Tag Archive - Rejection

Writing to Market: Bad Advice?

May 10, 2012 in Business, Marketing, Publishing, Tamela, Writing with 20 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

Throughout my career I’ve seen various responses to the advice that declares “Write to market!” In other words “write what sells” because that is what is most important for a writer. Is this good advice or bad advice?

It is both.

Here is when it’s bad advice: When you’re made to feel you have to write a certain type of book just to break into the market, any market.

If you think, for instance, that any lame brain can write a romance novel, but hey, romance authors are millionaires, then the romance novel market is not where you need to be. You won’t respect your readers or give them your best.

So if writing to market means you’re slogging away writing a book you loathe in hopes of entertaining riches, then you’ve taken bad advice.

Then when is writing to market a good idea? It’s a good — even great — idea when you are:

  1. writing your best work, giving your readers your all.
  2. creating a timeless story.
  3. staying within your targeted publisher’s word count, as shown in the publisher’s guidelines or advised by your agent.
  4. choosing a setting to which your intended audience can relate.
  5. selecting a time period you are passionate about and can make come alive for your readers.

I won’t say that any and all fabulous books written by passionate authors will be published to greatness. Whether we like it or not, a wonderful 300,000-word book set in Antarctica in the year 789 is likely to find the market inhospitable. (That statement guarantees someone will sell a book fitting this description tomorrow!) The general rule is that most successful writers study current market parameters and write books that make sense for the market. Editors will often say to me, “I see something there,” when they spot writers they want to work with, even if the project itself isn’t quite right. Those authors should try again. And again, if necessary.

In my view, it’s best to write a story that excites you. Show us the result. Then let’s see what happens.

Your turn:

How do you write to market?

What publisher are you targeting? What is your biggest challenge in writing for them?

The Mystery of the Slush Pile

April 19, 2012 in Agency, Book Proposals, Tamela, Writing with 42 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

When you submit a manuscript or query to an agent, you may wonder what happens to it, and what our thought processes are regarding the properties we offer to represent versus those we must respectfully decline. Every agent is different, but you may find learning about my process helpful.

I have a very smart assistant. When she reviews my slush pile submissions, she goes through a winnowing process.

The first submissions she rejects are those that are obviously not a fit for me. These include:

1.) Stream of consciousness submissions. If she can’t figure out what you are talking about, she sends it back. By this we don’t mean that we don’t understand systematic theology. It means that the query letter is incoherent.

2.) Error-ridden letters. Even the best of us can type “here” when we meant to type “hear” but more than one error in a final letter is a red flag that either the author is not well-versed in basic grammar or will turn in careless, sloppy work.

3.) We rarely acknowledge queries sent as an email blast in the cc line to the entire industry. It is a form of spam. Target a select few and then personalize your proposal to each.

4.) Books that aren’t in categories we represent.

Submissions that bypass these four problems, among others, and otherwise show promise are passed on to a reader. The reader looks for factors such as:

1.) Excellent writing.

2.) For fiction, coherent plot.

3.) For nonfiction, whether the intended audience is likely to connect with the topic.

4.) Overall message of book, whether fiction or nonfiction.

Our reviewer’s opinion carries weight. If the manuscript doesn’t pass muster, the reviewer reports as to why it doesn’t. Based on the evaluation, unless my assistant has an extremely good reason to disagree, a rejection is sent. But if it survives that initial read, then the submission is sent to me for final evaluation. At that time, I must consider many factors as I make my final decision. The factors differ, depending on the author’s publishing history, type of manuscript in question, and my belief in its marketability. The main point to remember is that rejections from my office are never a reflection of a writer as a person, and I think most agents would make the same statement. I wrote books and articles for many years, so I know what receiving a rejection letter feels like. Since so much of yourself is put into your work, rejection does feel personal. One of the most difficult parts of my job is sending a rejection notice to an author I know and like. But if I waste her time, mine, and the editor’s, then attempts to market out of a sense of friendship won’t help any of us.

