Last week, I received a forwarded message from my agent. It was a rejection letter from one of the publishing houses he’d sent a proposal for The Race that Lies Before Us. While I would love for every response to be a request for the full manuscript, I have to admit that I’m pleased with this response.
Before you decide that I’m headed for the loony bin, let me explain. In this rejection letter, the editor stated specifically why my book was being turned down—and it had nothing to do with the quality of my writing. While querying agents, the vast majority of responses I received were form rejection letters, so this rejection with an explanation was a nice change of pace.
Showing posts with label agents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agents. Show all posts
A PUBLISHER REQUESTED THE FULL MANUSCRIPT
It's only been a few days since my agent sent out a few more proposals for The Race that Lies Before Us, and he's already received a request for the full manuscript! Of course, we're well into the Christmas season and editors are trying to clean off their desks, but the editor said she would be starting to read newly requested manuscripts after the first of the year.
While there is no guarantee that the editor will actually offer me a contract, I am celebrating the fact she liked what she saw. Writing is such a solitary journey, with so many rejections along the way, that it's worth celebrating any affirmation.
While there is no guarantee that the editor will actually offer me a contract, I am celebrating the fact she liked what she saw. Writing is such a solitary journey, with so many rejections along the way, that it's worth celebrating any affirmation.
PROPOSALS GO OUT TO PUBLISHERS
In the last couple of months, my agent has sent proposals for The Race that Lies Before Us to four publishing houses, three Christian and one secular. I'm still very much playing the waiting game, as the average response time is three to four months. Still, it's exciting to see things move forward.
I have been so impressed with my agent's knowledge about each publishing house and the individual editors who work at each. He knows right off the top of his head which publishing houses are acquiring fiction at the moment and which aren't, which ones are willing to accept work from new authors and which ones won't, and which ones might be a good fit for my book and which ones wouldn't. Not only that, but he keeps in editors' good graces (among other ways) by keeping track of how many submissions he has with each so he doesn't overwhelm them with submissions from his clients.
I have been so impressed with my agent's knowledge about each publishing house and the individual editors who work at each. He knows right off the top of his head which publishing houses are acquiring fiction at the moment and which aren't, which ones are willing to accept work from new authors and which ones won't, and which ones might be a good fit for my book and which ones wouldn't. Not only that, but he keeps in editors' good graces (among other ways) by keeping track of how many submissions he has with each so he doesn't overwhelm them with submissions from his clients.
I HAVE AN AGENT
It's official! Saturday, I received the signed contract back from Hartline Literary Agency. Terry Burns is now my agent. I'm so excited that I've hardly been able to think straight this past week since he invited me to join the Hartline team.
After I read Terry's e-mail, and the shock and tears of joy and shaking stopped, all I could do was stand amazed at God's timing. All weekend, I had been mentally exhausted from two weeks of getting back into the swing of homeschooling and getting used to our new schedule. By the time I finished a full day of volunteering at the NASCAR truck race last Saturday, all I could think about was dinner and bed. Satan chose my drive home from the track to bombard me with feelings of inadequacy and fear of rejection. By the time I got home, I was certain I would soon receive rejections from both Terry and the publisher who requested the full manuscript of The Race that Lies Before Us.
The following morning, I our pastor's sermon seemed to be aimed directly at me, especially when he described the Israelites this way: "They were on the very brink of success, but they caved in." Even after that, however, I expected to have to wait longer to hear anything and expected Terry to ask for more changes before offering a contract. How I underestimated God! Later that evening, I when I checked my e-mail, I read Terry's message, in which he not only offered me a contract, but said he loved The Race that Lies Before Us!
I'm so excited to see where God will take me next. I know I've still got a lot of work in front of me, but I know He will be faithful to continue leading me. I can't wait to hear what Terry will have me start working on first.
After I read Terry's e-mail, and the shock and tears of joy and shaking stopped, all I could do was stand amazed at God's timing. All weekend, I had been mentally exhausted from two weeks of getting back into the swing of homeschooling and getting used to our new schedule. By the time I finished a full day of volunteering at the NASCAR truck race last Saturday, all I could think about was dinner and bed. Satan chose my drive home from the track to bombard me with feelings of inadequacy and fear of rejection. By the time I got home, I was certain I would soon receive rejections from both Terry and the publisher who requested the full manuscript of The Race that Lies Before Us.
The following morning, I our pastor's sermon seemed to be aimed directly at me, especially when he described the Israelites this way: "They were on the very brink of success, but they caved in." Even after that, however, I expected to have to wait longer to hear anything and expected Terry to ask for more changes before offering a contract. How I underestimated God! Later that evening, I when I checked my e-mail, I read Terry's message, in which he not only offered me a contract, but said he loved The Race that Lies Before Us!
