I’m kind of surprised I have to say this, but some of the agents for a day are being excessively harsh with their rejections.
Please cut this out.
If some of you were real agents you’d have a pitchfork wielding mob outside of your office by now.
There are real people behind these queries, so please, not only is conducting yourself professionally part of this game, this is a supportive community, and I hope that everyone posts their suggestions as politely as possible and are as humane in their rejections as they would want a real agent to be.
Now, back to the contest.
Rick Daley says
Kdrausin,
Thanks for the props on my rejection letter, I appreciate it 😉
Ethan Rose says
I am assuming the dear author etc. is implied. I am trying to give constuctive advice and not cutting and pasting a form rejection. However since I got into the game late I don’t really expect anyone to read down as far as my posts anyway.
QuerySubmitter says
Just for the record, if they’re comments about your query, not only are you going to read down to the bottom from now until Sunday, but you’re going to print them out and pick them apart for all eternity. 😉
DeadlyAccurate says
I’m blunt, but I haven’t once considered mocking a query. I’ve taken every query seriously, so if my statements hurt someone, I apologize. I did not mean it so.
Any query that was really bad, I posted the form rejection and that’s it (that doesn’t mean all those without comments were bad; sometimes I simply couldn’t think of what to say).
TheDivaAgent says
The Diva also apologizes to Jnantz.
Chuck H. says
To anyone who feels I have been unkind in my remarks, I most humbly apologize. Just remember that I too am an unpublished writer and take anything I say with a biiig dash of salt. Sorry
Heather says
Just wanted to say that this is actually opening my eyes quite a bit.
Since I have a full-time Day Job of Ick, I’ve had to sneak in a query here and there as I make my way through the day. I imagine this is much like what an agent would do.
Now that my work day is over, I’m attacking them in earnest, but I’m tired and have less patience after putting in a full day of Corporate Hell.
So, not to be contrary, but I full disagree with whoever said that this wouldn’t work. Because I think it’s fantastic.
I also have tried to keep my comments from being rude. I did want to comment on the why of the rejection, just in case the author is around and interested. But if I have offended anyone, I’m very sorry.
Nathan Bransford says
Thanks, Heather!
Also I came in to 76 queries today. Between a busy work day (contracts, existing projects, etc.) and the contest I still have a ways to go today.
sally apokedak says
Interesting.
On all of the ones I rejected, where I added a reason after the rejection, I was merely trying to help the writer. I wouldn’t have a mob outside my office because I’d have form rejected those queries.
I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone.
I was writing fast and I wasn’t taking time to be extra nice.
My agency moved to a “if you don’t hear, I’m not interested,” policy after twelve queries. I have never complained when publishers and agents have had this policy so I feel no shame in adopting it for my own agency. =0)
jnantz says
Diva – Please don’t apologize. I have a very morbid sense of humor, and I really did find it funny.
Gregory says
Nathan;
I agree with those who are trying to support the writer by explaining why they rejected the piece. It’s FAR more helpful to get even a tiny insight into the problem areas than it is to be told the work “has potential” and to “keep writing.”
If people are snarky about it, so what? Doesn’t bother me. I immediately try to look past the irritation and figure out if there’s a pony in there. They might be telling me something that is VERY valuable. I don’t care how they say it. Really don’t. I appreciate them taking the time to comment!
At the same time, it’s true that it’s better not to be sarcastic or cutting. Serves no useful purpose. But thoughtful, HONEST, feedback? YOU BET! Nothing more valuable than that.
Gregory says
Nathan;
It would be interesting if you put up a system that provided this reader-feedback on queries routinely, for anyone who wants to submit to it.
Allow comments the query authors could see, but have a “thumbs up” vote button. You end up with queries ranked by the readership here.
Now, you look at those queries, and see how often you concur that the top vote-getters are the ones you’d select in any event. And how often would you request a partial from one that received few or no reader votes.
In other words… just how close, on average, would your readership pretty much concur with you. And if the correlation is extremely high (I’ll bet it would be), you could probably exploit it as a screening mechanism.
Yes, you’d have to try to minimize multiple voting and vote-stacking, but you could always skim queries and see what the readers voted. Might be interesting feedback.
Anonymous says
I don’t understand how some writers could brutally criticize agents in #agentfail, and then turn around and ridicule their fellow writers even more than the agents did! Seems a bit hypocritical to me.And I don’t understand how some writers can complain that agents don’t give personalized and honest feedback and then turn around and complain when their fellow writers do.
I agree we shouldn’t make fun of people’s queries, but one person’s honest is another person’s “brutality.”
If nothing else, I’m beginning to understand exactly why agents DO refrain from personal comments on queries.
Dawn says
I submitted a query and I appreciate the constructive comments that come along with some of the rejections AND the requests.
I can remember only one comment that stung and that was “form rejection,” which I read as: YOU IDIOT! WHY ARE YOU STILL BREATHING?! but it only stung for about three seconds. I didn’t take it personally. Thanks for all the input. 🙂
sonya says
I’d play, but I’m already familiar with at least one of the soon-to-be-published novels, so that’d be cheating. *G*
But if I did play, I’d be polite…
bveggie says
I might have left one when I asked if the query was a joke, but I am sorry. Since I sarted at 50 and worked backwards, I am sorry I didn’t go forwards.
Meggrs says
I’m a big offender. Please feel free to disregard my comments.
It was a choice between being extremely frank in my reaction to the queries, and posting a generic “yes” or “no.”
As Nathan has explained, that was all he was looking for, and brutal editorializing was not on the agenda.
So, my apologies. I have a few left to read and I’ll keep them to yes/no reactions.
Meggrs says
I also started at the top and worked backwards, which means I just read this post.
Unfortunately, all my comments above post #15 fall on the inappropriate side, so I can either delete them or leave that up to a blog administrator.
Either way, I understand and again offer apologies.
Meggrs says
Ok, now I’m trolling, but I just realized that I’m not seeing an editing feature to delete my inappropriate posts.
Blog admin, my posts from #16-50 fall into this category–I don’t know if you want to make the effort, but I understand if you want to pull my responses (and I’m doubly sorry for the effort that would/will take). I’d happily blast them all myself and spare you the effort.
Nathan Bransford says
Thanks, meggrs. I already deleted one I found over the top. I think I’ll leave the others, unless there’s one or two in particular that you’d like me to delete.
TecZ aka Dalton C Teczon - Writer says
I’m surprised too. I thought of this as an exercise, a way to learn together and give constructive criticism to each other. I consider, “Agent for a Day,” an way to help each other improve and grow. Thank you for this opportunity Nathan. Peace and love all!
Meggrs says
Nathan, I’ll be happy to review my comments tonight and perhaps point out additional worst offenders (yanno, in case you missed them the first time).
Thanks again for your patience, and my apologies to you and my fellow blog readers/participants.
Anonymous says
Dear writer,
I appreciate the query but your book is not what I am looking for at the moment. However, I wish you luck in getting this book published.
best regards,
Nathaniel Orange
Anonymous says
Dear Author,
I regret to inform you that I am not interested in representing your story. I hope you have better luck in the future.
Best of luck,
Arkham