tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post2674649547383206827..comments2024-03-29T07:29:32.276-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: The waiting gameJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-38128191931735789882016-08-18T08:20:22.843-04:002016-08-18T08:20:22.843-04:00Just browsing the archives and came across this lo...Just browsing the archives and came across this lovely thoughtful post. What became of these two writers, do you know?Macainmhirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00824670510873229959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55468318518598391372012-08-07T23:11:08.507-04:002012-08-07T23:11:08.507-04:00no update yet. Publishing moves at glacial speed. ...no update yet. Publishing moves at glacial speed. Ten months is nothin'!Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20510612083515673592012-08-07T22:08:47.979-04:002012-08-07T22:08:47.979-04:00I wonder if you have an update yet. It's been ...I wonder if you have an update yet. It's been 10 months now!Bukash/ Lyudmyla Mayorskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00670939346377184918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-86594836101649925672011-11-23T06:39:32.038-05:002011-11-23T06:39:32.038-05:00I just wanted to say that this was a fantastic pos...I just wanted to say that this was a fantastic post, and that your sense of integrity is inspiring. I can't imagine passing up a book like that - and I actually found it really encouraging that you did (as odd as <i>THAT</i> may sound). So thanks for posting.<br /><br />As for taking a year to figure something out - moving to Africa to volunteer on board a hospital ship has definitely taken me a year to be certain about in some ways. I didn't question it much when I got here, but it'll be a year in a week and I think that it's taken near as long to be certain that I didn't make a massive mistake.<br /><br />It turns out Africa is really hot.LiveChargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673721917281780813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89929845426454708492011-10-24T17:15:16.556-04:002011-10-24T17:15:16.556-04:00An important lesson learned: time hasn’t been need...An important lesson learned: time hasn’t been needed to find out if I was right; it’s been needed to understand where all the pieces were then, and where they are now.<br /><br />As an example, three years ago I completed a novel. I believed it worked. It didn’t, not on a professional level. Since that time I’ve been fortunate to work with a rather good editor, and talented writers in a local critique group. This resulted in a few published short stories—one of which will be in Imitation Fruit’s November on-line journal—and a second novel that’s ready to be shopped. Six months ago I pulled out that first novel. Aside from understanding the technical shortcomings, to my surprise, I understood what the story was really about.<br /><br />So, it strikes me that decisions, like feelings, are neither right nor wrong; and time is not an arbiter. Looking over my shoulder mattered only because I saw the myriad disparate facts that together altered the present.Susan Lynn solomonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08009200166857803504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26589141603902960782011-10-23T09:03:10.370-04:002011-10-23T09:03:10.370-04:00I released my first novel for free at the end of 2...I released my first novel for free at the end of 2009, and after a few thousand copies were downloaded I very tentatively put out my second for $0.99 in May 2010. I'd never wanted to self-publish but I really wanted my work out there with readers. That book sold a few copies (and I mean that literally, it sold three in May 2010 :) but those few sales made me think maybe I could do this.<br /><br />I kept going, putting out a new book every 3-4 months (at that point I had a small inventory of them) and each book gathered a slightly larger following.<br /><br />Interestingly for your question, it was May-June 2011 when my sales took off. I've sold over 60000 books this year and nearly all of those are from May on. More important than that, to me, is the daily emails I get from readers who loved and were touched by my books. That's all I wanted out of the industry and now I've got it. (Money is obviously nice but the other honestly matters more.)<br /><br />Do I think I made the right choice self-publishing? Absolutely. Did it seem like it back in May 2010? Not so much. But I'm glad I stayed with it!Heather Wardellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07266031957030063157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20015494597007021182011-10-21T14:44:46.121-04:002011-10-21T14:44:46.121-04:00Nice to know that agents fret over queries just li...Nice to know that agents fret over queries just like writers do. When the two hook up, magic can happen. It's comforting that you look for the right fit when going through queries. I'm sure I won't feel the same when I get my first rejection letter.Eden Daliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13018035548246869234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-29664092246031960052011-10-21T13:21:24.090-04:002011-10-21T13:21:24.090-04:00Good for you, Janet Reid.
