tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post3068364717770449185..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: 8/4 Chum Bucket resultsJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-81754817086896834662012-08-11T17:36:21.169-04:002012-08-11T17:36:21.169-04:00Hi Janet,
I know you like to know when there'...Hi Janet, <br />I know you like to know when there's a typo and since this is the FAQ post that peeps refer to a lot I figured you'd want to fix the fourth comment (yours). Sixth line "righting" should be "writing."Judith Gondahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10660792353316408939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30853606841979858092012-08-09T14:47:41.403-04:002012-08-09T14:47:41.403-04:00Trish, there's a post on what referrals means ...Trish, there's a post on what referrals means <a href="dliterary.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-is-referral.html" rel="nofollow">here</a><br /><br />Also, you can query on whatever you like but if it's not something I'm looking for, the response is likely to say only that.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19801458007707089732012-08-09T14:05:12.838-04:002012-08-09T14:05:12.838-04:00I see that you have one referral from the Chum Buc...I see that you have one referral from the Chum Bucket. Does this mean we can submit to the Bucket even though we know you are not looking for our type of work or even represent the genre?<br /><br />Regardless, thanks for everything you do to help those who are trying to get over the fence. I love reading what you write here and at Query Shark!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10389660269028435789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-58099041259280935342012-08-06T11:04:49.525-04:002012-08-06T11:04:49.525-04:00I'm curious now -- when you aren't doing t...I'm curious now -- when you aren't doing the Chum Bucket, what do you ever send a 'non form' no for? <br /><br />I know it takes more of your time, but it is so awesome to know *why* you got a no instead of just 'sorry, go away'.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04029555934801528325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-4835632187146689532012-08-05T13:38:14.400-04:002012-08-05T13:38:14.400-04:00Chum Bucket specific or not, I always like to see ...Chum Bucket specific or not, I always like to see these kinds of stats - very interesting to see what agents are receiving and how they see them. I actually find them quite encouraging.ProfeJMarie (Janet Rundquist)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10170953918491663287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72549970910097987052012-08-05T13:07:24.774-04:002012-08-05T13:07:24.774-04:00Nice! I would think this experiment might give yo...Nice! I would think this experiment might give you some nice, semi-pre-filtered chum, because the people who know about the Chum Bucket are the people who theoretically read both your blogs...<br /><br />Good luck!Sam Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12069749673374661798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16299870538100238902012-08-05T12:42:07.764-04:002012-08-05T12:42:07.764-04:00I already have an agent and won't be participa...I already have an agent and won't be participating, but I think it's a great idea. Here's what surprised me: Only two out of 43 queriers weren't writing up to publishable standard? Or, perhaps, aren't within spitting distance of publishable standard?<br /><br />This surprised me because I've variously read that 90%, or 95%, or 99.99% of what comes into slushpiles isn't up to publishable standard.<br /><br />I'm wondering if your much lower stat means<br /><br />1. people with enough awareness to participate in the exercise are likely to be better writers than the general run of the slushpile<br /><br />2. the general run of the slushpile has improved a lot over the last few years<br /><br />3. much of the slushpile is now being siphoned off into self-publishing<br /><br />or<br /><br />4. any combination of the above<br /><br />?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-52386617891674125812012-08-05T12:02:56.710-04:002012-08-05T12:02:56.710-04:00Looks like fun! Thanks for all the after info. It&...Looks like fun! Thanks for all the after info. It's like getting the gossip from a party. Love it!Michelle Kollarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16876074878628978930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70369456033777511632012-08-05T11:09:28.269-04:002012-08-05T11:09:28.269-04:00When you say "referral", does that mean ...When you say "referral", does that mean you actually contact another agent and tell them about the query you received? <br /><br />Thank you for taking the time to do this. This kind of information is exactly what a newbie writer wants to know.Bukash/ Lyudmyla Mayorskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00670939346377184918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90644697897714127222012-08-05T10:56:51.811-04:002012-08-05T10:56:51.811-04:00Cory, yup, we're going again next Saturday nig...Cory, yup, we're going again next Saturday night and every Saturday through August. Then we'll assess.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-79624166721216701102012-08-05T10:44:06.972-04:002012-08-05T10:44:06.972-04:00So what it boils down to is that we have the same ...So what it boils down to is that we have the same odds of a request for a full as we do of winning a NASCAR race? 1 in 43?