On the flip side, when I do offer representation, you can be confident that in my representation, you will have the full support of The Steve Laube Agency.

Your Turn:

What is the longest you’ve had to wait for an agent to reject or accept your work?

Did you earn an offer of representation for your first manuscript, or did you write several books before finding success?

Fun Fridays – April 13, 2012

April 13, 2012 in Fun Fridays with 5 Comments

The Rejection Letter Generator

Become used to receiving rejection letters from agents and editors. Test your own mettle. Develop immunity to snarky comments!
Go to this site and fill one of the seven forms. The Rejection Generator Project
I guarantee you will be rejected within seconds. So much better than waiting weeks for our agency’s evaluation.

Here is a sample of the rejection letter I received from the site:

Dear Writer,

I regret to say that we cannot use the piece you have submitted. There are many potential reasons for this: we are looking for very particular subject matter; we are overstocked right now; we were drunk when we read it. This is not a judgment of you. It does not mean you are a bad writer.

Of course, you probably are a bad writer. You’re probably so bad you can’t finish this sentence: “My mama wears __________.” The vast majority of people who think of themselves as writers are actually bad writers. They just don’t know it. Nonetheless, this one rejection doesn’t necessarily mean that you are bad. But probably you are.

And the odds are that you are immoral and lazy as well. We don’t mean to be harsh. We’re talking about the percentages here.

Best,

The Editors

 

News You Can Use – April 3, 2012

April 3, 2012 in News You Can Use with 2 Comments

The Spirituality of Rejection – Chris Abel asks “Can rejection be good for you?”

In Case You’ve Been Asleep – The Harry Potter franchise is now available in ebook form on the Pottermore web site. It will be interesting to hear sales data if they are willing to share.

Twelve Blogging Mistakes to Avoid – Jeff Bullas gives great advice.

15 Twitter Hashtags That Every Writer Should Know About - if you know what that headline means this is a helpful article. If you don’t? Click through to find out.

The Instant Art Critique Generator - Impress your friends! Type in any five digit number and get a phrase to use to make yourself sound intelligent.

And here are the cliches most used to describe art. Do you use them to describe your book?

The Unhelpful Rejection Letter

March 8, 2012 in Book Proposals, Business, Tamela, Writing with 66 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

Have you ever received an unhelpful rejection letter that says, “Sorry, but this just isn’t a fit for us.”? I have. And I’ve also written more of these rejections than I’d like to admit. In fact, after I write this post, I may just have to send out twenty more.

Some authors write back to say, “Can’t you tell me what I can do better? What suggestions do you have?” I’m sure I frustrate writers when I tell them I can’t comment further. As a published author in my own right, I understand why writers want feedback. So now let me tell you why I don’t feel it’s in your best interest for me to offer feedback when the answer is a firm no.

Lead Me On

When you were in high school, you kept from encouraging people you didn’t want to date, right? Sometimes those people were nice and would make a great match for someone else. Just not you. You hated the fact you couldn’t, in your heart of hearts, be passionate enough about spending time with them to accept invitations for dinner. But how to tell them without gaining an enemy forever? Ouch!

I don’t want make writers, especially my lovely friends, think I’m going to introduce their work to editors if I have no intention of doing so. If I tell you, “Well, I’d like this better if the heroine’s eyes were blue and her name was Sally,” and you changed both factors and sent it back to me, you’d expect me to pursue your work. Now, in truth, I might think your book would be better with blue-eyed Sally instead of green-eyed Sarah, but another agent might disagree. Unless I’m serious about pursuit, it’s better for me to keep my opinion to myself.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Another factor in a lack of meaningful comment is time. I would love to mentor more writers, but time doesn’t allow. I’m simply not able to give each writer with a shred of promise a line-by-line edit. Until you are published and receiving meaty critiques from professional editors at publishing houses, look for critique partners to do heavy edits. And expect to return the favor many times over. Even better, learn self-editing so your critiques are light both in critique group and from the editor at your publishing house.

