Comments on: Why It’s Hard to Tell the Whole Truth https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/ Literary Agent Tue, 13 May 2025 22:21:55 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Tyson F. Gautreaux https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-323129 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 16:18:34 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-323129 I just want to mention I am new to blogs and certainly loved this blog site. Most likely Iā€™m planning to bookmark your blog post . You really have good writings. Thanks a lot for sharing your web-site.

]]> By: Rebecca LuElla Miller https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8744 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:01:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8744 >I got an agent query reject today (from an agent working with general market houses). It was gracious and clear as to why she rejected, without turning into a critique. In other words, I knew what she saw though I haven’t figured out yet what I should do as a result.

Still, it felt … kind. She actually came across like she was hoping she could say yes.

Becky

]]> By: Liz Babbs https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8698 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:47:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8698 >Ooops…. I take that back. I’ve just had a stinging email from an author showing an equal lack of maturity!

]]> By: Liz Babbs https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8696 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:47:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8696 >Gosh Rachelle,
I can’t believe people treat you like that when you are so servant-hearted! I’m afraid that this kind of stinging reply only serves to further illustrate that these folk don’t have the necessary Godly character, or maturity to be published.

]]> By: Pam Halter https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8672 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:29:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8672 >I write YA fantasy. It’s a hard market to break into. But I typically get form rejections. However, the most interesting rejection I’ve ever received for anything is this: I queried an agent and was told his granddaughter loves fairies and he couldn’t represent a book where the antagonist kills and eats them. It would devestate his granddaughter.

Hmmmmm.

I can only wonder if the agent runs everything he represents by his granddaughter.

]]> By: Deb https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8655 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:20:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8655 >I can top some of these (I think). I once opened an e-mail from an agent I’d never heard of and had never queried. It was several paragraphs long, stating that she could not offer me representation for “my books” but wishing me luck in finding an agent, etc., etc.

After scratching my head for awhile, I responded with an e that went something like this: “Dear Agent: inasmuch as I have had a very bad week, I regret to inform you that I am not accepting unsolicited agent rejections at this time. Therefore please consider yourself my agent of record and send me your standard contract.”

Obviously that agent, whom I never heard of thereafter, had no sense of humor, because I got the original e-mail “rejecting” me, back a second time!

Just one more from Kinnard’s funny-rejection file…

]]> By: Cathy in AK https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8615 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:21:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8615 >I waited over a year to hear back on a requested full. In that time, the assistant changed at least a couple of times, so when I received “we’ll get to you soon” emails to my follow up queries I was frustrated but understood. Mostly : ) Eventually I received a form rejection from someone I’d never heard of. It stinks to get a form R on a full, but hey, them’s the breaks. Then almost a month later, I received another rejection from them, even though I hadn’t sent anything else!

I couldn’t resisit. Tongue in cheek, I emailed the assistant, asking if I was on some kind of pre-emptive strike list. (I made it clear I was kidding with her.) She responded with an apology, saying they were sorting out files and the unsolicited rejection somehow got sent. We both got a chuckle out of the exchange.

A thick skin is an advantage in this business, but a sense of humor is essential.

]]> By: Kim Kasch https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8614 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:22:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8614 >Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction šŸ˜‰

It wasn’t funny at the time but, now, even I have to laugh at myself.

]]> By: Angie https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8613 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:49:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8613 >It has been a while since I came over to just “read”….and in a nut shell…I guess my biggest fear is the “rejection letter”.

I suppose that is the reason I cannot follow the urging completely to “just do it!”.

I get the best concrete information here—thank you, Rachel, for your willingness to share with us!

]]> By: Julie Gillies https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8612 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:59:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8612 >I think the worst rejection letter I’ve ever gotten was from a well-known Christian women’s magazine. They liked my query and asked me to snail-mail the article and sign various forms.

5 weeks later I received an excited e-mail from the assistant editor asking me to expand the article, as the mag was very interested. After accomodating her, I was asked two more times to make specific changes (always increasing the word count).

Then nothing. For a year. (Yes, I politely inquired – twice.) About 16 months after that, I received a form rejection letter in the mail from the editor’s assistant. Unsigned.

This month, the article was published, in its original form, by a completely different magazine.
Go figure!

But here’s the thing – we can grow thick skin and learn to CHOOSE not to take it personally.

Oh, and LOL on Kim’s story and Tim’s goofy bounce-back e-mail. Hilarious!

]]> By: elaine @ peace for the journey https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8611 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:18:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8611 >I attended a writer’s conference last June and met with four publishers. All four asked for my proposal. Two of the four waited the obligatory 3 months to reject, only to send their form letters with the wrong name (not mine) on the letter, along with inaccurate titles to my work.

The other two took a more serious look at my work and were more gracious in their responses. Still and yet, it bugged me for a season, and then I decided that I had expended too much emotional energy on the entire thing and finally decided to get over myself.

peace~elaine

]]> By: Amber Lynn Argyle https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8610 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:14:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8610 >Too bad you don’t represent Fantasy, Rachelle. I’d email you my query in a second. šŸ˜‰

]]> By: Anonymous https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8609 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:11:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8609 >I can understand why you wouldn’t explain a pass. YOu probably don’t have enough time.
Its just so frustrating as a writer. I just want to know if its good enough or am I wasting my time.

]]> By: Jennifer Roland https://rachellegardner.com/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8608 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:45:00 +0000 http://rachellegardner.flywheelsites.com/2009/02/why-its-hard-to-tell-the-whole-truth/#comment-8608 >Thanks for the great post, Rachelle.

Kim, Your story is one for the hall of fame.

Janna, Your friend’s story is a great one, too

Ellen, Your comment is the one that really got me thinking. We really are doing the oddest type of work, where we work and work and work for the hope that someday we will earn money for it. It was hard for my husband to wrap his mind around the fact that even though I’m not bringing in a second paycheck yet, I am working two jobs.

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