Comments on: Queries and Agents and Rejects . . . Oh My! http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/ Ten Authors. Five Genres. One Blog. Because the only thing scarier than a loaded gun pointed at your head....is writing about it. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:50:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Linda S. http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228715 Linda S. Wed, 06 May 2009 01:56:42 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228715 All I can say is fantastic! I agree with everything you say up here. I am submitting my first novel to agents, and have found many similar experiences; including rejections from agents assistants that I did not submit to in the first place, but they passed my book to them, who are supposed writers and critiquing my work, meanwhile they can't even write a cohesive, grammatically correct sentence in a rejection! And this was from a top agency! Your website is very inspirational, and I will come back to it when feeling down and frustrated. All I can say is fantastic! I agree with everything you say up here. I am submitting my first novel to agents, and have found many similar experiences; including rejections from agents assistants that I did not submit to in the first place, but they passed my book to them, who are supposed writers and critiquing my work, meanwhile they can’t even write a cohesive, grammatically correct sentence in a rejection! And this was from a top agency! Your website is very inspirational, and I will come back to it when feeling down and frustrated.

]]> By: Jen http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228436 Jen Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:01:16 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228436 An enlightening post, Allison, thank you! (and it ties in so well with your Subjective post from not long ago) SO glad that Lucy's books are on the way. I do so love the Kincaid clan! An enlightening post, Allison, thank you!

(and it ties in so well with your Subjective post from not long ago)

SO glad that Lucy’s books are on the way. I do so love the Kincaid clan!

]]> By: Erika http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228429 Erika Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:40:13 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228429 Hmmmm, I have a group of people doing something similiar. Good to know it's not just me! :D Hmmmm, I have a group of people doing something similiar. Good to know it’s not just me! :D

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228428 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:26:41 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228428 Yeah Lynn! You can get an agent in a variety of ways. I did it the old-fashioned way (query without a personal reference) but you can get an agent through reference from a friend, through a pitch appointment, through a contest, through even just meeting them at a conference and clicking. And sometimes after an offer it's easier to get an agent, though I would caution people to never sign with an agent JUST because of the sale. The agent needs to love your work, so she'll never be a strong enough advocate for you. Yeah Lynn! You can get an agent in a variety of ways. I did it the old-fashioned way (query without a personal reference) but you can get an agent through reference from a friend, through a pitch appointment, through a contest, through even just meeting them at a conference and clicking. And sometimes after an offer it’s easier to get an agent, though I would caution people to never sign with an agent JUST because of the sale. The agent needs to love your work, so she’ll never be a strong enough advocate for you.

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228427 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:24:41 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228427 I didn't do the agent for a day, i.e. picking books, I just sent my original query letter in to be trashed by 300 aspiring authors . . . The Lucy Kincaid series are romantic thrillers, probably more on the thrill side than the romance side, but there is definitely a romance in them. I already know who one of her love interests is. Though they are NOT at all humorous, I sort of envision a Ranger/Joe Morelli kind of thing where one of the guys is good for her and the other not-so-good for her, but the steady, reliable guy is the not-so-good for her because he's an enabler, where the less reliable guy is who she needs . . . but again, I probably won't even start writing the book until January, so I'm not quite sure how it's going to all come out in the end . . . I do know that Lucy is one of my favorite characters, Patrick will have a major role in the books, and Dillon and Kate will be in at least the first book. (from FEAR NO EVIL.) And I know the premise for the first book. I didn’t do the agent for a day, i.e. picking books, I just sent my original query letter in to be trashed by 300 aspiring authors . . .

The Lucy Kincaid series are romantic thrillers, probably more on the thrill side than the romance side, but there is definitely a romance in them. I already know who one of her love interests is. Though they are NOT at all humorous, I sort of envision a Ranger/Joe Morelli kind of thing where one of the guys is good for her and the other not-so-good for her, but the steady, reliable guy is the not-so-good for her because he’s an enabler, where the less reliable guy is who she needs . . . but again, I probably won’t even start writing the book until January, so I’m not quite sure how it’s going to all come out in the end . . . I do know that Lucy is one of my favorite characters, Patrick will have a major role in the books, and Dillon and Kate will be in at least the first book. (from FEAR NO EVIL.) And I know the premise for the first book.

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228426 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:20:39 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228426 It's on my list! Your recommendation tipped me over :) . . . when I get these revisions done, I'll track it down. Maybe I'll pop over to Amazon and see if it's discounted since it's an older movie . . . . It’s on my list! Your recommendation tipped me over :) . . . when I get these revisions done, I’ll track it down. Maybe I’ll pop over to Amazon and see if it’s discounted since it’s an older movie . . . .

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228425 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:19:48 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228425 Thanks Erika! I'm so glad you like SD. I love that book. I think getting your manuscript into shape first is a brilliant move. I sent out my earlier books too early--I thought they were fantastic, but they were very, very crappy :) . . . THE PREY I had a crit group and they helped me see the flaws. they beat the flaws over my head . . . Thanks Erika! I’m so glad you like SD. I love that book.

I think getting your manuscript into shape first is a brilliant move. I sent out my earlier books too early–I thought they were fantastic, but they were very, very crappy :) . . . THE PREY I had a crit group and they helped me see the flaws. they beat the flaws over my head . . .

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228424 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:18:34 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228424 Very tough job. I couldn't do it. I see potential in a lot of ideas . . . I couldn't narrow it down to five. I originally had 11 and managed to weed it down to 7 . . . in my 11, I had both other pubbed books, but when I cut to 7, one of them disappeared :( Very tough job. I couldn’t do it. I see potential in a lot of ideas . . . I couldn’t narrow it down to five. I originally had 11 and managed to weed it down to 7 . . . in my 11, I had both other pubbed books, but when I cut to 7, one of them disappeared :(

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228423 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:17:28 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228423 Cyndi, you have NO idea how happy I am that my agent read through my crappy letter and asked for the book. I think she's happy, too :) Thanks for introducing your husband to my books! I have a lot of husband/wife reading teams :) Cyndi, you have NO idea how happy I am that my agent read through my crappy letter and asked for the book. I think she’s happy, too :) Thanks for introducing your husband to my books! I have a lot of husband/wife reading teams :)

]]> By: Allison Brennan http://www.murdershewrites.com/2009/04/23/queries-and-agents-and-rejects-oh-my/#comment-228422 Allison Brennan Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:16:27 +0000 http://www.murdershewrites.com/?p=2207#comment-228422 LOL on your rejection! Perseverance trumps luck . . . or rather, it creates opportunity. I admire you! I think practicing your pitches at RWA and other places is very smart, even if you don't sign with an agent from there. Practice -- a good query can get you read faster, but it's all about the writing. You go! LOL on your rejection! Perseverance trumps luck . . . or rather, it creates opportunity. I admire you! I think practicing your pitches at RWA and other places is very smart, even if you don’t sign with an agent from there. Practice — a good query can get you read faster, but it’s all about the writing. You go!

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