tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post4173950588094589644..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Fuck gratefulJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-26912056019409332342010-02-28T22:39:21.241-05:002010-02-28T22:39:21.241-05:00Let me preface this by saying that I was the write...Let me preface this by saying that I was the writer who wrote the posted criticism. I do feel honored in a perverse way at having my dirty laundry aired––even having an unmentionable word affixed to the heading. Kind of like when I got my fan letter published in a comic book letters section at the age of 12. <br /><br />I actually didn`t read the comments for a week. I figured I would be lambasted, if not feathered and tarred. Now that I have read the comments, it feels more like being tickled with feathers. Thank you gentle readers.<br /><br />That said, <br />Of course I realize Janet Reid is doing us a service. <br />Of course I was in a shitty mood when I happened to read her reasons for mass rejections. And, of course––as one astute commenter picked up on––she did reject my query summarily, or at least for no “sharky” reason that I could decipher.<br /><br />I don`t however want to fall back on the simple excuse that I am a frustrated would-be author, (though I am at this point capital WOULD-BE).<br /><br /> In these 2 short months of querying I have had five requests for partials (still on the “to-be-read-when-Steven-King-quits-bugging-me” pile, hopefully) and a requested full that led to a requested revision, that led to a revision and a requested revision of said requested revision.... yes you can write, but editors these days...<br /><br />I think what was in the back of my mind when I commented was: Janet Reid gave me the template that allowed me to write a query that has elicited some positive response, and yet... my query was probably a scratched line in one of her clever, off-hand posts of rejected queries. <br /><br />I appreciate you Ms. Reid and I agree, bleep annoying whiners. But we all whine in our own ways. Even agents. <br /><br />I sensed you were whining about a lack of excellent queries and responded with an annoying comment about excellence being in the written matter, not the query per se.<br /><br />Still stand by that. And yes, I do read Query Shark as humor.<br /><br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Damon ShulenbergerAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04203209827949645698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-65582065206074668482010-02-24T13:36:38.345-05:002010-02-24T13:36:38.345-05:00I've enjoyed reading your posts today. It'...I've enjoyed reading your posts today. It's nice to "get in the mind" of the other side of the book writing spectrum. I do feel bad for the agents who have read some of my earlier work...queries and manuscripts alike! Kudos for speaking your mind on here!<br /><br />http://supermanslady.blogspot.com/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00422648347443986000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72922661456957965382010-02-23T20:20:18.766-05:002010-02-23T20:20:18.766-05:00Thank you! You are the best. I can say that becaus...Thank you! You are the best. I can say that because most of what I write wouldn't fall in your range of representation. I have one that might, but I haven't decided whether to query you or not. I need to do more research on the books you've repped.<br /><br />I started following your blog long before I wrote this particular manuscript because you are honest and blunt but have a 'human' edge that keeps it from being cruel. <br /><br />Thanks for keeping it up.<br />LeonaLeonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11786326364037397675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14095939207911362992010-02-22T20:09:18.853-05:002010-02-22T20:09:18.853-05:00I've already commented twice, but I don't ...I've already commented twice, but I don't care. Since this post went up, I've returned repeatedly to read it since the whole thing (post and comments) just cracks me up. It makes me smile like an idiot.<br /><br />Fuck fuckity fuck fuck, Janet.<br /><br />Right on.Christi Goddardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08590491851753709622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12980702064145310602010-02-22T14:53:36.122-05:002010-02-22T14:53:36.122-05:00I can see why the person commented the way they di...I can see why the person commented the way they did. On the surface it might seem that you are, indeed, annoyed with all queries. However, the way I see it, you seem to be communicating to prospective submissions. How else can you stop the madness? By telling us what you don't like, hopefully, it will stop some of the ambiguous, annoying queries. You're just trying to help us and yourself at the same time, right?pmrussellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02503182438212172243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19065585433801449222010-02-22T14:23:14.562-05:002010-02-22T14:23:14.562-05:00I see this, in many ways, as confusion on the part...I see this, in many ways, as confusion on the part of a writer. <br /><br />When one writes something, no one is obligated to read it. No one.<br /><br />There are many things out there to read and, in order for one's work to become one of them, one must either publish it oneself (self-publish) or convince others with marketing savvy, publishing capability and other useful distribution capabilities to invest in your writing - to in turn convince readers to invest time and money into one's work.<br /><br />There are many many (many many many...) people out there believing they have something worth reading. Only a proportion of them are right. If they want an agent to invest their time and effort in representing their work, they have to (a) do good work and (b) give the agent the tools necessary to recognize the work is good in a sea of not-so-good.