Comments on: Dealing with Rejection

By: Janet Grant

Janet Grant — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:28:57 +0000

Andrea, in response to your question, I’d say an agent should take no more than 8 (agonizing) weeks to respond. If you haven’t heard, it’s appropriate to nudge that agent and ask if he/she has had a chance to look over your material because said agent has had it for…um, hello, eight weeks. Unless we have a heavy travel schedule, we’ll scrounge through the piles and, voila, pull yours out for a look. Should the agent not respond to your follow-up, it’s fine for you to look elsewhere for representation.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:58:23 +0000

Great advice, couldn’t have come at a better time! One question- if an agent requests to see a proposal, how long should an author wait to hear back before looking elsewhere or contacting that agent?

By: Lynn Rush

Lynn Rush — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:12:56 +0000

Right on, Tulafel…Sometimes it CAN be the best thing. Makes us sharpen things, rethink things…grow as a writer.

By: Alicia Muhlestein

Alicia Muhlestein — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:19:22 +0000

Once again, thanks for the words of encouragement and perspective. It’s nice to see that even though agents are up to their eyeballs in words, they can spare some loving ones for us writers.

I’ve moved from sending queries to waiting for rejections phase. So far, all is eerie quiet. That’s also a stressful place to be. What are all the agents thinking about my work? What should I be doing in the meantime?

I’ll be attending Books & Such Writers’ Night on Twitter. Such a fabulous idea. I can’t wait!

By: Tulafel

Tulafel — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:59:41 +0000

Sometimes rejection is the best thing that can happen to a writer.

I had sent out queries on a project a couple of years ago.

I quickly pulled it, however, after receiving one particularly heartbreaking rejection. I the asked myself if I had put my best work out there. Was I really doing the story and characters justice?

After making a conscious decision not to rush into anything, I took time, honed my craft and eventually ended up with a manuscript with which I’m truly happy.

Now if I could just master that query. :-S

By: Lynn Rush

Lynn Rush — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:58:48 +0000

Great advice. Rejections sting a little, sure. But, you know what? I really just have faith that the right agent will come along. Whether it’s through a random query I send out or a meeting at a conference or even a referral from a fellow writer to his/her agent.

All I can do is keep walking through open doors and when a door closes, learn from it, and keep moving forward.

God’s plan. God’s timing. I’m just along for the ride, hopefully making Him smile along the way.

Great post. Thanks for that story about your great aunt!