I'm so excited to see where God will take me next. I know I've still got a lot of work in front of me, but I know He will be faithful to continue leading me. I can't wait to hear what Terry will have me start working on first.
NEWS
Several days ago I received a response from the agent I submitted my revised first three chapters to. They requested the full manuscript! Maybe it's silly for me to be so excited when there's no guarantee that the agent will offer me a contract, but I can't help it. This is definitely progress.
I am also still waiting to hear back from the small publishing house which has been reviewing my full manuscript. I am taking the attitude that no news is good news--at least they haven't sent a rejection.
I can't wait to see which way God leads me. Either way (or whatever He has planned) will be exciting.
I am also still waiting to hear back from the small publishing house which has been reviewing my full manuscript. I am taking the attitude that no news is good news--at least they haven't sent a rejection.
I can't wait to see which way God leads me. Either way (or whatever He has planned) will be exciting.
A REQUEST FOR THE FULL MANUSCRIPT
I received an e-mail from the assistant to the agent I resubmitted my proposal to and they have requested the full manuscript of The Race that Lies Before Us! They liked the changes I made to the first 3 chapters, and she said, "You certainly moved the action up front and it drew me through the story." I am beyond excited!
A REQUEST!
God sent me an awesome blessing. A critique partner volunteered to send a recommendation for me to her agent. This agent "just happened" to be on the top of my list of agents to query. He responded to my query/proposal in a record-breaking 4 days (it normally takes a minimum of 2 -6 weeks). What a difference a reference makes. He didn't ask for the full manuscript, but he left the door open. He said he felt the book starts out a little slow for a suspense novel, then invited me to make changes and resubmit.
I jumped right in to revising my first several pages, then sent it out for critiques. What came back wasn't good. I racked my brains trying to figure out how I could put more action into the beginning, but kept hitting roadblock after roadblock.
Then during my Bible study, I read a story about a lifeguard who saved a drowning maN. He couldn't save the man while the man was floundering around trying to save himself. He had to wait until the man tired himself out. I realized I was doing the same thing. Once I quit trying to do it myself, God revealed not only how I could revise the opening without messing up the storyline, but why the other opening wasn't right.
So I am now finishing up another revision of the first couple of chapters (for what seems like the umpteenth time LOL) and will resubmit it by the end of the week. God is so good. I still don't know how it will all come together, but I understand more than ever now that God is in charge.
I jumped right in to revising my first several pages, then sent it out for critiques. What came back wasn't good. I racked my brains trying to figure out how I could put more action into the beginning, but kept hitting roadblock after roadblock.
Then during my Bible study, I read a story about a lifeguard who saved a drowning maN. He couldn't save the man while the man was floundering around trying to save himself. He had to wait until the man tired himself out. I realized I was doing the same thing. Once I quit trying to do it myself, God revealed not only how I could revise the opening without messing up the storyline, but why the other opening wasn't right.
So I am now finishing up another revision of the first couple of chapters (for what seems like the umpteenth time LOL) and will resubmit it by the end of the week. God is so good. I still don't know how it will all come together, but I understand more than ever now that God is in charge.
FULL CIRCLE
It only took two weeks to receive a response back on the resubmission of my revised first three chapters to the latest agent to request more information on The Race that Lies Before Us. I had really hoped she would request the full manuscript, but it was another rejection.
Since receiving this rejection, I feel the need to put my writing on hold until the end of summer. I have been trying to work on planning our next homeschool year and writing at the same time, and it’s not working. I haven’t been able to give my complete attention to either project, therefore I haven’t accomplished what I would like in either venture. Homeschool planning is the more pressing issue, so I will concentrate on that for the next six weeks or so, the return to my writing.
In many ways, I feel like I have come full circle with my writing. Although I now have a "finished" project, I am returning to the beginning…again. I need to examine the manuscript with fresh eyes and make another trip through the revision process. I’m also close to the end of the list of agents I originally created. So I in some ways, I need to start over with this aspect of writing as well.
Hopefully I will return to my writing in six weeks refreshed and full of creativity once the weight of homeschool planning is no longer hanging over my head. With a new list of agents, a more professional query letter, and a fresh beginning to the story, I hope the agents I contact will be drawn in and enticed to ask for more.
Since receiving this rejection, I feel the need to put my writing on hold until the end of summer. I have been trying to work on planning our next homeschool year and writing at the same time, and it’s not working. I haven’t been able to give my complete attention to either project, therefore I haven’t accomplished what I would like in either venture. Homeschool planning is the more pressing issue, so I will concentrate on that for the next six weeks or so, the return to my writing.
In many ways, I feel like I have come full circle with my writing. Although I now have a "finished" project, I am returning to the beginning…again. I need to examine the manuscript with fresh eyes and make another trip through the revision process. I’m also close to the end of the list of agents I originally created. So I in some ways, I need to start over with this aspect of writing as well.
