How To Decipher A Rejection

We've all been there...

One finger hovers over the mouse, ready to click open the e-mail that just popped up in your inbox from an agent you've queried. Your heart is hammering against your ribs.

Maybe it's a partial request! Maybe it's full request! Maybe it's an invitation to set up a call!!!

Or maybe *sad violin music* it's a rejection.

And when someone tells you they don't like your heart and soul, and all the blood, sweat and tears that go with it, you want a good reason, don't you?



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Dude, I feel you pain. I'm somewhat of an expert on rejections. Suffice to say, I've racked up my fair share. And with that experience comes wisdom.

Here are some actual rejections I've received over the years and what they really mean.


#1. Rejection on JUST JESSE from editor.

Thanks for sending this my way, but I'm afraid the story didn't hook me like I had hoped. Keep in mind another agent may feel differently.

What it means: Keep writing. Keep sending out queries.



#2. Rejection on JUST JESSE from editor.

I loved the setting and the pacing of the story, but I didn't fall in love with the main character to my satisfaction. Thanks for thinking of me and please keep me in mind for future projects.

What it means: Keep writing. Keep sending out queries.


#3. Rejection on query for NIGHT SHIFT by agent.

A YA paranormal from a male POV isn't selling well in this genre. Most readers are girls and want to live the experience through the protagonist. If you consider changing the POV to a girl, I'd be willing to take a look at the first three chapters.

What it means: Keep writing. Keep send out queries. Also, HARRY POTTER and PERCY JACKSON.


#4. Rejection on query for THE ASP by agent.

This is a unique premise and I love the unexpected twist, but unfortunately my client case load is such that I'm no longer looking for YA writers at this time.

What it means: Keep writing. Keep sending out queries.


#5. Rejection on query for JUST JESSE by agent.

Sorry, but your work isn't the right fit for our agency. Please forgive the impersonal nature of this email, but it is necessary to send a form rejection if we strive to respond to every query.

What it means: Keep writing. Keep sending out queries.


Hm...it looks like they're all saying the same thing, keep writing, keep sending out queries. And here's a bonus. DON'T GIVE UP!!!

You're Gonna' Need A Sharper Hook

Most agents spend less than a few minutes reading a query. First impressions count, so you have to get their interest...and fast. That's why a good, concise query is essential.

But how do you make yours stand out from the hundreds the agent will read that week?

Hook 'em Danno!
photo credit, behance.net

Easy. The first line should be your hook.

Think of the tag line from your favorite movie. It's the catchy slogan that will resonate with people and make them curious about the show. Your hook should do the same, ie: make the agent want to keep reading.

A good hook tells who the main character is (this can include age or personality description), grounds the genre, and ends with an unexpected twist.


I love to help with queries, but my passion is the hook. Post your 'hook' in my comments if you'd like feedback.

To get the ball rolling, here are two samples from my own writing.

At Willem's department store, none of the night security guards survive for long, but sixteen year old Daniel Gale doesn't scare that easily.

Hopeful heir, Edward Nichols travels to his family's English estate for the reading of his late Uncle's will only to find Craigmoore Manor has been turned into the scene of a murder investigation.

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How To Deal With Rejection

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It was exactly two years ago, the week between Christmas and New Years, when I received my first request. At that time, I had sent out around twenty queries for my YA paranormal mystery. I remember doing a little dance and then agonising in front of the computer trying to figure out how to e-mail the first three chapters NOT as an attachment—I was completely clueless about the whole process.

I checked my e-mail obsessively until four weeks later I received a form rejection. "Unfortunately the project is not the right fit for me, but this is a subjective business and I'm sure another agent will feel differently."

I was devastated.

I would read that phrase, and others gently rejecting my story, many, many more times. Each stung a little, but as Rod Stewart says, "the first cut is the deepest."

I kept writing and finally landed not one but two agents! If you want the low down on that wacky tale, click here.

After two years, I've become an expert on handling rejection. Here are some of my tips if you need a little boost to your writing ego.

1. DON'T take it personally. Truly, when they write 'it's not a good fit for me', it's because they didn't connect with the story. It doesn't mean you can't write. And why would you want someone working on your novel who doesn't totally love it?

2.  Be grateful to get a response at all. Seriously, I don't know how agents manage to even read queries let alone send a reply. Take a deep breath, file that rejection away, and send out a few more queries.

3. DON'T Google how many rejections Stephanie Meyer or JK Rowling received. It's ridiculously low. I think Twilight got eight in total. Eight! I got eight rejections in one day! It's great when success happens so quickly for some authors. Take comfort that the pressure is off you, and that you're meant to find your agent through a little more time and effort.

4. Check out websites for aspiring writers. My favorite haunt is Query Tracker. Also, you may want to join a local writing group. Sharing rejection stories with other writers is good therapy, and you might get a few beta readers.

5.  Lastly, you are your characters best advocate. If you quit, then who will tell their story? And remember, getting an agent isn't the only way to get published. There are loads of great self-published paperbacks and e-books. Start researching local/small publishing companies that take queries directly from authors.

Now stop reading this and go write something.

Cheers!

Trailer Trash

A book trailer can be a great way to promote your upcoming novel in a flashy, mini preview. Think of it as a query letter with pictures and music. And like a good query letter, your book trailer should answer the three C's; character, conflict, and crisis. However, I've noticed a lot of trailers are full of gorgeous imagery and music, but leave me scratching my head as to what the story is about.

If you're thinking about making a book trailer, consider the following advice.

1. Whatever makes your story/character unique should be showcased. Avoid ambiguous statements like, "a true love so strong she'd die for him." This tells me nothing. It should be SPECIFIC. You need to make your book stand out from the other, "a-true-love-so-strong-she'd-die-for-him" stories. 

2. Make sure the music compliments the storyline. If you wrote a contemporary, coming of age novel, the theme from Halloween probably isn't the best match.

3. SPELL CHECK. I'm not kidding. And the only reason this is here is because someone didn't SPELL CHECK before they posted their trailer.

4. Keep it simple and concise. The most enjoyable trailers are less than two minutes.

5. End with the title in bold so it's the last thing the viewer sees, and remembers.

Check out the the two trailers below. They were so AWESOME, I bought the books the next day.

What are some of your favorite trailers?

Cheers!