and family.

I get a different kind of enjoyment from the writing (draft) stages and the editing stages. The latter are an interesting intellectual exercise, whereas the drafting is all about getting lost in another world.

I did find the positive elements of the agent's feedback motivating, so I will try and build on those strengths in my next project.

It's great that you enjoy writing, OP, so write what you want to read and continue your progress to becoming a better writer. You'll incorporate the external feedback and your internal learning into your next novel. Let's hope that and your first sell.

Good luck.

Unless you totally agree with the agent's criticisms and were glad she'd put her finger on something that you couldn't quite place then don't change anything on only one agent's specific comments. It could be her personal taste. You obviously now have a strong enough pitch to get a request for a full manuscript, so I think you should carry on submitting. Good luck.

Agree with @Spodge. And well done, for finishing, for editing, for submittin, abd for getting a full request. Absolutely fantastic.

Thanks, Spodge and Unsure. I've sent out a couple more submissions (without revision) as much to get over the fear of doing so after my disappointment. I agree, it's a subjective matter and I wanted my novel to be fast-paced and plot-driven, as that's the type of thriller I enjoy reading, but I can see I might have gone too far in that direction at the expense of writing a more meaningful book.

I'd cut some of the more serious writing on the recommendation of a beta reader who told me honestly that it was 'very skippable'.

I really hope an agent will see enough promise in it to take it on, and be able to help me strike the right balance between plot/themes with expert editing. Otherwise, I'll have to rely on distance giving me the ability to fix the things that need fixing, shelve the book for six months and have another go.

I was going to suggest you send it to an editorial service like Jericho Writers, where they would give you advice on any changes to be made. However, you've sent it out to 40 places already so I'm not sure where you'd send it to, even if you rewrote it, as most won't re-read a manuscript.

I know it's really tough but the only thing is to really go for it with a second novel and when you find someone who's interested in it, tell them about the first, too. Any agent will try to get you a two-book deal anyway.

You can also send to some publishers - I know Bookouture sells a lot of books in that genre and you don't need an agent to submit to them.

If you can't afford an editor, how about asking some people to read it and give you really honest feedback? Let them read it first and then show them what the agent says and ask for their feedback.

But a lot of people can't do a good job with that, @zurala. I'd write a new one and look for an agent who wants to work with debut authors.

Thanks Hollowtalk - if I feel I can fix the manuscript after taking a break I'll try some digital publishers.

I'm not sure an editorial service would be able to help with the development of themes. Based on the agent's feedback, the style and structure were OK, it was the content that was lacking.

I've made quite a few changes based on feedback from friends/family along the way, zurala but I'm all too aware they are going to be biased in my favour.

I think I do need to press on with a second book, it's just difficult to go right back to the beginning after such a long process of polishing the first. I work full-time, so even when I am completely 'in the zone' at draft stage, I only have a few hours in the day to write during the week, which is frustrating as I have to keep tearing myself out of my world, whereas editing is much easier to dip in and out of.

But I know these are the frustrations that come with the territory, so I'll just have to boot myself up the backside and get on with it!

I was in a similar position. I wrote a psychological thriller, sent it out to 35 agents. Got one “send us your next” and one small publisher with a “ we are still considering your book” after sending the whole MS but bar that nothing. Small publisher also stopped responding.

I explored self publishing but the rate in which you had to write (a book every 3 months at least) was too much for me.

After much deliberation I decided to start anew. Editing and re editing was so time consuming that I thought something new would be better, and more enjoyable to write. My second book had the same hook but approached from a completely different angle with a new storyline and characters.

But I did something different. I wrote 3 chapters and sent it off to an editorial service for a lightening quick 15 min one to one with a agent. I explained it was a work in progress. Cost about £60. Their feedback was “this is good” and for me to definitely finish it off.

I did this because I didn’t want to invest the time, energy and effort in an idea that had no legs. I wanted to know whether there was something there. It is soul crushing to write something and then to feel like it’s disappeared down a black hole.

I don’t know whether this helps but for me it was the best option even though it did cost.

Whatever you do, good luck OP!

Thanks @Hubblebubble100 . The £60 you paid for the quick appraisal would be something I could afford, so that's definitely something I'll consider at the early stages of my next project.

I have thought of rewriting as you did, from a different angle - my story, written differently, might have potential as 'book club fiction'. It just seems a shame when I worked so hard on the suspense element (and that was the part of it the agent thought worked well!). On the whole I would rather start an entirely new project and as HollowTalk suggested, if I have success (huge if) with that one, the first one could be taken on (with appropriate revisions) as a two-book deal.

Best of luck with your current novel - it must be very motivating to have that good, professional feedback on your opening chapters.

@Hubblebubble100 what service was that?

It was through Jericho Writers, I believe it’s still available:

jerichowriters.com/our-services/121-support/agents-book-doctors/

@Unsure1983

Here’s the link:

jerichowriters.com/our-services/121-support/agents-book-doctors/

I would second the Jericho Writers Agent121. I've received 2 full requests from Agent121s. There is also I am in Print - sane cost, zoom call instead of phone call. Also sometimes has different agents compared to Jericho and vice versa but there are many agents who do both. Be quick though as their slots fill up fast!

Developmental editors can help with theme development.

Lots of fiction editors offer manuscript critiques where they read the MS and comment on the 'bigger picture' issues - theme, pace, point of view, narrative distance, characterisation, etc., and make suggestions for improving them. That's much cheaper than a copy edit.

Have a look for fiction editors at www.ciep.uk/directory/directory-search