Hopefully I will return to my writing in six weeks refreshed and full of creativity once the weight of homeschool planning is no longer hanging over my head. With a new list of agents, a more professional query letter, and a fresh beginning to the story, I hope the agents I contact will be drawn in and enticed to ask for more.
AN INVITATION
While it feels great to get feedback from my queries, I’ve still been wondering exactly what I need to do to make The Race that Lies Before Us acceptable. The feedback I’ve received has given me hints, but without more specific direction it would be easy to spend hours upon hours revising, yet in the end simply be spinning my wheels. But God is so good. Today, He provided exactly what I’ve been asking for—very specific direction.
The response I received from the third agent to request a partial manuscript was neither a rejection nor a request for the full manuscript, but an invitation. It said, "This needs a new hook. The beginning did not grab me. May resubmit." Again, this isn’t exactly the glowing report I’d like to hear, but it’s what I needed. Besides that, it does have a positive element. She must have seen something she liked in the remainder of the first three chapters that she liked or she would have simply sent a rejection.
Now that I know what to do, it’s time to get busy!
The response I received from the third agent to request a partial manuscript was neither a rejection nor a request for the full manuscript, but an invitation. It said, "This needs a new hook. The beginning did not grab me. May resubmit." Again, this isn’t exactly the glowing report I’d like to hear, but it’s what I needed. Besides that, it does have a positive element. She must have seen something she liked in the remainder of the first three chapters that she liked or she would have simply sent a rejection.
Now that I know what to do, it’s time to get busy!
REJECTION
In the last week, I received the long-awaited responses from the two agents who had requested a book proposal and partial manuscript from me. Unfortunately, both were rejections. They were very nice rejections that assured me that the rejection was no reflection on my writing, but that my book simply didn’t fit their needs at this time. And I didn’t take it personally; I know publishing is a business and their decisions were business decisions. That made it a little easier to accept the rejections, but I have to admit that no matter the reason, rejection is just plain hard to deal with.
It’s taken me about a week to let the emotions roll through me—disappointment, discouragement, then finally anger. I questioned my ability as a writer. I wondered if I should quit (not too hard though; I just can’t stay away from my writing very long). Although I know God’s in charge of my project and that my success thus far has been a God-thing, I am ashamed to say that I questioned Him and his plans for my book. He has been so faithful to provide affirmation and encouragement throughout my writing journey, how can I question Him? I began to understand how the Israelites could question God, despite His awesome miracles. I had to admit to myself that I’m not much better than they were.
In the end, I kept doing what I’ve been doing—researching agents and sending out query letters. In a sense, I feel like I’m starting from square one again. But the reality is that I have much more experience now than I did when I began to send out queries in January. I’ve refined my hook, settled into a comfortable form for the letter that gives all the information agents say they want, and know better how to research agents to determine whether they’re a good fit for my book.
Deep down, I know God is in control. He has a plan for my book and it will unfold with His perfect timing. I know that in my head, but I also know that patience is not one of my better virtues. Thankfully, God understands this. I’m certain that’s why He has sent so many affirmations. I can survive this process, but not without God’s strength.
It’s taken me about a week to let the emotions roll through me—disappointment, discouragement, then finally anger. I questioned my ability as a writer. I wondered if I should quit (not too hard though; I just can’t stay away from my writing very long). Although I know God’s in charge of my project and that my success thus far has been a God-thing, I am ashamed to say that I questioned Him and his plans for my book. He has been so faithful to provide affirmation and encouragement throughout my writing journey, how can I question Him? I began to understand how the Israelites could question God, despite His awesome miracles. I had to admit to myself that I’m not much better than they were.
In the end, I kept doing what I’ve been doing—researching agents and sending out query letters. In a sense, I feel like I’m starting from square one again. But the reality is that I have much more experience now than I did when I began to send out queries in January. I’ve refined my hook, settled into a comfortable form for the letter that gives all the information agents say they want, and know better how to research agents to determine whether they’re a good fit for my book.
Deep down, I know God is in control. He has a plan for my book and it will unfold with His perfect timing. I know that in my head, but I also know that patience is not one of my better virtues. Thankfully, God understands this. I’m certain that’s why He has sent so many affirmations. I can survive this process, but not without God’s strength.
I GOT ANOTHER REQUEST!
I received another request from an agent! I'm so excited I'm still shaking. I think I’m almost more excited about this request since it validates that the first request wasn't a fluke. This agent wants me to send the first 100 pgs., a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, and an author bio (including a picture-yikes!) I'd like to start working on this tonight, but I don't know when I'm going to stop shaking and be able to think straight again.God is good!!!
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