tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post4302324052834389509..comments2023-09-16T15:03:34.579+07:00Comments on Adam Heine: How Agents Can Make Rejection Easier (Maybe)Adam Heinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-49235469949282361152011-08-12T18:33:42.245+07:002011-08-12T18:33:42.245+07:00I hear you, Adam! I've laughed at myself once ...I hear you, Adam! I've laughed at myself once or twice because I've thought a rejection was "just for me" and then I'll read it verbatim in the Query Tracker comments from someone else. But I guess that's the genius of certain rejection letters; they must appeal to our innate writerly optimism: "See, she thinks my work is wonderful, but it's just not the perfect thing for her list right now." :)<br /><br />AmyA.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-44209661700669871762011-08-11T01:52:24.250+07:002011-08-11T01:52:24.250+07:00No answer doesn't necessarily mean no. I just ...No answer doesn't necessarily mean no. I just queried an agent a second time who just requested a full. That's because I queried her direct email, a big no-no according to their website, but she never received the first one submitted thru their system to the submit@ email address. <br /><br />It was one of her clients who told me that, something she learned the same way. It was one of those assistant gatekeepers that threw my original query away. So I'm thinking those query rules aren't etched in stone.Nancy Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05735642863696266005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-79317444346527167172011-08-10T21:57:29.904+07:002011-08-10T21:57:29.904+07:00I don't think I ever got personalized Rs, and ...I don't think I ever got personalized Rs, and I didn't mind that at all, because the form R is just so impersonal that for me, it took a lot of the sting out. Even it it was "not for me, thanks." I never wanted to hear all that positive stuff because I didn't consider it individualized to me, and it didn't change the fact that it was a NO, if that makes sense. I guess that shows how each of us is different. I totally agree that the auto-response and specific time frame is ideal. Ginger Clark tweets that she's reviewed all queries before a certain time period, so writers know if they're not going to hear from her, and I liked that as well.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06636585111057799728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-9742178228093776762011-08-10T21:13:01.050+07:002011-08-10T21:13:01.050+07:00"better to mislead in a hopeful direction&quo..."better to mislead in a hopeful direction" That is the best thing I've heard all day (it is morning, but what ev).<br /><br />I've had a couple rejections that made me so excited, like 'I can do this'--they were super nice and not soul crushing and one of them was a form letter--it can be done. <br /><br />And I love the auto response with the guidelines--that's genius.Red Boot Pearlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015990875361952510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-65573405308953278042011-08-10T20:49:06.533+07:002011-08-10T20:49:06.533+07:00The "No means no" section really resound...The "No means no" section really resounded with me. I absolutely agree that if they put something in their auto-responder that said, "If you haven't heard from me after xx weeks...." that it would be better than that spark (spark! shooting, searing flame!) of hope that kindles when you see their email in your inbox, the email that rejects your work. <br /><br />I've received several rejections that left me feeling pretty good. One was clearly a form rejection, BUT -- the editor who rejected it was not one of the underlings for this major publisher, but the Big Guy himself. I know that in the case of this magazine, you submit and then go through a couple rounds of associate editors. They pass or reject at each stage, and they send the rejections themselves. For this guy to have rejected me, it means that my piece got to the last stop before publishing -- even if that's where it stopped. I'm okay with that. :)R.S. Bohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09101260459422806220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-19250007117541747812011-08-10T19:58:07.166+07:002011-08-10T19:58:07.166+07:00I've received a lot of personalized rejections...I've received a lot of personalized rejections that were really encouraging. Probably because I basically queried a first draft the first time around.<br /><br />But you live and learn.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4665052536053897386.post-84473214037379924962011-08-10T19:53:42.964+07:002011-08-10T19:53:42.964+07:00I got a personal rejection that made me feel reall...I got a personal rejection that made me feel really good. I even queried that agent a second time (different novel) just because his previous personal reject said nice things - and I told him that! Guess what? I got an even <i>better</i> personal reject, just on the query. I know agents can't do this for every query they get (the madness!) but it makes a huge difference to writers when they do.<br /><br />p.s. I also like your idea of auto-responses!Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.com