And realize that even a morsel of advice can take considerable time to compose so that it is genuinely helpful.

You Owe Me!

When you follow up with an editor or agent after a conference, you may be disappointed if you receive an unhelpful rejection letter. But for the reasons I’ve stated, you’ll have to swallow disappointment even when you’ve made a great personal connection. Some editors and agents may go the extra mile with a few comments based on the great time you had over lunch at conference, but they don’t owe you. Remember, agents and editors are more swamped than ever after big conferences so they may be treading water with the tsunami of resulting submissions.

Ungrateful

Believe it or not when we do provide a bit of critique or advice a few writers take it as an affront and fire vitriol in return. Steve Laube shared this final salvo from a person he tried to help by saying the manuscript was too long for the current market:

You have rejected the proposal, so why do you insist on insulting me? Why does it matter to you? My manuscript is what it is and everything included is vital information … Please do not email me again.

A Forever No?

In my view, a rejection letter is not a forever no, even if you feel the letter is unhelpful. You can always try again with a new submission, especially if you have worked hard to improve the material. Persistence is just as helpful in writing as it is any other profession.

The Helpful Rejection Letter

Did you score a helpful rejection letter? One that provides specific advice or critique? Rejoice! It’s the next best thing to an acceptance. The helpful rejection almost always means the agent is engaged in your work and is taking the time to groom you for possible representation. Listen, heed, and resubmit.

Your Turn

What was the most helpful rejection letter you ever received?

What was the worst rejection letter you’ve received?
Did you follow up on advice given in a rejection letter? What happened?

Charmed, I’m Sure

February 16, 2012 in Book Proposals, Business, Tamela, Writing with 28 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

Dear Editor:

You really should meet this author! He knows all the best places to dine. I couldn’t believe the fabulous meal we were served at a hole-in-the-wall place I’d never heard of until I made his acquaintance. He has also been quite generous and charming to my family. My husband and my kids have nothing but great things to say about this wonderful author!

In our meetings both in person and on the telephone, he has convinced me that his book will sell millions! And because of his extroverted manner and considerable verve, I believe it really doesn’t matter if his book is any good or not. His platform isn’t anything great yet, but it will be — as soon as he gets paid your hefty advance so he can travel the country, taking meetings. In fact, he wants to meet with you at your early convenience. Can you fly out to meet him in Charlotte on Tuesday morning? 

Cheers,

Tamela

Of course I would never send this letter like it to any editor, but on more than one occasion, I have found that this is how authors seem to think marketing to editors works. When any author insists on pitching to me over the phone or meeting me in person other than at a writers conference, I have found too often that these authors want to use their force of personality to sell their book. After all, it’s hard to turn someone down in person. Now the author’s personality is crucial if he or she already has a large speaking ministry, especially for non-fiction. But I’m not talking about a household name here, I’m referring to much greener authors.

The fact is that authors communicate one way: through words on the page. While e-readers like the Kindle and the Nook have changed the landscape as to how we consume the printed word, the fact remains that writers are still communicating this way, not in person over lunch. No editor cares how often I’ve had a meal with an author, if the author is my best friend, or even if the author is barely speaking to me. The editor cares about the author’s book. Is the author able to convey timeless truths in nonfiction or a compelling story in a novel? The words are what readers will see and how they will judge an author. An amazing personality and speaking ability is a bonus (sometimes termed as “media-ready”) but it only goes so far.

Bottom line: If you feel compelled to pitch your book in person or on the telephone and that is the only way you feel you can get your point across, I recommend that you take a long, hard look at your manuscript. Learn to convey your excitement in your written words. When you do, you will be well on your way to becoming published.