I would hope all litera...Good for you, Janet Reid.<br /><br />I would hope all literary agents turn down projects that have the potential for success, but don't feel right for that agent.<br /><br />In my opinion, it is a disservice to any debut writer to be represented by a literary agent who does not have their heart in the project.Jack LaBloomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09686754263756099178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21339646278703499822011-10-21T12:11:32.746-04:002011-10-21T12:11:32.746-04:00I enjoyed reading the post & comments. I can o...I enjoyed reading the post & comments. I can only imagine how much work goes into repping a book. Even if one is great, it still may not be a good fit. That makes sense to me. I hope at some point you can reveal which books they are if they get published!Stephscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06328839483008086049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-52207323131428114082011-10-20T10:55:27.296-04:002011-10-20T10:55:27.296-04:00Kristy, I'm not sure. Not really very often. I...Kristy, I'm not sure. Not really very often. I elect to read more novels and send fewer personal rejections. <br /><br />In this specific instance both writers had met me and I'd asked to read their work. I had both novels before anyone else.<br /><br />Generally though I pass with a form rejection even at the full ms stage.<br /><br />Not every manuscript is right for me but that doesn't mean it's bad,or unpublishable.<br /><br />I have valued and trusted colleagues who represent books I can't stand. <br /><br />There's enough room here for every taste.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35845440377889126532011-10-20T03:51:26.035-04:002011-10-20T03:51:26.035-04:00Deadly Accurate: Um, yikes, no. But there does com...Deadly Accurate: Um, yikes, no. But there does come a point where plans 'A' and 'B'smile have to be shuffled around a bit. I'm taking 1 year off of school to devote all of the time I felt was being wasted (have you paid hundreds of dollars to take a required elementary refresher course recently? Most disheartening!) and devoting all of that time and energy instead to the author dream. The 98% previously mentioned think this is a bad idea because, among other things, a lot of authors--unbelievably good and otherwise--still can find themselves unpublished due to poor timing or terrible luck. It happens. It is a gamble we all take. I've decided it's worth it, and I'm glad you've decided it's worth it, too. But if I can't make any progress in a year, 'school' goes back ahead of 'author.' That's all. Neither priority disappears; they just get rearranged. So, fight the good fight! And I shall do the same.J Larkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09568123099193459274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72815102502072953592011-10-20T03:24:20.178-04:002011-10-20T03:24:20.178-04:00Great post and comments about following your heart...Great post and comments about following your heart or gut straight from the Shark's mouth.<br /><br />Since you're asking 'what choices have made that needed a year to know whether you were right?'<br /><br />It took me 18 years to come around to that guy who paid $1.50 for a bowl clam chowder. But I was too proud at the time and got mad.<br /><br />When the time came it took me three months to drop everything I'd built and move to a new country — what I let go of was what most people dream of. After a year I knew it was right, but I guess I knew all along.<br /><br />I was writing my memoir, on the second re-write, when I came across Query Shark. I sighed after reading much of the archives then started from scratch, again. After the third re-write, more Query Shark, and a year gone by I realized it was a fiction, not even a Fake Memoir. <br /><br />Thanks Janet for such a great blog. I wish more agents would blog like you do, but maybe they can't.angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-91508980577337707502011-10-20T01:27:06.550-04:002011-10-20T01:27:06.550-04:00J Larkin: "If I can't make it in that tim...J Larkin: "If I can't make it in that time, then all the people who told me I'm a moron (about 98% of the people I know) will be proven right, I suppose."<br /><br />Bullshit. Are you telling me those of us who didn't make it in a year (or five or ten) are morons, too? <br /><br />I'm a damn good writer (I know, 'cause I once had a damn good agent), and I still haven't sold a book. I'm not a moron; I'm an unpublished writer.DeadlyAccuratehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08361707307035259942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19640378588572365622011-10-19T23:00:14.919-04:002011-10-19T23:00:14.919-04:00Hi Janet:
Out of curiosity, how often do you send...Hi Janet:<br /><br />Out of curiosity, how often do you send form rejections for requested manuscripts?<br /><br />And since your blog post is about "the waiting game", do you think it's OK to follow up with an agent 2 months after sending the query? The agent has a "no response means no" policy but she also has a query status log that hasn't been updated since we sent it.<br /><br />I'm worried that my query was SO BAD that it killed her...<br /><br />(on the plus side, I might have invented some kind of Query of Mass Destruction...)Kristy Shenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15895893708061208660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-23154065854252013042011-10-19T20:20:30.638-04:002011-10-19T20:20:30.638-04:00The situation you explained, is it appropriate as ...The situation you explained, is it appropriate as an agent to possibly refer them to another agent knowing they wrote well, good premise etc? <br /><br />On the other hand I believe your integrity in the end will be respected it wouldn't have made sense to accept them as clients if you wouldn't be able to give them 110% I also respect that it wasn't all about making a possible quick sale but knowing you and what you can offer your clients. <br /><br />Cheers.Keisha Martin Romance Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04075320694648296594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8927168278661640792011-10-19T17:29:53.961-04:002011-10-19T17:29:53.961-04:00"What choices have you made that needed a yea..."What choices have you made that needed a year to know whether you were right?"<br /><br />I think any of us who have been writing for a while had to make the decision whether that was the right thing to do! Whether it was "right" in that we all attained our goal of publication is still unknown, but I'd hope we've all decided it was right because it fulfills us in some way.<br /><br />A lot of people are talking about finding/waiting for their spouses. In my case, my choice not to go after an ex was the right one once, although it did take me quite a while to see.