Rejection Stats

Submission protocol, query etiquette, and strategies that work
John Dillon
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by John Dillon » September 15th, 2010, 2:34 pm

d minus wrote:
Quill wrote:I'm kind of surprised how generally few queries have been sent by those reporting in this thread. I'm used to seeing stories about writers who found their agent after 75 attempts. I hope you guys putting your stats up are keeping on sending those queries out!

Continued best of luck to all!
I was one of the early posters on this thread (back in those glory days of last February), back when I had a low query count and a cushy request rate. Now my query count is embarrassing, and my request rate is becoming a sliver in a very dorky pie chart I keep. Of course, the two gluttons of that pie are No and No Word.
Amen.

wonderactivist
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by wonderactivist » September 16th, 2010, 1:38 pm

I think it's a whole lot easier to post when we have only a few out...so far. I'm on my way to building a bigger rejection pile. First I have decided to not curse in the query, but more importantly, I've read some articles that got me to focus more on what my book is REALLY about, rather than the basic mystery. That part sounds cookie-cutter, I mean what could be less original than a murder and an investigation of whodunit. The article I read said to focus on what makes my book unique. In mystery, that isn't the basic plot line; it's the sub-plots, the characters, and themes. I should have realized that, yes, some genres might have a different query strategy.

wildheart
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by wildheart » September 16th, 2010, 2:59 pm

wonderactivist- If you keep having trouble with your query or sample chapters I'd post them here in the forums. People give good feedback here.
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wonderactivist
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by wonderactivist » September 16th, 2010, 9:17 pm

Thanks, I'll try that. I'm working on the new query but maybe I'll start with the first three pages or something...it's kinda overwhelming to post something online. Can it come down after a few days or does it have to stay up?

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Quill
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Quill » September 16th, 2010, 10:11 pm

I think you can ask a moderator to delete it. The whole thread would come down. You can also post it in the password-protected feedback forum.

Down the well
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Down the well » September 25th, 2010, 3:16 pm

wonderactivist wrote:Genre: Mystery

Contest entries: 1
Contests outstanding: 1
Frazzled nerves: 20,000
Redoing my query: By all means, constantly
Good for you, wonderactivist. Though not that important in the grand scheme of things, contests can be a great way to get your work in front of an agent. Good luck!!


My stats:

Genre: Speculative fiction

Queries sent or written: 0
Contests entered: 1
Contests won: 1
Request for full ms: 1
Frazzled nerves: 20,000 sounds about right.

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d minus
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by d minus » September 27th, 2010, 10:35 am

for the sake of this thread's integrity...

updated rejection stats, since I started querying in December '09.

64 queries sent (4 currently pending)
29 rejections
24 no response rejections
2 partial requests (1 > full request)
6 full requests (1 pending)

literary fiction

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androidblues
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by androidblues » October 1st, 2010, 12:46 pm

Genre: YA
Total queries sent to date: 8
Queries still awaiting a response: 3
Rejections to date: 5
Form rejections: 4
Personalized rejections: 1
Requests for pages: 0
Requests for manuscript: 0

Of course my query sucked and there wasn't really a plot so I don't blame them. It was a Love, Stargirl like book though.
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Netti
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Netti » October 7th, 2010, 7:57 pm

Genre: Speculative Fiction/Dystopia
Queries Sent: 21
Rejections: 4
Personalized Rejections(As in they actually put my name in the salutation): 1
Requests for partials: 0
Requests for full: 0

And I'm already dying inside because my top choice was second to reject me.
"It's kind of shocking to hear Toby called a babe; sort of like calling God a studmuffin."
- Margaret Atwood, Year of the Flood

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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Jessa » October 7th, 2010, 9:39 pm

I feel for you, Netti. I sent my novel out to my top-choice agent exclusively and got the rejection back. Now it's time to send it out to the rest of the top tier. And I'm sure that if the miracle occurs and someone is interested, I'll be over the moon. But right now, all I can think is that the one agent I really, really wanted to represent me has no interest in my book.

It's like being a kid in Jr. High again, just hoping the guy you have a crush on asks you to the dance, but he doesn't even notice you.

Except, y'know, I'm an adult now and can drink wine to soothe my battered feelings.

Netti
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Netti » October 7th, 2010, 10:21 pm

Jessa wrote:Except, y'know, I'm an adult now and can drink wine to soothe my battered feelings.
Unfortunately I don't turn 21 until March so I get to just feel lousy about it.

Good luck to you!
"It's kind of shocking to hear Toby called a babe; sort of like calling God a studmuffin."
- Margaret Atwood, Year of the Flood

http://myscientificattempt.blogspot.com/

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Heather B
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Heather B » October 8th, 2010, 3:39 am

Netti wrote:
Jessa wrote:Except, y'know, I'm an adult now and can drink wine to soothe my battered feelings.
Unfortunately I don't turn 21 until March so I get to just feel lousy about it.

Good luck to you!
Move to Australia. I'm 21 and have been legal for years now. I can barely remember what lousy feels like...
Journey to the Cuckoo's Nest

http://heathermbryant.blogspot.com.au/

trirae
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by trirae » October 8th, 2010, 6:17 am

Ah what the heck. I'll play too.

Genre: YA/fantasy

10 Queries sent
4 Rejections
1 Requests for full manuscript
0 Requests for partial
0 Personalized rejections
5 Pending Queries

I probably made a classic mistake. I sent out five queries initially in the "small batch" theory. Got one request for a full, so I sent out a few others, but haven't been having luck with more requests. I keep tweaking the query slightly based on query forum advice, and I've got an idea for another overhaul, but I'm going to force patience. I get excited and want to send out to more agents, but I've got a writing retreat coming up, so maybe that will give me a little more perspective.

Today's was the first rejection that bothered me. Agent seemed like a particularly good fit, but on I go.

notw
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by notw » October 11th, 2010, 11:17 am

Genre: YA fantasy
Queries sent: 6
Rejections: 3
Requests for full manuscript: 0
Requests for partial: 0
Personalized rejections: 0
Pending Queries: 3

I sent out my first four, then made a few changes to my letter before sending out two more.

Netti
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Re: Rejection Stats

Post by Netti » October 12th, 2010, 8:55 pm

UPDATE:

Queries sent: 38
Rejections: 7
Rejections that actually put my name in the salutation: 3
Wait list*: 7
Requests for partials: 0
Requests for full: 0
Pending: 31




*This is due to the multiple agents at one agency predicament.
"It's kind of shocking to hear Toby called a babe; sort of like calling God a studmuffin."
- Margaret Atwood, Year of the Flood

http://myscientificattempt.blogspot.com/

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