Never Burn a Bridge

January 30, 2012 in Agency, Business, Defense of Traditional Publishing, Publishing, Steve, Trends with 15 Comments

by Steve Laube

The sale of Thomas Nelson to HarperCollins and last week’s sale of Heartsong to Harlequin brought to mind a critical piece of advice:

Never Burn a Bridge!

Ours is a small industry and both editors and authors move around with regularity. If you are in a business relationship and let your frustration boil into anger and ignite into rage…and let that rage descend on someone in the publishing company, you may end up burning a bridge. And that person who you vented on might someday become the head of an entire publishing company.

True Story

A salesman got into a verbal altercation with the buyer for a major chain. The salesman stormed out and called his boss asking to be taken off the account so that he would never have to talk to that buyer again. A month later the salesman’s company hired that buyer as the salesman’s new boss. (Yikes!)

A, B, C, D, & E (and beyond)

Scenario based on a true story: An author was so frustrated with her editor she wrote a scathing letter to the publisher (A) dressing down the entire editorial staff. The next year that editor moved to a different publisher (B) and when that author’s proposal was presented at a meeting, the editor relayed to the publishing team (B) the volatility of that writer.

Soon the writer was with a new publisher (C) because she was so mad with her previous publisher. Everything was great…until something set the writer off. She again melted down and with a scorched earth method set every relationship on fire…and watched it burn. A year later the marketing at this publisher (C) moved to a new opportunity at another publisher (D). And shortly thereafter the editor (C) became an editorial director at yet another publisher (E).

You see the pattern? There are technically five publishers that were burned by this author, two by action, three by proxy. Each bridge fell into the river. And guess what, this writer is now mad at her publisher (C) but is having trouble finding a new home.

A Last Example

When working as an editor I had an agent call me on the phone and berated me and our company for about five minutes. Most of the monologue was done by shouting. The agent concluded their rant by demanding to talk to our Vice President. So I called the VP with a warning and transferred the call. I later asked how the call went. My VP said everything was all peaches and cream, so why did I need to issue a warning? It became obvious that this agent just wanted to get past me to talk to “someone important,” i.e. a real decision maker. Suffice it to say I knew something about that agent that stuck with me…especially after I was promoted and became a “real decision maker.”

(Don’t ask who I have been talking about, it is irrelevant. I’ve been in the industry for 30 years and have seen a lot of things happen over a long period of time.)

What Do You Do When Things Go Wrong?

1. Talk to your agent.  Your agent’s inbox or phone line should be a safe place to vent. Do not vent to your critique group, to your writing friends, on Twitter, or Facebook, or your blog. Talk to someone you can trust. You might actually be wrong in your frustration and don’t know that what you are experiencing is supposed to happen that way. Every agent will concur that a big part of our job is helping our clients measure their frustration in a professional manner.

[[I've spoken to authors who did not have an agent and things had gone wrong with their publisher. Things that could have been easily prevented with a good contract or a solid relationship with the company. These authors now want an agent to come in and fix things. Often it is too late. So, at the risk of sounding self-serving, this is one really good reason to have an agent from the beginning.]]

2. Own the anger, but don’t let it control. It is foolish to deny that you are frustrated. But letting emotion control your actions is not a good idea.

3. Write out your thoughts and send it to your agent in an email but only if you can trust the agent not to forward it to anyone. Better yet, call your agent and read it over the phone. You are a writer! Use your gift to express your thoughts. Sometimes that is enough and you will never have to hit the “send” button. What I have done on occasion is ask that the client to write the “Angry Letter” but send it to me and only me. Many times I can edit the tone and the words and put the language in “publisher’s speak” so that everyone’s situation is respected and frustration expressed firmly but without anger.

4. Beware of bitterness or distrust. I read so many blogs from authors, both Christian and in the general market, who love to tell their tales of woe, and then conclude that all publishers and editors are evil.

