Wednesday, March 31, 2010

opinions are like assholes...

...everybody's got one.


UP FRONT CLARIFICATION! the title of this post is in no way a cheeky attempt to call agents assholes. agents are rock stars, got it? even the ones who reject me. Rock. Stars.

now then.. an update on my path to publishing:
yesterday, i got my second rejection on a full manuscript. my first rejection was a form reply, which is fine, but tells me little beyond "cross agent off list." my most recent rejection came with a long list of revision notes. that was kind of the agent to do because she did not have to.
Repeat.
Agents DO NOT have to give you feedback on your rejected work. Any agent who does is doing you a solid out of the kindness of his or her own heart.

anyway, i learned two important things from this rejection.

first, i got to experience firsthand what everybody means when they say "this is a subjective business," because the suggestions in the rejection revision notes were point-by-point, the opposite of the suggestions made by Agent Almost, for whom i am currently revising.

second, i learned something about myself... that even if these revisions had come attached to an offer of representation, instead of a rejection, i still would not have gone with the agent.
when i started the query process, of course i did my research and everything to target appropriate agents, but i have to admit there was that little voice in the back of my head screaming, "agent! Agent! ANY Agent!" the revision notes sent along with this rejection silenced that voice.
it truly is critical to find an agent who can get on the same page with you. (pun intended)

NOW! A REMINDER! i am preparing to pass out gooey, glowing, gushing compliments to every one of my followers as soon as i have TEN of them! and bonus! i'll post links to your own blogs with reasons why people should click them!
i know, it's not a lot of incentive, but i don't have ARCs or books or other things to give away, because i'm not a big deal... yet. ;)

but follow me, and big things could happen, kids. BIG things!

6 comments:

Kate Hart said...

I followed, but not for the link love-- just b/c I like this post (and your story idea-- I remember your query from AW). :)

erinjade said...

aw, thanks Kate! that made my day. :)

and welcome to my blog!

Emmychka said...

I don't know exactly how I found you (you do not control the internet, it controls you) but I like this post and I'll bookmark you! It's eye opening and educational for me to watch your journey to be published. I'd like someday to write for the YA genre.

erinjade said...

yay emmychka!!! you are my 10th follower! flattery for everybody! watch for a post and linkage later today. :)

LM Preston said...

I found you through absolutewrite where I find a wealth of great authors.

erinjade said...

welcome LM Preston!