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Agent rejection...

BallooBalloo
edited May 2009 in - Writing Problems
"Writing not robust enough to support your ideas"

Has anyone come across this phrase before?? I submitted it with a view that they might give me some direction on the narrative prose before approaching publishers, altho I still felt it was strong enough. Also stated they don't feel "sufficiently passionate about my manuscript to represent me", maybe that's the nub, but I've a feeling if a celeb had penned my book they would be more passionate than the Hefner Mansion on a Saturday night. Grrrr.......!

Comments

  • dorothyddorothyd
    edited May 2009
    Not heard that phrase before, Balloo, but the other one, not feeling sufficiently passionate about your MS to represent you, is one I have heard many times. Someone started it, they all copied it ...
    I think they are trying to say the writing needs to be stronger to carry the ideas. Ideas are fine but it needs strong writing to carry the reader through from page to page. At least you had a comment, which is something for you to work on. Sympathies. Been there ...

    PS: whilst you're here, do you want to sign Forget-Me-Not's thread to see how many active TBers there are? It's marked small survey.
  • BallooBalloo
    Well, I'd told them over the phone I'd had a reasonably nice response from a publisher and they asked to see it, again! I don't think they quite realised then that I'd submitted before, but I thought the fact I'd completely re-wrote it from that earlier submission would have counted. To be honest I'm actually not sure they even printed it off as the time between the read receipt and the email response was only 2 hrs: All fishier than Ullapool on market day methinks! I get the feeling it was "oh, not that again" when they opened the word doc.

    "We only take 1 on in every 1200 submissions" I was also told. Shame I haven't heard of any of them.
  • DaisyDaisy
    Rejections are disappointing, upsetting and sometimes really frustrating. Don't let it get you down, though, Balloo. Give it a day or two and then see if you want to change anything. Try elsewhere and keep trying and keep believing in yourself.
  • dorothyddorothyd
    I'm not sure they would print it off, though. I read everything on screen that comes in, it is a quick way for me to decide one way or the other without wasting expensive toner and getting through loads of paper I would then have to dump. I wouldn't read too much into that aspect. I think in 15 years, the only time I printed something out was when I wanted someone else's opinion on a book. (She said yes, I still dislike the thing!)
  • BallooBalloo
    edited May 2009
    hi daisy, I'm not down about it and won't be deterred, just bemused by these people. If anything it's a spur to prove them wrong. I don't think they really know what kids want to read, they know what THEY want kids to read and that's enough. I just wish they employed kids to read the manuscripts rather than themselves or other jaded adults.
  • BallooBalloo
    thanks for your comments dorothyd. I do wonder if they even read it tho.
  • DudessDudess
    Thought about self-publishing, Balloo?
  • dorothyddorothyd
    I thought that when the duke's book went out to 30 or so people, agencies and publishers. All responded to the query letter, all found different reasons to turn it down, like 'can you change the ending, it's too sad' (well, no, you stupid woman, it's history, not fiction!) and so on. Two agencies asked to see it who had already seen it ... and both rejected it for a second time, so I do really wonder how much they read! It's well known to TBers I have no time for agents any more.
  • BallooBalloo
    Dudess, yes I have, just not the vanity route. Although even if I wanted to be ripped off I don't have the money , lol! I emailed Authors Online a while ago but didn't send on my manuscript. Tbh, I don't know whether to leave it and go with the next project, and go back to it later on if and when that book does something.
  • CarolCarol
    Get on with your next project in the meantime. Then in a few months go back and look at it and see if you can see where you can improve those weak spots, and then try another one.
  • StirlingStirling
    Don't give up Balloo. This is where the self/vanity publishers suck in frustrated writers.

    Start writing the next one maybe leave it for a couple of months. If you are interested I could take a peek at the first few chapters.
  • carocaro
    Do not give up! I've been rejected quite a number of times but I'm going to keep trying. Good luck!
  • RosalieRosalie
    Everyone gets rejected by loads of agents. Absolutely everyone (oh go on, someone, name an exception - but I'm sure there aren't many...)

    Keep going, keep revising, keep submitting...
  • BallooBalloo
    Thanks for all the further comments on my "let off steam thread". Saved me money buying a punchbag.
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