A kind rejection!
You have been very patient, and we owe you an apology for keeping you waiting so long. But two of us have now read your submission.
And after all your forbearance, I fear we are going to disappoint you. In fact, this novel was always going to be a bit of a long shot for us, but you do write wonderfully vividly. It would have been easier for us to arrive at a swift decision if you didn’t!
Even bearing in mind that it lies a bit outside our preferred area of expertise – crime and thrillers – another problem for us is that it hops about in time and place a bit too much for comfort. Obviously the nature of your plot requires a certain amount of that, but if you need to resort to dateline headings one starts to feel something’s not right. It might make your novel more seamless if you tried to manage without them.
All in all, we don’t feel that this novel is one we could be 100% confident of handling successfully. There are of course as many opinions as there are agents and publishers, so it may be that another agent will feel more sanguine about its chances, and of course we hope that proves to be the case.
But
in the event that this novel doesn’t find representation, and you
don’t feel too discouraged to write something else, we would
always be pleased to hear from you again.
************************************************
This is me writing again now...don't why the font has changed
colour!..and it won't change back!..hey ho!
It was interesting to see two different sets of comments
though. The first one didn't really engage with my
characters or writing, whilst the second did. So I don't
think I will change too much yet, though I am really considering
professional help in the new year. Help for my book not my
mind you understand!
So bearing in mind their preffered genres I may resurrect a
thriller I did years ago!
Onwards and upwards eh!
Mac
32 Comments
Anyway I'm going to buy a new TV tonight so yah boo sucks!..:)
New TV - a new toy always lifts spirits, you enjoy! and yes, dig out that thriller, woohaha :D
xx
Good luck with the new TV, too.
Take their advice on board and plug on. Better fortune next time.
This really does emphasise what a brilliant place this is and I can't thank you all enough.
Wrathy.....it wasn't the fantasy novel that I am posting in bits on the forum...it's my other one..'The Lemon Grove'...p'raps not your cup of tea.....not a tentacle in sight!
Oh and the new TV is fab too..:)
Let's hope 2011 will be the year everything comes together for you.
Hi Debi. Yes the timeline may be a prob, though I don't think it's a huge one. The story goes from present day then back to the WWII before concluding in the present day again...a full circle really. The main body of the book is during the war and moves forward in sequence with chapter titles saying where our hero is at that particular time. I suppose I could simply mention it in the narrative. The thing is I don't mind reading that type of book! Anyway, it is a very positive rejection!
You have a great holiday too Jules.
As others say, the letter was very encouraging and they bothered to write some comments which means they must have liked it an awful lot. I just want to say PANTS. I wish that on such occasions when they obv love it, the agent would at least pass it by an editor/reader/publishing assstant just to see....? Afterall if they enjoyed it, why wouldn't the relevant publishers? (Esp newer/smaller trying to build a list?) It's great that you are going to try the old MS now too - will you put some on here??
;o)
I think you can be really proud of that. And they have given you the all important info on where to direct the re write. maybe a little consideration of the timeline issue etc and resubmit?? best of luck!!!!! ;-)
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