Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I'm going to query an agent who requested material from me on a previous project a couple years ago...and then rejected it. Should I mention this or not?

Something along the lines of 'We've corresponded before about my novel X.'

I know it's good to personalize queries, and I have a hard time with that most the time, so I think that since she and I have a past connection that could be good...but then again, I know it's a bad idea to mention unpublished projects to agents.

So what should I do?

Thanks.

The previous material that the agent requested and rejected, did she say anything along the lines of "I'd be interested in reading any future material"?

My thought process is - if the agent told you she'd be interested in seeing any future work, then I'd definitely mention it while querying with this one. If she sent you a regular form rejection letter back then, I'd probably let that past connection go unmentioned.

It doesn't seem like she asked to see anything else, but it wasn't a form letter reject either. She'd jotted something down in pen on the original query, to the extent of 'It's interesting but I'm not drawn in enough' -- nothing too encouraging or discouraging.

In that case, it's really your call. If you feel more comfortable using that as a way to personalize, I don't think it would hurt to mention. It isn't likely the agent will remember your manuscript, or particularly care that she read something a couple of years ago, but it may suggest to her there was something about your writing before that she must have liked enough to request a ms.

The goal is to make sure your query letter is so strong, the issue of whether she's read your previous work is nothing but an afterthought!

Yes, I'd definitely mention it. I'm usually more favorably inclined to request something again if I requested it the first time around, but either way I'd like to know. You'll save the agent a hunt through their e-mail archives when your name sounds familiar.

Yes. I've mentioned previously requested materials to any agents who have done so in the past and almost all of them request at least a partial on the current project.

Thanks everyone! I'll definitely mention it then & I hope this book goes over better with her this time.