<br /><br />Oh, not to mention the fact that to even get INTO a NASCAR race, you have to already be at the top of your game.<br /><br />Sorry, I kind of liked the silly racing metaphor. I had to work it in somehow, since it's race day. :)Laura Hughes, MittensMorgulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934132671168843593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-77250349411119578772012-08-05T09:03:55.278-04:002012-08-05T09:03:55.278-04:00I forgot my manuscript pages. Damn. May I re-end n...I forgot my manuscript pages. Damn. May I re-end next week?CoreyHaim8myDoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11555718563197884092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57773944297400703372012-08-05T08:46:28.227-04:002012-08-05T08:46:28.227-04:00Thank you so much! I had already written about for...Thank you so much! I had already written about form rejections for next Monday's QueryTracker blog post, and now I'll link to your breakdown too.Jane Lebakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00851954297667846546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6421970709967387262012-08-05T08:39:32.365-04:002012-08-05T08:39:32.365-04:00As somebody who has read a lot of slush across a v...As somebody who has read a lot of slush across a variety of careers, I think this illustrates an important point writers need to consider. <br /><br />There are a lot of people out there who are very competent writers who can turn out competent prose and a competent story of a professional length in a professional looking format. But it takes something extraordinary to spark the extent of interest needed to get a book through the gauntlet of publication. <br /><br />This is why it's so important to carefully pick who reads your manuscript and offers career advice. To mothers, casual readers, and old high school friends this kind of average writing seems extraordinary compared to what they themselves have written or feel capable of writing, but is still average compared to the millions of other manuscripts making the roundsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-63153057583639887172012-08-05T08:31:43.770-04:002012-08-05T08:31:43.770-04:00I'm curious about "I can't sell this&...I'm curious about "I can't sell this" too. Is it an extension of "not my category"? If it's not rejected based on all the other criteria, is it more a function of something you're not comfortable with, subject-wise?JeffOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07947660745120963286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-27403954637409615612012-08-05T08:11:57.216-04:002012-08-05T08:11:57.216-04:00Once again, this is why I personally love that you...Once again, this is why I personally love that you are doing this. The clarification of what it all means gives us some sense of where to go next. Thank you!smnystoriakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09847484593235115867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-36640477945583219092012-08-05T08:06:32.883-04:002012-08-05T08:06:32.883-04:00I'm nowhere near ready to query, but I really ...I'm nowhere near ready to query, but I really appreciate all of the advice and information you provide. It's always helpful to see behind the curtains. I hope those who query in the Chum Bucket also appreciate your help and send thanks rather than invective.Cindy Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13196306055833459983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31358803153292793522012-08-05T07:34:11.579-04:002012-08-05T07:34:11.579-04:00Chum Bucket - my take.
1. Janet Reid trying her be...Chum Bucket - my take.<br />1. Janet Reid trying her best to be helpful.<br />2. Form Rejections meaningless.<br />3. Blunt truth meaningful.<br />4. Now that I know,is persistence permissible?Bill Plantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07333910594629506602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-80150989081690487722012-08-05T07:18:42.634-04:002012-08-05T07:18:42.634-04:00I don't have a novel and have never submitted ...I don't have a novel and have never submitted a query, but I have learned a ton from your site. This is outstanding insight -- and even encouragement, despite the odds -- for those of us who are considering giving it a shot.Jim McClellanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801937772527621474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70878908632408588882012-08-05T06:38:36.655-04:002012-08-05T06:38:36.655-04:00How the hell do you do that...all on a Saturday ni...How the hell do you do that...all on a Saturday night?Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-47008646622726408002012-08-05T01:34:47.262-04:002012-08-05T01:34:47.262-04:00Far and away, the most interesting part (for me) i...Far and away, the most interesting part (for me) is the "Can't sell this" category. I imagine it looks different from your side of the shark tank, but for us queriers it's really easy to think, "The agent said she can't sell this. Nobody can sell this! This is unsalable! The world is over!" <br /><br />I don't know if it ever really occurs to/sinks in for all of us that different agents might have different strengths when it comes to selling things.tlbodinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08334888426768433724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87613091646438893122012-08-05T01:23:33.761-04:002012-08-05T01:23:33.761-04:00Totally meant to take part this time. Whoops. Next...Totally meant to take part this time. Whoops. Next week.Bethany C Morrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12680443616002300791noreply@blogger.com