<br /><br />And best of luck to both those authors! You seem pretty confident in your decisions, so we'll all hope you're right this time, too.Kristin Laughtinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01536556357622503501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55706423015414617372011-10-19T16:31:07.279-04:002011-10-19T16:31:07.279-04:00"I didn't take on two novels this week fo..."I didn't take on two novels this week for very different reasons." I admire your decision, but also respect you for taking time to send personal replies to those two authors. Thanks for the post.<br /><br />"What choices have you made that needed a year to know whether you were right?"<br />Moving to a new country, standing by my boyfriend when he dragged his feet on marriage, changing careers in mid-life, deciding to make the best of a part-time job by using the other half of my day to write.... The first three worked out, but actually took several years. As for my writing aspirations, after three years, the jury is still out on that one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-52066452838051023912011-10-19T16:18:36.314-04:002011-10-19T16:18:36.314-04:00Leaving my first novel for a year after I thought ...Leaving my first novel for a year after I thought it was perfect, turns out there is a WAY better story in there. Unfortunatly I am now tearing my baby apart.<br /><br />I've had a couple of not quite right for me (on a story that is finished!) but keep trying else where. I really thought they were just being nice, which is always appreciated, but do agents actually mean it when they say it has potential just not in their hands?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70984601937097685982011-10-19T16:05:21.793-04:002011-10-19T16:05:21.793-04:00Thanks for the post and the comments.Today's a...Thanks for the post and the comments.Today's about reflection.<br /><br /> A year? I spent a year writing a novel, 9 months querying agents and was turned down by many. Finally found an agent who sent that ms out to editors who also turned it down. Was in the middle of a re-write when I found out on an internet site that my agent had been fired. Agency fired me as the book hadn't sold yet. <br /><br />I felt kicked in the stomach. A friend took my ms to a teensy indie publisher who loved it. One year later Cupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys has sold around 8000 copies. Not huge, but not bad for a debut with no brick and mortar distribution.<br /><br />Took five days and delayed sending my aunt videos of my cat doing silly things. I was busy writing, blogging, working. Aunt died unexpectedly yesterday. I could have given her a few giggles but I waited too long.<br /><br />Don't wait too long.Pamela DuMond, D.C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15880017372940084226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26629447167192631742011-10-19T14:45:46.820-04:002011-10-19T14:45:46.820-04:00Two decisions stand out in my mind:
I left Baltim...Two decisions stand out in my mind:<br /><br />I left Baltimore nine years ago for a position in Alaska (deepest, darkest Alaska... the darkest is sky, not skin!). In one sense I'm as out-of-place as sand on a glacier... but the career-side has been fan-tabulous.<br /><br />The second is to take my time and learn to write... Writing an engineering design report is a lot easier than writing fiction. I can write a sentence... the trick is herding a buncha them together into a paragraph interesting enough for someone to WANT to read.gregkshipmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04541163996705006036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57524205040636333052011-10-19T14:42:51.745-04:002011-10-19T14:42:51.745-04:00Susan and Malin, oh yes. Neither author received a...Susan and Malin, oh yes. Neither author received a form letter. I've heard back from one but not the other. I know rejection is a bitter pill, so I'm hoping some time will pass and then I'll hear. <br /><br />It's nice to know you don't reply with form letters! <br /><br />Great post!<br /><br />http://jacquelinehowett.blogspot.com/Jacqueline Howetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522485407848765933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72527751023759746162011-10-19T14:38:28.461-04:002011-10-19T14:38:28.461-04:00Perhaps I'm just too practical for my own good...Perhaps I'm just too practical for my own good, but I've always mentally separated form rejections and feedback rejections. Though they both have a certain twinge of agony to them, getting a feedback rejection still makes me feel like I'm heading in the right direction, which can propel me forward with a certain hesitant confidence. <br />Like a lot of folks here, I decided to take a year to focus on my writing, though it was only after the universe banged me over the head with the opportunity. I'll pass my year mark in a week with a polished manuscript and a brand new daytime job. Follow that gut, folks!Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09454308442495029111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85152371390335633192011-10-19T14:03:37.118-04:002011-10-19T14:03:37.118-04:00"I've been wrong a lot, but I've been..."I've been wrong a lot, but I've been right enough." HAHAHA ZOMGORSH I NEED that saying in my life. You, Empress Shark, are a witty one with the words! :DBPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16407715408242911362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-64296484022066977852011-10-19T13:35:27.538-04:002011-10-19T13:35:27.538-04:00Lady Shark
'What choices have you made that ...Lady Shark<br /><br /><br />'What choices have you made that needed a year to know whether you were right?'<br /><br />Emigrating to a new country, one I'd never visited even on vacation, with no job to go to, no place to live save a hotel for ten days, no family or friends waiting? Heh. That took a little longer than a year. Starting a sequel to a book form rejected by every potential Agent who saw it, save one finny fiend (she rejected it too, but it wasn't form :-P)? That one's over a year, and still counting. Ask me next July. Or maybe September :-P.<br /><br />Writing at all? I guess it all depends on how you define 'right' :-).Graeme Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13074146235116084822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-75376821714509585282011-10-19T13:33:26.800-04:002011-10-19T13:33:26.800-04:00Congratulations to both these authors. I hope they...Congratulations to both these authors. I hope they see this post and keep going. Once they're published, I hope you'll let us know who they are so we can look for their books!<br /><br />I don't think I've set a time-based deadline on knowing whether I've made the right decision. More like, I'll rewrite it *this* way and see if it's better (it wasn't, but let me see where to tighten it up).jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12201064746352004309noreply@blogger.com