I’m Hunting Wabbits… I Mean Agents
by on February 22nd, 2010
filed under On Writing
Well I’m in the thick woods of Query Land again, on the hunt for that ever elusive prey- an agent.
This is my second go around. The first time ended with me learning a lot-about postage, what a Tyvek envelope is, the tenuousness of submission guidelines and how to take the word NO without crawling in a hole to die a broken, washed up author who never was.
This time its not so bad. The no’s I mean. Now the waiting… that’s something I’ve never been very good at. God bless the agents who are caught up on their queries, you’ve put me swiftly out of my misery or allowed me take the next step in sending you more of my work.
In my research, I found a few agents who don’t respond to queries, a general no news is bad news tactic. I’m sorry but I find that incredibly frustrating as an author. I took the time to send you my query, bound, polished, packaged & produced exactly the way you wanted it & you can’t offer me the basic courtesy of a form rejection letter? <<scratches head>> Why not?
Some authors don’t like form letter rejections. Not me. I got a really lovely one just today sent via the agent’s assistant-
Dear Ms. Yarnall-
Thank you for querying (The Agency). Ms. (Agent) has reviewed your query and asked me to pass along her response. Please find it below.
I wish you the best.
Sincerely,
The Assistant to The Agent
**Message from The Agent**
Dear Ms. Yarnall,
Thank you so much for giving (The Agency) a chance to consider your work. While I found your query intriguing I’m afraid I wasn’t sufficiently enthusiastic to ask for more at this time.
As I’m sure you know, publishing is a subjective business and I’m sure there’s another agent out there better suited to your work.
I wish you the best of luck and the greatest success.
Sincerely,
The Agent
Wasn’t that nice? What a terrific letter. And The Assistant… so sweet. Really, how could I be mad or sad with lovely letters like these? I was impressed by the time and care taken by The Agent and her Assistant to this nobody-on-her-way-to-becoming-somebody-author. If I’m ever in a place where I can pick and choose my agent, this agent will be at the top of the list.
Stay tuned for more adventures in Query Land.
Queries sent-60
Requests for a partial-2
Requests for a full-1
No’s-16
to the end my friend
by on August 22nd, 2008
filed under Undecided
Last week I read a book that I didn’t finish. 
I couldn’t finish it. This is unusual for me. I’m more likely to ditch out before the end of a movie than I am the end of a book.
The ending of a story is important, so important that some people will read the ending before they even start the book. I used to do that, but now I find that I don’t like a spoiler. I want to be surprised even when I read romance which always ends in a happily ever after.
Do you read the ending of a book before you buy it? Or do you prefer to wait to see how the story unfolds?
when bad books are good
by on June 12th, 2008
filed under Undecided
I read a lot of books. I devour at least 3 a week. So I consider myself a good judge of what makes a story good.
Recently I read a book that I had to force myself to finish. Half way through I wanted to throw it on the floor and shout, “You already bleedin told me that about a million and one times.” or “You know what? I don’t freakin care if they ever get together they’re so fickle they can’t decide if it’s day or night.” And the plot twists were so contrived I couldn’t help but wonder how it ever got published.
Writing is hard. For those of us who sweat over our keyboards pounding out what we’re sure is incomprehensible drivel, we understand this. Heck, we live it. So although I spent my hard earned money on 385 pages of shite, I was glad I did. Because if that basura (trash) got published then the crap I write has better than a snowball’s chance in hell of getting published too. Please keep those horrible books coming because it only boosts my confidence all the more!
Have you read a book you had to force yourself to finish? Have you ever read one you refused to finish? Please respect the author’s efforts and don’t reveal names or titles but feel free to blast away at they story.