Remember that people make mistakes. And sometimes businesses make business decisions that affect you negatively. I understand. I’ve been fired from a job with no warning before, I understand. But it can only become worse if you let that pain fester inside like an infection. Your craft will suffer and your calling as a writer will be stunted.

5. Remember Colossians 3:12-13 where Paul wrote: “Put on…compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

By the way…

I said never burn a bridge. But I didn’t say you can’t light them on fire. There are times where you need to make a stand for what is right or point out an error. It is how you make that information known determines whether or not that bridge can still be used the next morning. But that may be a good post for another day.

How Many Critiques Spoil the Broth?

January 12, 2012 in Craft, Tamela, Writing with 11 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

Today I’ll give my opinion on a question sent to our blog:

When an author is trying to find the right Genre to write in for a particular subject, is it profitable to listen to only one critique? 

Discover

The author who posed this question is in the discovery phase. Writers who read lots of books and have developed a love for many types of stories often have trouble deciding what to write. Often I receive proposals from new authors who tell me they have written, for example, romance, women’s fiction, and romantic suspense and want me to market all three. From a statistical perspective, that makes sense. Isn’t it more likely that three proposals going to thirty places will be more likely for at least one to find success than one proposal going to six places? Well, no. This is because authors are better off finding their writing passion and pursuing that with the best book they can write rather than researching and writing across the board. For instance, romantic suspense and contemporary romance have in common the fact that the story’s main plot point is the relationship between a modern hero and heroine. However, a romantic suspense writer must be willing to learn about police procedure and the law, but contemporary romance authors usually don’t because their books focus on different types of conflicts.

Listen

My advice to the new author is to pursue the story they most want to see published and to see their name tied to forever. To decide that, think about what story you are most eager to write, and what type of research you enjoy. Though you will still want to write to market considerations, I recommend listening to your heart when choosing genres.

Flourish

Of course, many successful authors write in several genres. However, most of these authors started in one genre and moved to different types of books as their careers flourished. New authors need to get a foothold before attempting to market several genres. This is one area where a literary agent’s advice is invaluable. Our jobs include offering career advice to authors and helping them not to become overwhelmed with too many contracts. This is a nice problem to have, but one that needs the skill of a good agent to manage.

Critique

Critiques are tricky. Finding a match of partners who will work with your schedule and who are also knowledgeable about and have a passion for your genre is one of the most difficult combinations to find. There is nothing wrong with asking your mother or spouse to critique your work. My husband is not a professional author but he critiqued every novel and Bible trivia book I wrote. He was a tremendous help to me. However, when exchanging critiques with other authors, it makes sense to find those who have enough knowledge about your genre to be helpful with what will and will not work in the marketplace. A book about two people living in different countries but who find love in the last two chapters of a book may be a great read, but it won’t work for all genres. Writers of historical fiction would benefit from listening to authors who know their chosen time period to help with tone, voice, and details. Having author friends get behind your work gives you confidence when you first start writing.

Number

So how many critiques is the right number? Popular authors with deadlines usually reach the point of success where critique groups no longer work well. Submitting a chapter a week doesn’t cut it when your deadline is next month. And you don’t have time to critique other people’s work because you are under deadline. So at this point, you may have one devoted critiquer who can drop everything for you, or you may have no one at all. The bottom line is, critiques and critique partners can be a valuable piece of your writing career puzzle, but they should not and cannot be the end-all and be-all of your career. Even the most experienced and well-meaning critiquer is only offering an opinion. Over time you must develop the confidence in yourself and your work to submit your best to your editor.

 

Writers Learn to Prepare

December 5, 2011 in Book Proposals, Craft, Steve, Writing with 7 Comments

by Steve Laube

Preparation is awfully important if you are planning to climb Mt. Everest. If you show up in a t-shirt, shorts, flip flops, and a sack lunch it is likely  you will perish during the ascent.

The same idea applies to the writer. You must do the hard work ahead of time to achieve success.

