Archive for the ‘Submitting to Agents’ Category
Janet Reid offers some rejection statistics
January 5th, 2010 by Nick CiskeJanet Reid, literary agent at FinePrint Literary Management recently kept track of how she responded to 124 novels. It’s a fascinating look at the current market for novels:
Periodically I’ve posted tallies of my replies to incoming query letters. After one of those posts I realized that it might be interesting to keep tabs on what happens when I request a full. I started keeping notes sometime this summer. Between that date and today, I requested 124 full novels.
Here’s what happened:
Just plain not good enough: 21 (a novel needs to be in the 99th percentile-these were closer to 90%–not bad, but not good enough)
Good premise, but the rest of the novel didn’t hold up: 11
Not compelling or vivid, or focused; no plot/tension: 10
…
Read the rest at her blog.
Bonus:
She also has a list of items that will get you an instant rejection from her (and likely other agents): How to Make Sure Your Query Is Instantly Rejected
People who looked at this item also looked at...
Related items
Interpreting the “Response Speak” Agents Use
September 18th, 2009 by Nick CiskeAgent Kristin Nelson helps you interpret the letters you get from agents in response to your query/submission.
Valuable advice on how to read between the lines!
Form response:
Don’t interpret anything. It could mean just about anything under the sun.Form response with personal comment
Submission was interesting enough for the agent to make a comment. Don’t interpret too much. It’s the nature of the comment that is important here. If it’s “I just didn’t fall in love” that could mean anything from concept isn’t right or writing isn’t quite there yet.If comment is something along the lines of “see talent here but not right for me”, well that’s encouraging.
Read the rest of Response Speak at PubRants.
People who looked at this item also looked at...
Related items
Let all writers have their due esteem, but compare none of them with the Word of God. We will not refuse their service, but we must abhor them as rivals or competitors. It is the sign of a distempered heart that loseth the relish of Scripture excellency.
—
Recently Commented