Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Why it's ok when an Agent rejects my Query



I keep this notebook to record my queries with agents for whatever book I'm writing. No, I don't have an agent yet. But since I'm old-school and lack the confidence to self-publish, my eventual goal is to retain an agent. I want to be published in those publishing houses that won't accept my own query and I also want the experience with contracts that an agent brings.

But so far, I have garnered many, many rejections.

So why do I say that's ok?

When I first started writing, I hoped everyone would love what I wrote. Thankfully my mother did, then my husband and a few best friends did. But in reality, that isn't enough. Is it?

I read a lot. So does my husband. We have stacks of books around our home. I don't read what he loves. He won't touch mine. I might rave over the newest women's fiction that comes out and he turns his nose up to it. It would bore him to death.

So what am I getting at? I've learned that the best agent a writer can have is one who loves what you write. She/he should be your biggest fan, your cheerleader, your support. Because if they don't love what you write--then how are they ever going to get behind it to sell it to a publisher?

I used to want an agent. Any agent. Someone so I could say I had one. You know that cool thing authors do by putting their agent's name on their blog or getting their picture taken with one at a conference. Well, cool isn't what I want anymore. I want the agent who will tell me "I couldn't put your book down!"

I want them to ask what else I've written and tell me they will give it their all to get my work out there.

So maybe I have to write book number nine or ten or eleven until that happens. That's ok too.

Because someday I'll get that call. And I'll know that's the agent I've been waiting for.

8 comments:

Linda Glaz said...

AMEN!

Lillian Robinson said...

Well, I'm not an agent, but I do meet your criteria. I love everything you write! I think your time is right around the corner...

Kenda Turner said...

I'm with you, Terri, hoping for the same kind of agent, one who loves my story, too. Still submitting, still getting rejections, but not giving up either. Good luck on your search. Hope that call comes for you soon!

Jeanette Levellie said...

You are so wise. I've heard this, and I agree, that having no agent is better than the wrong one. I've heard a couple of horror stories...

Julie Musil said...

Terri, that is the perfect attitude! Yes, it's better to have no agent than to have an agent who doesn't believe in your work. You WILL get there!

Saleslady371 said...

What an honor to see that you dropped by my blog and followed. I'm following you back and hoping to learn a lot!

Margo Berendsen said...

I agree - I want an agent who loves my book! And that's subjective, so I whenever I get a pass from an agent, I tell myself we weren't the right fit. The right agent is yet to come.

Shirley said...

It’s a process I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Still anxiously awaiting your book’s release.