 |
| Photo by Marco Testi |
One would think that after submitting to agents for over four years, I would hear some good news. It shouldn't take this long. Or be this hard.
I make every effort to match an agent's needs. And it's not easy to nail. It would almost be better to learn how to read minds.
Luckily, I can peek into an agent's mind by doing google searches. Some agents express their tastes in interviews, on their agency's website, or on The Manuscript Wish List. They give clues by spelling out what they are looking for in a manuscript: the topics, character, settings, and genre. While that information is helpful, it is in truth somewhat vague.
Say for instance an agent is looking for a humorous character-driven story about a cat and you send her a hilarious piece starring a funny feline. That doesn't necessarily mean you're a shoo-in and she's going to offer representation. The agent must fall in love with the story and feel that she can sell it.
Let me tell you how I know this. I queried an agent who was looking for a book that could be used in the classroom for beginning discussion for social-emotional learning. I had just the manuscript: a narrative about a child who is kind to a person living on the streets. Handled delicately, this book has the potential to bring sensitivity to homelessness. However, the agent rejected it saying, she wasn't enthusiastic in her experience to sell it.
There are days when I feel I will never crack the code, that I will continue to read I'm not the right agent for this work. Recently, I felt defeated having received two rejections in one day. Ouch!
I had the opportunity to ask an agent why she rejected a manuscript. She said, "That's not your fault! We can only guess what other readers will connect with on that deep level. Same is true when I send books to publishers." I interpret her comment to mean the manuscript is good and she likes it, but she's not sure if the publisher would feel it's a good fit for their readers. So, it's a balancing act. You've written something you love and an agent is trying to figure out if that book will sell.
In the past few years, I've sent out (in my opinion) some damn good manuscripts. And I'm still looking for an agent who will love them as much as I do. At times, I'm optimistic even after receiving rejections. Some of them say I like the concept or your manuscript has much to offer.
There will always be rejections. But I try hard to focus on the positive: one agent tells me my manuscript is nearly there while another has requested my picture book. I believe in my work and I visualize success. I only have to be patient and persevere. But wouldn't you agree that after four years, it's time to hear good news?
