So, I have some disappointing news. The literary agent that requested my full manuscript rejected it. Here is the rejection in all its informational glory:
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share in your work. Your language and prose are beautiful, but unfortunately the manuscript isn’t a good fit for us at this time. We encourage you to submit future projects to our agency and wish you every success in all your literary endeavors.
I’m disappointed, of course, but I do take heart in the fact they thought my language and prose are beautiful. I view that as half the battle. I feel honored that they have invited me to submit another project. That’s a point won, also.
I wish I knew more about why it isn’t a good fit. They asked for a full, so I assume they read the full. They requested an exclusive read, which meant that I was not allowed to share my manuscript with another agent while this agency had it. Wouldn’t you think that they would have given me a more substantial reason as to what wasn’t working for them? Was it subject matter? Too much action? Not enough? Poorly developed characters? Faulty structure?
This rejection for a full is way too similar to rejections I get from just sending out a one-page query. That is disheartening. I can understand that agents can’t write personal rejections for every query they see. However, how many full manuscripts do they request in a month’s time? I’m an invested author. If an agent had some suggestions or pointed out problem areas, I would pay serious attention to the matter. Even if they thought the story won’t fly and needs a complete re-write. I’d be on it.
Alas, that isn’t even the worst of it. I shared my bad news with some very important loved ones. Family and friends who have watched my struggle in the writing game, some from way back in the day when I was writing a family gossip column and handing out copies to all the family members.
One person completely went off on me. “Now will you give up writing? Stop trying to get your damn story published. It is NEVER going to happen. NEVER. I know this is your dream, but not everybody’s dream can come true. And that’s just the way life is, Kate! After a while you have to tell yourself it’s not going to happen and do something else. This has gone on and on way too long. Face the music—give up the writing and move on.”
Yeah, well, that’s pretty much the gist of it. Some other things were said, none of which are appropriate to post here. Needless to say, I’m not the happiest Limebird out there.
I am trying to push through that garbage, because anyone who has the audacity to kick someone while they’re down wouldn’t normally be worth my time. However, this isn’t just a nasty anonymous blogger. This is someone who is a part of my life. Somehow, I have to work around this obvious glitch in the relationship. That, on top of figuring out what is wrong with my novel, and I’m kicking off March to a beautiful start.
I post this traumatic experience not to seek sympathy. Rather, to show all the jerks out there that I. Am. Still. Writing.
