Has anyone out there experienced this?

Received a rejection from a final stage full MS today. My third time to be so close. Tough when it happens.

Agent who read the book thought it 'very moving' but thinks the structure needs 'pace'. They also think the 'subject matter is poweful and unusual'. Also think that main charcter is very real, but others need more development. I've had lots of people say (in writer's groups and one person who worked in publishing )it was a 'page turner', gripping and no issues on the characters.

My intuition says this agent was just not right for them. Though they say if I do another draft they will look at it again, I'm disinclined to change it. They do thrillers at this agency and I wonder if they wanted a thriller's pace with me, you know an indication of their taste? I'd say the book is mainstream and not genre, borderline literary. Am I falling outside genres and loosing out?

How far do you go in altering work on the basis of contradictory feedback? I've had my share of chapter sample rejections but a number of agents have said they 'admired'it and 'enjoyed' it. I sent a sample to a prestigous agency normally closed to first timers - by mistake - and they wrote a personal letter saying they found the book interesting and that they believe my work has 'potential'.

Still, it's hard to be so close and back to nought. Hard to have the stomach for it. Rotten start to my day to have the post man come with the return - plus it costs about £15 pounds - too expensive when you're not getting returns....

Deep down I do believe in this. I gave it everything.

I'd do minor alterations, but not for an agent who rejects me and 'would read it again'. No promises there.

Any thoughts (be gentle now),

Cee

Cee,

Ouch! - my symapthies, because I know how much it hurts to be turned down having come that far.

If you want to play the numbers game, I had my first novel rejected by four agents who'd seen the full (it was taken on by a fifth, though in the end we dropped it) and my second novel (the one which made it through to publication) was rejected by two others on the full before being accepted by the man who sold it for me and is now my agent.

I don't think being rejected on the basis of the full a number of times is bad - look at it the other way, more agents got as far as asking for the full before they said no! People asking for the full manuscript means you are there or thereabouts, and is the Great Writing God's way of telling you to keep plugging away.

As for making changes for an agent who offers ton re-read, I think you have to go with your gut instinct. My current agent, when he first saw the full of my second novel (the one he ended up selling for me) said it needed various changes - quite major wiork - but wasn't promising anything except a re-read. I went for it because I agreed with what he was saying (or 90% of it - the other 10% I argued with him about!). I don't think I would make changes that my heart wasn't in unless it was for publication (i.e. for an editor, at a stage further down the line). Even then, I'd have to think carefully. (Actually that's a lie - I'd sell my granny to get into print.)

Rosy

'subject matter is poweful and unusual'

Sounds like they are having trouble deciding how to place it in the market - as you say, you're probably falling outside genres and loosing out
I would suggest targeting a few of the smaller publishers (and Macmillan New Writing), who are willing to take a chance on unusual books. Worth mentioning in your covering letter something along the lines of 'there's been a lot of interest from mainstream agents but due to the unusual subject matter it falls outside their lists, but would fit your list'.
Also worth targeting Agents who's authors have published novels along similar lines as they will know which of the larger publishers to target.


- NaomiM

<Added>

They do thrillers at this agency and I wonder if they wanted a thriller's pace

That would be my reading of it too.

Thanks Rosy, I appreciate your honest response.

It hurts all right. But I'll get over it.

Must be great to have got there though, well done. Especailly after the rejection thing, hopes raised etc. It's got to be the maddest undertaking, writing. There really is so much subjectivity, it's hard to call when it comes to changes. I'm interested that ypu took a chance and made changes, that was with no promises too?

I don't see this with mine -too arrogant/too humble? -it's got to be intuition with me or I'll lose confidence. I've heard of agents who asked for this and that and the author spent - in one case - years and they still didn't take it, but by then the book was a mess. That would be depressing. If I felt it was true... I 've been quick to adjust anything I did agree with. Not this. It's like they were not right for it? Didn't really get it.

I need Mystic Meg.

Thanks again,
Cee

Thank you Naomi. I think confidence is key at this stage and what you say is interesting.

If the problem is it doesn't fit a genre, it's too 'unusual' and 'powerful', well then I think, maybe they want to save face, cos they haven't the risk-taker thing much, have they, agents I mean? (Rhetorical question. Ha Ha I'm not bitter.) That might explain the mixed messages. One was honest though and was fulsome in praise of it - only on 3 chapters- but said she couldn't take the risk as she was starting out in the risky business publishing is today. Blah. Still I appreciated that straightforward response. Another said I wrote 'very well' but it was too depressing and downbeat - and besides (this was last summer), the weather was getting to him!!!! That was the worst.

I've not gone to publishers at all. (Except where It was sent on recommendation from someone I met to a TOP DOG who promptly had it shredded but I don't think he read even a paragraph! He was outraged at the person who'd dared to recommend me. Ugh.)

I'm staying open. Just don't know today. I know I want to be published and read.

I'll go off for a coffee now. Promise not to cry into it.




<Added>

Interesting thought, to mention other agents' interest. But then if they didn't take it will that put them off? And if I don't name them will they believe me and is it showing deperation to do that?

Very hard luck Cee. You must be gutted having had your hopes raised yet again. However, I think it's great advice from Naomi. A small independent sounds your best bet. It's not your writing that's the problem, but the saleability by the sound of it. Hang in there and have confidence if you've had lots of positive feedback and believe it's as good as you can make it. Good luck
PS Have attached a virtual packet of Thornton's Continentals. Hope they haven't melted

It may be worth trying Snowbooks - who are a small independent publisher (You may have come across them already on the WW forums).
http://www.snowbooks.com/weblog/

It's agony when it's so-near-and-yet-so-far. Excellent advice from everyone, and there are more small indie presses out there than you'd think. Have a look here: http://www.branching-out.net/independent/default.asp.

When you're getting noises as positive as this, I certainly wouldn't start changing things just because X said something, and Y said something different. It's different if you agree with them, kind-of know what they mean, when it can be fantastically helpful. But if you don't altogether agree, then it's bad enough doing it when you are under contract, let alone knowing it might be rejected again.

If you go on getting rejections like this you could consider the expensive option but thorough of having an editorial service report. It's obviously subtle stuff that's not quite working, and they may be able to put their finger on it in a way that an agent or an editor can't, or won't.

Emma

Thanks to everyone for comments. It was good to have feedback from people who know the game and how hard these monenys can be - no matter how prepared you tell yourself you are.

I'm considering it all and will post again. Am in recovery mode....