<br /><br />It's a symbiotic relationship. The agent needs to find good writers, which is why they slog through far more examples of less than stellar writing than I (or most readers) would be willing to. It's a considerable investment in time and effort with no direct recompense. <br /><br />The writers need a good agent to help sell it further up the publishing chain and, hopefully, eventually reach the readers - who get to choose between many books, but have the advantage that the books that reach them have been screened by many others.<br /><br />Bottom line, if you can't sell it to an agent, either your pitch or your book isn't ready. Make it so. Try not to blame others (particularly not an agent who has gone through so much trouble to steer you in how to sell to her).Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6558563685708678842010-02-22T13:07:07.985-05:002010-02-22T13:07:07.985-05:00As a fellow Heedless Unprofessional Vulgarian (I&#...As a fellow Heedless Unprofessional Vulgarian (I'd love to be a professional vulgarian, but Carrot Top and the <i>South Park</i> guys seem to have that market all sewn up at the moment), I salute you.<br /><br />Fuck'em! Or, to be more Latinate than Anglo-Saxon, <i>illegitmi non carborundum</i>.JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13974691019739092440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-64458250158885852062010-02-22T08:47:33.224-05:002010-02-22T08:47:33.224-05:00Janet, you're now officially one of my favorit...Janet, you're now officially one of my favorite agents.Flavio Q Crunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05110338608410195466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-74709581817035436812010-02-22T06:41:16.249-05:002010-02-22T06:41:16.249-05:00Egad. Everybody's so friggin' sensitive. I...Egad. Everybody's so friggin' sensitive. I'd hate to be an agent or an editor and deal with all these fragile egos. <br /><br />I learned long ago that my best friend was my editor, and if she was ticked at my writing, it was because I didn't do my job, which is to first keep her entertained and second to make her look good to her senior editors. If she's happy, she fights for my story, and I get published. It's that simple.<br /><br />The same with agents, who were all once bright-eyed little boys and girls who fell in love with reading and books and decide to make books and writers their mission in life.<br /><br />I've taught Literature and writing nearly my entire life, and know from dealing with students who don't listen, don't pay attention, don't follow directions the frustrations of the agent and the editor who for the umpteenth time get a piece crap from a writer presenting him/herself and his/her opus as the next best selling novelist and novel.<br /><br />My advice to those writers who were somehow personally offended by Janet's openness, my advice is Sit up, Listen up, Shut up, or Leave the room.<br /><br />After all, unlike public education, sending your query/novel to Janet or any agent is not compulsory.LMG Swainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06422366394404281220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-11852958044532281502010-02-22T01:07:05.136-05:002010-02-22T01:07:05.136-05:00I am quite sure that you hate literature because y...I am quite sure that you hate literature because you have yet to accept my monkey-book proposal. Maybe you just hate good ideas.mallardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12027376257447878531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-80363333048240892602010-02-22T01:04:56.183-05:002010-02-22T01:04:56.183-05:00" Better to know now that we're all heedl..." Better to know now that we're all heedless unprofessional vulgarians"<br /><br />Hehe!<br /><br />I KNEW there had to be a better name for what I was!Christi Goddardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08590491851753709622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70048910121262894662010-02-22T00:06:52.244-05:002010-02-22T00:06:52.244-05:00Well said!Well said!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5471816958074764312010-02-21T23:07:11.195-05:002010-02-21T23:07:11.195-05:00Dang, woman! I'd like to buy you a drink.
An...Dang, woman! I'd like to buy you a drink.<br /><br />And no, I don't have any ulterior motives. You don't represent what I write, so no pressure on either of us.Suzan Hardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600258874634909988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-53476746938306234652010-02-21T23:00:19.041-05:002010-02-21T23:00:19.041-05:00LOL You tell him , Janet. Don't hold back.LOL You tell him , Janet. Don't hold back.Donna Coe-Vellemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03531285547959108447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55097864245125700202010-02-21T22:09:44.471-05:002010-02-21T22:09:44.471-05:00Ah, Janet! I was pleased you caught and commented ...Ah, Janet! I was pleased you caught and commented on "dully noted".<br /><br />Also, I wanted to recommend the same blog title with the words inverted for an entirely different flavor. If you try it as a mental exercise, you will find that the use of the Old English word for coitus is, in fact, most expressive and assumes a wide variety connotations once you experiment with it in different parts of speech.<br /><br />Upon consideration, the word in question is one of the most versatile in the language. It can be used, unadorned, in almost any capacity as a part of speech. Noun, verb, adjective or adverb (usually with an "ing"), etc. I cannot immediately call to mind the use of it as a preposition but it would seem to suit if the occasion presented itself.<br /><br />At any rate, I choose not to discriminate against Old English as I am not a Norman Courtier demonstrating my superiority by using French exclusively. In whatever language, it means the same thing.Laurelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06120847492230531939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7691112334230281092010-02-21T20:54:58.569-05:002010-02-21T20:54:58.569-05:00"Fuck grateful; write better queries."
