Publishers are not stupid. They are large companies with products to sell to consumers and the last thing, the LAST thing, they want to do is make consumers angry and unwilling to buy as in "oh those beasts at LaDeDah Publishers were so rude, I'll never buy one of their books again."
5 comments:
Great site.
I received a form rejection letter from an agent last week. Two days before, I was offered a book deal from a major publishing house. I'd sent the agent and the publisher exactly the same proposal. Go figure. Oh well. I guess I'll manage without an agent. This one was recommended to me (by a very successful author) as the best, so if the best agent doesn't like my work there's not much hope of any other agents being into it. I am just happy it was the agent who rejected me, and not the publisher!
Well, congratulations. There's a happy, hopeful story. What I've learned is that there is no such thing as the best agent, just the best agent for you. As someone with a book deal you can probably pretty easily get an agent if you want and/or need one. You are sitting pretty. Good for you!
Yes, it's famously harder to find an agent than a publisher. Until you actually sell something, then agents are all over you like rats on a corpse.
Thanks! It was funny because i had sent the proposal to the publisher a couple of months before I approached the agent (they must have found it in the slush, finally, and got back to me). I only approached the agent because I hadn't heard from the publisher. I would like the agent for the business side of things as I find it all confusing, but I have a bad taste in my mouth about agents now. The agent was swift getting back to me, but that rejection gave me a sinking heart for a moment, even though I'd had such great news previously. It was the way it was written. It said, basically, the agent did not believe in my work. A harsh knock-back, it was.
Girl,
I don't know your gender, but to me, you always feel like a cool girl-- I sense your "chin up" tone for your readers as you hide your disappointment over the latest rejection. Certain agents/editors "don't feel it's the right place for your work" blah, de blah blah...heard it, don't care. I read your blog because you are honest and self-effacing and sweet. You have an authentic voice. It comes through, girl. THEY, whoever they are, will discover you for this authenticity. I hope you don't feel so enervated that you give up the blog. You give your readers a wonderful lift. Girl, keep going.
Post a Comment