I have realised by now that lots of rejections from agents are the norm, but I received a form rejection letter today for a submission I put in the post only 2 days ago. It was the Annette Green agency if anyone's interested. Could anyone have actually read it that quickly when they apparently have so many submissions? I wouldn't mind but if they are not interested in submissions from new writers why don't they just say so on their website like others do?

Are submissions always read?

No. Especially not at this time of year when they are clearing their desks in time for Christmas hols, and the expected rush of submissions in the New Year.
Anything I get back within the week, I just change the tile and resubmit a couple of months later.



- NaomiM



<Added>

oops, title


Also, in the current economic climate, persistance will be the key.

I think the first page is almost always read, because even though they're very busy and reading slush is pretty uneconomic by any standards other than the bizarre economics of the book trade, they really don't want to miss the Next Big Thing. You may just happen to have hit the day when they go through the slushpile, but I'm afraid it's generally true that they can tell very fast if it's not something they want, for whatever reasons, some of which are to do with what you've written, and lots of which are to do with other issues which are nothing to do with you.

Emma