In case you’ve ever wondered what goes on at the other side of the query letter and sample chapters, Bookends, LLC has done a two-day detail of how they approach their submission process, plus they give a few pointers about what they’re looking for in a project they want to represent.
Here’s the first part:
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/01/agent-submission-process.html#links
And the second:
http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2008/01/agent-submission-process-part-deux.html#links
Apparently, editors hate phone calls. I can understand that. With so much work being online today, it’d be much easier and more efficient if I get something through email. Phone calls distract from the work flow, since you have to pick it up and divert all your attention to the conversation at hand, instead of browsing an email and figuring out which folder it belongs to.
What does an agent need in order to move forward with a project? Enthusiasm! An agent needs to feel the energy of a story in order to communicate it, and so long as they believe an author has potential, they’ll keep submitting.
This may give an understanding of why agents reject an overall good story . It just may not grab them in that special way. The story could be cool, the characters a lot of fun, but if there isn’t a particular zing that makes them sit up in their chair, they’ll pass. Subjective? Yes. Reality? Yup.
I see that smile.
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