tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post1528418341655790595..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Why You get Form LettersJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33544743571518014812009-01-31T21:59:00.000-05:002009-01-31T21:59:00.000-05:00O_OO-Oo-oThat was interesting, to say the least. T...O_O<BR/>O-O<BR/>o-o<BR/><BR/>That was interesting, to say the least. The opening scared me, quite frankly. The plot idea-- get thrown in jail to have some peace and quiet-- is also interesting, but writing about writers is basically acting as actors. It works in some situations (Kiss Me, Kate), is likeably odd in others ([title of show]), and sometimes just fails to accomplish what it wants to.<BR/>Like this.<BR/><BR/>I disagree that you were mean. What were you supposed to do when you recieved that? =/Jessica Milnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11993253751908772349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30633330956473489252009-01-31T15:11:00.000-05:002009-01-31T15:11:00.000-05:00Actually, I found your response to be the very pic...Actually, I found your response to be the very picture of restraint. Nary a shark tooth in sight, only one WTF, when any reader knows you were muttering it under your breath the entire time, and absolutely NO literary smack-down issued for the sheer arrogance of thinking you'd enjoy having your time wasted (time you COULD have spent putting Barbara Poelle in her place) reading a joke.C.J. Redwinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133349802945244028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-68058245185459012492009-01-31T12:08:00.000-05:002009-01-31T12:08:00.000-05:00Sounds to me like delusions of granduer; then agai...Sounds to me like delusions of granduer; then again I'm not published, what do I know. <BR/><BR/>It seems if his manuscript was hot to be sold, there wouldn't of been a note of almost desperation in his query letter. <BR/><BR/>I truly can't see how the in your face approach would ever work. Just my humble opinion...(Hugs)IndigoSage Ravenwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17143502548162174269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-2263037053539046122009-01-31T05:48:00.000-05:002009-01-31T05:48:00.000-05:00Dear Janet,When I was fourteen, I wrote a cover le...Dear Janet,<BR/><BR/>When I was fourteen, I wrote a cover letter (for part time work) which looked something like this. I thought I was very clever for "grokking" Heinlein, Ginsberg and Hesse---and really DIDN'T want to work at the mall after school.<BR/><BR/>I think you replied in a moment of sentimental weakness.<BR/><BR/>Reisa StoneMy Goathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17213334305315914424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-338830684175785672009-01-30T19:32:00.000-05:002009-01-30T19:32:00.000-05:00There's such a fine line between cleverly arch and...There's such a fine line between cleverly arch and seriously annoying. He began with the first and ended with the second. Then the whining began . . .Chris Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695037671506768070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14762106269610869092009-01-30T14:20:00.000-05:002009-01-30T14:20:00.000-05:00Thanks Jonathan, That was a super cool link!Thanks Jonathan, That was a super cool link!Robin Wendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04322432696259755593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46319609209521099202009-01-30T11:16:00.000-05:002009-01-30T11:16:00.000-05:00Dogs don't go out of their way to make enemies.Unl...<I>Dogs don't go out of their way to make enemies.</I><BR/><BR/>Unless, of course, the dog was a fearsome pirate in a previous life...<BR/><BR/>This Sunday, <A HREF="http://www.thedustof100dogs.com/" REL="nofollow">Emer Morrissey</A> is back.<BR/><BR/>And she's barking mad.Jonathan E. Quisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13334719433572303381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65456408531853458062009-01-30T07:42:00.000-05:002009-01-30T07:42:00.000-05:00LOL Haste! I think Janet's querier could have used...LOL Haste! <BR/><BR/>I think Janet's querier could have used the good sense of a dog. Dogs will play and won't stop until they're tired. Then they simply lie down, happy.<BR/><BR/>Dogs don't go out of their way to make enemies.BJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486893836923864197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15969267322098499272009-01-29T18:17:00.000-05:002009-01-29T18:17:00.000-05:00BJ...So true. All these years of evolution express...BJ...<BR/>So true. All these years of evolution expressed in this dog and me. And I thought I had the *superior brain.* Now, two freezin' nights ago, yup 4:AM, I'm stumblin' around our backyard trying to get, Bay, (the dog/puppy) to pee. I make my way to our large wooden fence, he follows and watches. I piss on the fence, thinkin' he'll get the idea. Nope, he just looks at me and I couldn't help but think he's thinkin'<BR/> "Dude, it's freezing out here. We're both dead tired and you just took your dick out and peed on wood! Hey, okay by me. But, I'm a dog. I don't wear clothes and mine's out all the time. I'm stuck with this situation. What's your excuse?" Bay turned, sniffed his chew toy and trotted to the back door!