"No" Strikes Again!

Image by Abhi via Flickr

Another rejection arrived into my inbox a couple of days ago, and I was surprised by how little it disappointed me. Although the agent was not my top pick, she was creditable and I would’ve seriously considered representation if she’d extended it to me. It turns out that following up on an agent’s full request is very important. She’d had my manuscript for exactly three months when I decided to request a status to ensure she received it, and that it was still under review. She emailed me back the very next day stating that she didn’t remember receiving the material. I think that statement struck a nerve even more than the rejection.
 

Isn’t it funny that I’ve been waiting the last three months believing that she was taking the time to read my manuscript, and she hadn’t even noticed it in her inbox. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt though – maybe she didn’t receive it at all. Maybe in was sent straight to her junk mail and was deleted from existence. That’s perfectly believable. Still, you want to think your query left a big enough impression that she would’ve remembered requesting it. The truth is, my story is just one of many fish in the sea. On a lighter note, she did take the time to review it on the spot, so I didn’t have to continue waiting.
 

Ultimately, she passed on it, deciding that the beginning was too slow and cliché. This statement was a little hard to swallow since I had only recently revised the entire beginning, and was very satisfied with it. It’s easy to get defensive in this situation, but instead, I stepped back and thought about it. She’s just one opinion, and although I was grateful for her response and feedback, I realized that she doesn’t speak for all agents. However, she did offer to take another look if I adjust the beginning to her liking, so I don’t plan on counting her out, and I certainly don’t want to burn any bridges. If I later receive another rejection with similar recommendations, I’ll mostly certainly consider changing it again.
 

I’m sure this post isn’t very positive, but the reason I started this blog was to track my journey to publication. In doing so, I have to tell the bad with the good. This is a realistic look at this long and stressful process, which sometimes feels like a waiting game. The bad news is, I received another “no”. The good news is, I’m not giving up. As a fellow blogger recently said to me, I’m one “no” closer to a yes!