Comments on Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent: The Art of Reading Rejection Letters

Here is my question: I have just started to shop m...

2010-06-26T16:40:53.064-07:00

Here is my question: I have just started to shop my new novel, and I got three rejections already; all saying it's "too commercial". What on earth does that mean? And how am I supposed to change that, if at all?

Lori- I don't know if you could really put a numbe...

2007-03-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

Lori-

I don't know if you could really put a number on how many rejections is too much. Just keep trying!

I've had rejections on 2 fulls and 1 partial, I gu...

2007-03-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

I've had rejections on 2 fulls and 1 partial, I guess that's not a whole lot yet but Jeff Kleinman says if you get 4 or more fulls rejected, you're doing something wrong. Trouble is, nobody said anything bad -- they all said "the writing's good, I'm not the right agent." What can be done then?

I've had a few rejections. One of them "form" let...

2007-02-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

I've had a few rejections. One of them "form" letter.
The agent was the one that confused me the most. I was ready to let my first ms die a dignified death in some hard to find file on my computer when my scintillating query letter caught an agent. Per request I sent the first 10 Pages. Got an R with a "Rewrite this and send it back". Okay. Did that. Got another rejection. Both times the note was short but hand written on a form rejection. I considered that generous.
I'm planning on resubmitting to them, but I want it to be a single title they can get behind. Soooooo, I'm still writing away.
Everyone I've submitted to has been more than human. I haven't gotten one ugly rejection.
Though I've seen some rejection letters that have perfected the art of the backhanded compliment.

One of the things I've seen is that though many wr...

2007-02-24T04:48:00.000-08:00

One of the things I've seen is that though many writers try to summarize their novel for the query letter, they have utterly no clue what the story is about--and that comes through in the query leter. They talk about events happening or backstory or describe things, but never get to anything that ties the whole book together.

If you're getting tons of rejections and no bites, it might not be the query letter--it might be the book itself. If you can't define the story, it may be that the book doesn't have one. It is entirely possible to write a book without a story, just a collection of a events. I know. I did that.

You'll probably notice, if you remember your queri...

2007-02-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

You'll probably notice, if you remember your queries (which, I can't imagine that you remember them all because you must get tons!), that I requeried you (the first was 12/06). I did so because another agent suggested that when you do a significant rewrite you should write a new query and try again. Probably a pain to some agents (sorry!). But it is always worth a try - I did get two requests by requerying. Thanks for the prompt reply, though!

As far as notes back to agents, I send thank you comments back when an agent has sent a non-form letter. Otherwise, I assume they are too busy to read that sort of email.

I'll probably query you again with my next manuscript (if no agent picks up this one), which is a different genre all together.

Looking forward to your blog! There's nothing better than hearing about the industry from those who are entrenched in it!

Thanks again!
Melissa

I don't mind when people send back short "thanks f...

2007-02-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

I don't mind when people send back short "thanks for considering" e-mails -- unfortunately I don't change my mind once I've made a decision, and I can't usually write back with more recommendations, but it's not like I get mad when people thank me for considering their work.

Hey School Marm - My first novel (the one that's c...

2007-02-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

Hey School Marm -

My first novel (the one that's currently vying for an agent!) was originally 180,000 words! I fought cutting it down for a long time, but after many requests for it to be 120K, which seems the norm for first timers, I did the dirty and cut it down. While I lost a lot of pretty prose and great backstory, I found it wasn't necessary and that it now is a swiftly moving story!

Take the cut - it's worth it in the end. I've had three agents request it since the revision - though I just got a fat rejection from one I was very excited about!

Good luck!
M

So I shouldn't shred them and let my daughter use ...

2007-02-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

So I shouldn't shred them and let my daughter use them as hamster bedding? Oops.

I finally decided that my current novel was just too long for a first-time author.

I've been getting rejections for three decades, an...

2007-02-23T06:57:00.000-08:00

I've been getting rejections for three decades, and I can tell you one thing: it's sure easier being rejected in an E-mail, than after you've sent out a manuscript by snail mail with SASE postage numerous times. :) So, agents don't mind getting a 'thanks for taking a look' E-mail? I had assumed from reading the Snark, it was just another thing to clutter up their E-mail boxes.

Hello All,The people who write those nasty notes a...

2007-02-23T05:35:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
The people who write those nasty notes are the same people who cut you off on the road and hold up the nasty finger - they have no self control and see criticism as a personal attack rather than helpful advice. Or, they're just plain loony!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all agents could take a minute to write a personal note - and since that can't happen because the slush piles are probably taller than I am, let's just be thankful that we're still recieving letters and not the auto-reply email that states, "If I am not interested you will not hear from me."

M

The nicer rejections I got were helpful because th...

2007-02-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

The nicer rejections I got were helpful because they made me, a newbie, realize AGENTS ARE HUMANS. Sometimes very nice humans. We newcomers are trained to fear and loathe you nasty gatekeepers, standing between our oeuvres and the NYT best sellers list. I got some very lovely comments that while were still rejections, encouraged me to continue the process.