<BR/><BR/>My lesson learned, we retreated to the inside and warmth!<BR/><BR/>Haste yee back ;-)Haste yee back ;-)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00345715370509449971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-25433296874279822582009-01-29T15:23:00.000-05:002009-01-29T15:23:00.000-05:00Dogs are great trainers, aren't they? My dog has m...Dogs are great trainers, aren't they? My dog has me trained to give him a treat every time he goes outside to do his business. Oh, and to rub his little rump, stomach, or ears by turning that particular body part towards me. He's such a control freak.<BR/><BR/>And thank you, Mr. Quist. I feel a lot better now! (Note to self: laughter = immortality.)BJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486893836923864197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33267761649339523802009-01-29T14:52:00.000-05:002009-01-29T14:52:00.000-05:00This is a prime example of "voice" gone horribly w...This is a prime example of "voice" gone horribly wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34298551863864876892009-01-29T14:37:00.000-05:002009-01-29T14:37:00.000-05:00Why knock writer porn? I'd read it. I just read an...Why knock writer porn? I'd read it. I just read an article saying there are more of us writing novels than reading them. So why NOT publish wish-fulfillment novels about aspiring writers? Might get some more folks to go out and buy novels instead of wasting agents' time.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54291708272654504032009-01-29T13:42:00.000-05:002009-01-29T13:42:00.000-05:00"One time, a neighbor kid caught one of those..."One time, a neighbor kid caught one of those monster grasshoppers - the ones that are like five inches long - and we offered it to our biggest spider - which spanned less than one inch. The spider felt the vibration of life in its web, emerged, paused for a half a thoughtful second, then retreated into its lair. The grasshopper, when it felt it was time, hopped away, tearing much of the web with it.<BR/><BR/>That's kind of what this reminds me of..."<BR/><BR/>Very Interesting JEQ.....<BR/>I dont' know about Janet but in my own web encounters it would be nice to be characterized as a large thread rending grasshopper rather than than a fly. However, since we all seem to caught in the duality of space and time, I'm thinking that whether we are cast as predator or prey the important thing is how we choose to play our role. One could try for both, as in the biblical, "wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove." -- or go for the Buddhist, all is one, " No blame" routine. As for me I would like to be a butterfly that floating above it all and seeing the danger lands on a branch to let the sunlight illumine my iridescent wings. Unfortunately as I was reading in a twilight-like moment just before I read the new posts:<BR/><BR/>"Out flew the web and floated wide" <BR/><BR/>Cricket, Spider and Web are the givens. Smart or pleasant, clever or nice, love or fear are the choices. Not that I'm always a great choice maker myself. Spider - Fly...... been there, done that.<BR/><BR/>All this is strictly my own imperfect, limited, individual, cat and grilled cheese sandwich laden, POV. :>)Robin Wendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04322432696259755593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46692072172654203922009-01-29T13:06:00.000-05:002009-01-29T13:06:00.000-05:00Helen, I actually saw "Mama Mia". Yes, it was awfu...Helen, I actually <I>saw</I> "Mama Mia". Yes, it was awful, but had some fun splashed in, and I loved Pierce Brosnan doing his best to sing with a voice he doesn't quite have. The quality of the performance is a secondary consideration when the performer knows how to sell it.<BR/><BR/>But on the present subject, I see several elements missing from "The Method of Madness" that would guarantee publishing success:<BR/><BR/>1) The protagonist, in addition to working in a disco hot dog stand, should be a former wrestling coach.<BR/><BR/>2) The protagonist, in addition to his other difficulties, should suffer from an obscure sexual disfunction.<BR/><BR/>3) The manuscript, in addition to 30k additional words, should be written by John Irving.<BR/><BR/>If those three points were addressed, I likely would still not purchase or read the book, but a lot of other people would.Jonathan E. Quisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13334719433572303381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-41513484932358782792009-01-29T13:04:00.000-05:002009-01-29T13:04:00.000-05:00Queriers...If Janet slaps you, you turn your cheek...Queriers...<BR/>If Janet slaps you, you turn your cheek and say, "Thank you, Ma'am. May I have another?"<BR/><BR/>If she slaps the other cheek, you say, "Thank you," then turn and present your backsides.<BR/><BR/>If she slaps your backsides... she wants to play!<BR/><BR/>Haste yee back ;-) Middle aged plus a few and not as funny as he thinks! But damn good with dogs... I've got an eight week old puppy trainin' me to stay up all night... (come 3:00 AM, I'm cross-eyed eating doggie treats), fact, Jack!Haste yee back ;-)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00345715370509449971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33478370131108473942009-01-29T11:33:00.000-05:002009-01-29T11:33:00.000-05:00Well, I already KNOW I'm out of it. Because I can ...Well, I already KNOW I'm out of it. Because I can remember seeing the trailers for Mamma Mia and thinking, oh, God, this is so embarrassingly awful, destined to be a flop, why did anyone think this was a good idea? Last time I looked, the film had beat The Titanic at the box office...