There are No Shortcuts

Despite numerous methods for efficiency, there is still no shortcut in writing a great book. It is rare for anyone to slap together a masterpiece in a few short days. Don’t think we can’t tell the difference!

There are No Substitutes

This is your  work, not your neighbors. Yes, you may use the help of a Book Doctor, a freelancer, a critique group, or even a collaborator, but it is still your work. It is your name that goes on the cover.

There are No Guarantees

You could put in the 10,000 hours of practice Malcom Gladwell says is the minimum time before you are ready. You could come up with a great idea. But it still doesn’t guarantee that it is going to break through. Someone else may have just released a book too similar to yours. The execution of your craft may need another 10,000 hours before it is good enough. Many writers fail at this stage because they get a sense of entitlement and are frustrated with rejections.

John Creasy the English novelist kept at it. He kept getting rejected so decided to use pen names to create a new identity. Fourteen of them! Collectively he received 753 rejection letters. But he didn’t give up. His 754th became the first of his 564 published books. What if he had quit at the 700th rejection?

The bottom line is to take the time necessary to truly excel. It will be worth it in the end.

Conference Proposal Requests

October 6, 2011 in Marketing, Tamela, Writing with 28 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

The recent ACFW conference (attended by nearly 700 writers and industry professionals) has writers, agents, and editors in overdrive as we all attempt to follow up on conference proposal requests. Writers are working feverishly to get proposals to editors. Some are thinking, “Surely the editor who seemed so excited about my proposal is checking email at least once or twice a day looking for it. I must, must, must get the proposal out today!”

Not so fast

Our word is our bond, and we feel responsible when we promise to submit a proposal as soon as we can. Accountability is to be commended. Editors and agents appreciate conscientious writers. However, most of us are looking for a writer’s proposal under certain conditions, and those conditions are usually quite urgent in the careers of writers already established with us. From my perspective, conference requests are different. Here are a few examples:

1.) The editor seemed so excited! Why did I get a email form letter rejection ten minutes after I sent my proposal?

This writer received what I consider a courtesy request. Think about it: no one likes to reject someone face-to-face. It is not easy to tell a person you’re not interested in a novel she’s worked on for months, perhaps even years. And it may be that you never showed them a stitch of your actual writing but only a one sheet or gave a pitch in a hallway. The softhearted editor probably liked the writer as a person, but used the quick form letter rejection to convey a hard truth after the fact.

2.) The editor seemed so excited about my one-sheet! Why did I get rejected?

The reasons are legion (see #1), but a one-sheet, while useful, has its limitations. Writers spend considerable time on one-sheets, honing to perfection. And the plot promised on the one-sheet is indeed delivered in the book — a plot perfect for the editor’s house. However, if the writing doesn’t sparkle, a perfect plot will not garner a contract.

3.) The editor seemed so excited by everything about me! Why haven’t I heard back from my submission after all this time?

Cyberspace is both an exhilarating and frustrating place to work. Few have any idea what it is like on the editor’s side of the desk. During the conference they can focus on the event and the people in it. But back in the office there are dozens of pre-existing issues and new hurdles that prevent the editor from responding immediately. The new submissions are rarely at the top of any editor or agent’s to-do list.

Perspective

At any conference, we’re running on coffee/diet soda/no sleep/adrenaline/unfamiliar food and we all want to make the best impression we can upon one another. And we are all pretty pumped. Editors and agents want to find the next bright star, and we want to be excited about you and your work.  So please forgive us when reality’s glare forces us to send you bad news after you return home.

My best advice is to be sure to follow up on any and all conference requests with your most superb work. Your agent will help you ensure your work is the very best it can be to submit to editors. When you receive feedback, take it seriously. Continue to write and hone your craft. Even if a conference doesn’t result in a contract this time, you have still made valuable and meaningful connections with writers, editors and agents. Persistence and willingness to learn are key. Any conference is only a part of the larger picture in your career. That’s my perspective. What’s yours?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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