Sounds as if "didn't connect with" from some outwe...

2007-02-23T04:59:00.000-08:00

Sounds as if "didn't connect with" from some outweighs any "excellent", "fine" and "strong" from others.
~sobs~

I had an editor say "Sorry, I like your story but ...

2007-02-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

I had an editor say "Sorry, I like your story but it isn't (pick one - Sci-Fi, horror, romantic, noir, literary) enough for our publication."

Another said "the editorial board enjoyed your story but it isn't for our publication."

I guess those are compliments.

I have to say, when I got your rejection the other...

2007-02-22T20:04:00.000-08:00

I have to say, when I got your rejection the other day I wanted to email you back to thank you for your nice reply and professionalism. (There, I did it anyway.) But I know it's not done. Can't even imagine writing back something nasty. I wonder why writers think this is something other than a business?

As an editor, even at our small zine, we get our share of replies to rejections. The kiss of death is to write anything personal. Sad, but true. I've only gotten one "mean" thing though, and it wasn't that bad.

While I'm on the subject, I really believe in cutting your teeth on short works. It builds your resume, it gets you accustomed to rejection in manageable bites, and nothing hones your writing skills like short stories.

Ozal-Ohhhhhh yes. I've received many a "you'll be...

2007-02-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

Ozal-

Ohhhhhh yes. I've received many a "you'll be sorry when I'm a rich bestseller" e-mail. I'm always surprised when I get them, but I do.

Melissa-

It's impossible for me to say where to start. Only you can know that for sure. You are definitely right though, however it starts it needs to be good right away.

Hey, Nathan, now that you are getting groupies, wh...

2007-02-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

Hey, Nathan, now that you are getting groupies, what should we call ourselves? Miss Snark has her Snarklings...so, what would that make us? Brannies? Naters? Brownies (since you work for Curtis Brown)?

Can I ask you a question about starting points? I ...

2007-02-22T16:27:00.000-08:00

Can I ask you a question about starting points? I know it's off base of rejection letters, but it appears they are all tied in together - if your story doesn't start well then you are asking for a rejection letter.

Agents seem to differ a bit on where to start a story. What is the "majority rule" on this? Does one start at the turning point or is a brief intro to the setting or character better?

Sorry to get off base, but it seems like I should strike while the irons hot!

Thanks again!

Do people really send you vengeful "moron, you'll ...

2007-02-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

Do people really send you vengeful "moron, you'll be sorry when I'm rich" letters? Seriously? There are multiple people who do this? I thought it was an urban myth...

I have on occassion weighed up the pros of being a Good Citizen against the cons of annoying a busy agent, and sent a brief thank-you email in response to email rejections. Here is what surprises me even more than agents receiving Up Yours notes: I got replies. Brief and simple, but jaw-dropping in their very existence.

I have a strong suspicion that agents are actually human, and not undead agents of satan after all.

Cheers!

Melissa-Thanks for the great question. This is a ...

2007-02-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Melissa-

Thanks for the great question. This is a case where you can't read too much into the form letter. Agents are busy and they don't always have time to write a personalized note. That's a great sign that they requested the revised MS again, but I wouldn't feel extra bad that you didn't get a more personalized note afterwards.

Mr. Bransford,I'm glad I found your blog! Thanks f...

2007-02-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Mr. Bransford,
I'm glad I found your blog! Thanks for taking the time to try and help out the struggling authors!!

I find rejecting letters both impossibly hard to take and exciting, as they renew my vigor in resending out queries (wierd, huh!).

My question to you, as an agent, is this: My manuscript was requested by a very well respected agency. I called a few weeks later when I had done a revision (requested by another agent) to ask if the agent might want a copy of the revision - the answer was yes, and I was surprised to hear that the agent would be reading my manuscript personally because she had "received a very good read on it" already.

Today I recieved a form rejection letter from that agent. I know agents are incredibly busy, but what should I make of this? What does it typically mean if an agent has received "a good read"? Do agents use beta readers? Also, I assume then that my manuscript wasn't even worthy of a personal response of where it was lacking - What should new writers take away from such an event?

Any advice is much appreciated! And again - thaks for the great blog!
Melissa

All good advice - thanks for an excellent blog.It'...

2007-02-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

All good advice - thanks for an excellent blog.

It's also an illustration of why you should approach agents instead of publishers. Aside from the big difference in response times (agents usually being much quicker) you can also make simultaneous submissions.

When I started out I queried four publishers, one after another, and the average response time was 6-8 months. I soon realised I could be at it for decades. (Australia isn't exactly brimming with agents, which is why I went direct.)

I still see the occasional whinge from authors who don't want an agent because they don't want to pay a commission on 'their' money. Maybe they should try and get published first, and then worry about divvying up the proceeds.