..."Fuck grateful; write better queries."<br /><br /><br />Fucking classic -grins-<br /><br />Love ya Janet--you're all kinds of awesome.Alicia Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766920985516752514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34088047658976153072010-02-21T19:57:44.223-05:002010-02-21T19:57:44.223-05:00Hi Lou, just in case you haven't unsubscribed ...Hi Lou, just in case you haven't unsubscribed yet, I really hope you meant "duly noted" rather than "dully noted." I hate to think unsubscribing from my trash talking blog leaves you feeling dull and lifeless.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85272532134395190572010-02-21T19:41:16.769-05:002010-02-21T19:41:16.769-05:00My gawd, I think I'm gonna change my name to H...My gawd, I think I'm gonna change my name to Heedless Unprofessional Vulgarian. That's right catchy!<br /><br />ROFLJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11705320883615938075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21352465211270064592010-02-21T18:59:53.212-05:002010-02-21T18:59:53.212-05:00If he (or she) doesn't like your blog, she (or...If he (or she) doesn't like your blog, she (or he) can remove it from their reader. It's not like he has hired you to write this blog to his specs!<br /><br />You write this blog for your own purposes. If it doesn't work for the reader, let them find one that does. :-)<br /><br />I agree with what you said.<br /><br />And also, if you want to swear in your blog, it is fine with me. The point of using language is to express an idea, if that is the language that gets the point across, then it is the right language to use (mho).<br /><br />BethBethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05166520509616391248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21773370317801690522010-02-21T18:55:58.447-05:002010-02-21T18:55:58.447-05:00I'm gonna agree here that you're one of th...I'm gonna agree here that you're one of the reasons I a) have at least some clue as to what I'm doing and b) that I am able to see agents as real human beings who really love their jobs and work for the writers and books that they love. <br /><br />I've learned more from the Query Shark and this blog than from any other source. I've read the entire things. When I see an entry describing why things were rejected, I can take away from that what *not* to do and find that helpful as well. <br /><br />I think it's obvious to most of us at least that you you really do love your job, and that you care about writers. I'm sorry you have to get crap from people when you spend so much of your own time working on resources to help us. <br /><br />I say this as a fellow querier, oft-rejected. Don't change a thing, and thank you.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02561948924798355275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30961118690945749192010-02-21T18:15:03.380-05:002010-02-21T18:15:03.380-05:00Dully noted and blog subscription deleted.Dully noted and blog subscription deleted.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04744862781261796075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-62624866347810708572010-02-21T17:22:08.563-05:002010-02-21T17:22:08.563-05:00LOL
Oh my, Janet. You are priceless.
LOL
*rumma...LOL<br /><br />Oh my, Janet. You are priceless.<br /><br />LOL<br /><br />*rummaging through files searching for something in Janet's chosen genres to query her with*Sarah Laurensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252565450452195395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-17560938398360480352010-02-21T17:15:19.944-05:002010-02-21T17:15:19.944-05:00Hi Lou,
I'm sorry you were offended by forcefu...Hi Lou,<br />I'm sorry you were offended by forceful and explicit language.<br /><br />I chose that word carefully and with specific intent and I don't apologize for using it. Furthermore, I don't intend to change my ways.<br /><br />There are blogs by other agents that don't use coarse language:<br /><br />BookEndsLLC<br />Kristin Nelson<br />Rachelle Gardner<br />Nathan Bransford<br /><br />You might want to read them instead of this one.<br /><br /><br />And the "rule" about ranting on blogs by authors isn't a rule. It's a suggestion about how to avoid looking difficult to work with.<br /><br />My use of coarse and vulgar language here is in fact something you'd want to know about me should you be looking for an agent.<br /><br />That kind of language not only peppers my speech, it appears in the books I sell.<br /><br />You wouldn't want to be offended by your fellow authors, would you? No, of course not. Better to know now that we're all heedless unprofessional vulgarians, and query not only widely, but elsewhere.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33688737565308242052010-02-21T16:53:14.321-05:002010-02-21T16:53:14.321-05:00I have to say that I'm offended by your sweari...I have to say that I'm offended by your swearing. For someone working in the literary world, I would think that you could find more creative words to express your thoughts. It really lacks professionalism when you use the f-word in your rants. Also, as aspiring authors, we are warned not to rant and criticize agents/publishers on our blogs/websites, as it could come back to bite us. Shouldn't the same apply to you?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04744862781261796075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45836300270781666132010-02-21T16:47:07.292-05:002010-02-21T16:47:07.292-05:00Not only do I read your blog and Query Shark regul...Not only do I read your blog and Query Shark regularly, I take notes (okay, granted mental notes, but I do go back and reread certain entries) on how to become not only a better writer but smarter about the business of writing. I am very grateful to you and the other agents and writers who share their own experiences through blogs. If you didn't care, you wouldn't blog.<br /><br />That and you have a wicked sense of humor. I may not agree with everything but I don't have to.LeeAnn Flowershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03314378121630608230noreply@blogger.com