<BR/><BR/>Anyway, this actually sounded like a book I would happily read. Which puts it in the same class as Atkins' Quanta, Matter and Change (blurb: has all the wit and panache of Atkins' Physical Chemistry) - a snip at £39.99. In fact, it would not surprise me at all if the book, in all its 48K-word glory, turned out to have all the wit and panache of Peter Atkins' Physical Chemistry (which is <I>probably</I> underperforming Mamma Mia at the box office).Helen DeWitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07619602559096610012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-32160782206528370942009-01-29T08:57:00.000-05:002009-01-29T08:57:00.000-05:00Megs: "Must say, I really wish that the movie make...Megs: "Must say, I really wish that the movie makers would stop making writer and actor porn, by Janet's definition. They make it all look so glamorous and easy. And it's annoying."<BR/><BR/>Oh, Megs, let's just go ahead and tell everyone the truth. The secret is already out anyway. Writing and acting are both glamorous as all get out and they are so easy it is disgusting. Can you believe people actually get paid for this?<BR/><BR/>And to think, some people actually work for a living.<BR/><BR/>If they only knew.Steve Stubbshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10051363877066768708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26805787668059231442009-01-29T00:15:00.000-05:002009-01-29T00:15:00.000-05:00I'm so sorry that you had to put up with this.But ...I'm so sorry that you had to put up with this.<BR/>But I'm also so glad I got to read your post because it makes me feel SO much better that I wasn't the only one today that had to put up with someone else's thin skin thinly disguised as humor.Nancy Coffelthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01713279271661289911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-91544436411578186752009-01-28T23:15:00.000-05:002009-01-28T23:15:00.000-05:00Note to self: Don't get any older. There seems to ...<I>Note to self: Don't get any older. There seems to be some proof out there that a sense of humour withers away with age.</I><BR/><BR/>Nope. Can't happen.<BR/><BR/>If you have a sense of humour, you don't age.<BR/><BR/>I don't think I'm funny, but I have been told I am. And I think it was meant in a good way...Jonathan E. Quisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13334719433572303381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54581708089052957292009-01-28T22:43:00.000-05:002009-01-28T22:43:00.000-05:00"Note to all middle-aged guys out there: you're no..."Note to all middle-aged guys out there: you're not."<BR/><BR/>Note to self: Don't get any older. There seems to be some proof out there that a sense of humour withers away with age.<BR/><BR/>Or is it already too late?BJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486893836923864197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13686004703352851562009-01-28T19:20:00.000-05:002009-01-28T19:20:00.000-05:00What to say that hasn't already been said? This ju...What to say that hasn't already been said? This just reminds me of a lifetime of standing next to middle-aged guys who think they're funny.<BR/><BR/>Note to all middle-aged guys out there: you're not.Maggie Stiefvaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15842527558335640093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50003720195043187162009-01-28T18:53:00.000-05:002009-01-28T18:53:00.000-05:00"We are out here sitting around with our cats purr..."We are out here sitting around with our cats purring, our laptops humming, eating grilled cheese sandwiches and sending goodwill your way."<BR/><BR/>Well, not all of us supporters are doing that. Some have dogs. And pasta. But we *are* sending goodwill. Oh, and our laptops are humming, too.BJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02486893836923864197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1094809334121703672009-01-28T17:11:00.000-05:002009-01-28T17:11:00.000-05:00I found the query humorous. The rejection is subl...I found the query humorous. The rejection is sublime. His response? Clearly, he's not half as smart as he believes himself to be.Elissa Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10727748060605823895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46999659459938484252009-01-28T16:34:00.000-05:002009-01-28T16:34:00.000-05:00I have to admit that I didn't finish reading it un...I have to admit that I didn't finish reading it until the WTF comment. I then went back.<BR/>I don't think it was a joke until after the fact. I bet the book is written and other agents might get similar queries. <BR/>But if it was, at least I laughed. Mostly b/c of J's response, but I laughed.Sarah Jensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18385403676603047861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15963057599044276442009-01-28T15:14:00.000-05:002009-01-28T15:14:00.000-05:00He shouldn't have replied.He shouldn't have replied.ryan fieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13361694356025572544noreply@blogger.com