We’ve all thought it before while querying. After getting form rejection after form rejection, it’s easy to start wishing each and every agent would let you know exactly why they are rejecting your query. Is it because it had one typo you didn’t catch until it was too late? Is it because the genre isn’t exactly what they’re looking for, even if they represent other books in that genre? Is it because they really don’t have room for another book on their list? There are so many reasons a “no” can be a “no,” so sometimes it’s easy to start praying the next agent actually gives you their reason!
But is a personal rejection always helpful? After receiving one such rejection this morning (it was waiting for me in my inbox when I woke up), my immediate thought is no. I don’t always think a kind, personalized rejection is helpful. In fact, I think they can sometimes (but not always, mind you) do more harm than good.
The problem lies in the subjectivity of the writing business.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard about how subjective the writing industry can be. It’s a common reason to receive a rejection—kind or not. Agents, editors, and readers alike spout the excuse of subjectivity left and right. And the thing is, it’s not an excuse—it’s true!
As readers, we only read what we are interested in, and sometimes that can be hard to define. I can be looking at two historical fiction novels on the shelf at the bookstore side by side, written by different authors yet set in the exact same time period and with somewhat similar back jacket copy. The covers might even appear identical with beautiful historical maidens on the front, and I will still ultimately end up picking one over the other. But why? It’s subjective, and I certainly don’t always have a rational thought process that led to my decision. It’s often hard to explain why I choose one book over the other or read one Medium article over another. I just…do. It’s subjective.
We are all subjective towards what we read and consume, and agents and editors are the same. They are not necessarily any pickier than me or you—the run-of-the-mill book consumer—they just happen to be scrutinized for their subjective tastes much more often due to the nature of their role in the publishing industry. There are many authors who are watching an agent’s every word and action online, looking for some reason they might have rejected a certain book when there might not be a good reason.
Subjectivity in publishing means that rejections often don’t make sense, even if they are kind.
I recently found Lindsay Puckett on YouTube, a middle-grade and young adult author who recently got a two-book deal with Scholastic. I have enjoyed watching her journey to publication even though I found her after much of her hard work had paid off. The thing that amazes me about her story is that she was sending out her last batch of queries before giving up on her book when she finally got “the call.” She queried tons of agents and received rejection after rejection, and ultimately only received one offer of representation. And that one agent who believed in her book was all she needed to sell her book at auction with three publishing houses vying for her book. Three publishing houses were fighting over her book when scores of agents wouldn’t even give it a read!
The only explanation traces back to subjectivity—not everyone will like every book (yes, even those books that are sold at auction and could very well go on to become bestsellers.)
That’s why kind rejections can almost hurt more than a blunt form email in my experience. Even a kind rejection often reeks with subjectivity. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it means that I’ve come away from rejections feeling even more downtrodden than I would be if it was simply “thanks, but no thanks.”
This is precisely how I felt when I woke up to the aforementioned kind rejection in my inbox. This agent was incredibly considerate to personally respond to me, and I am grateful for that, but the answer was a no because she didn’t fall in love with the setting of my story. Even though her note said she loved my voice, writing style, and main character, it was a “no” due to a subjective thing—she didn’t fall in love with the setting.
Subjectivity isn’t a bad thing.
But sometimes it can make that kind rejection sting more than a curt one. Sometimes it takes the prospect of making it in this business and turns it into nothing more than a daydream.
The publishing industry is subjective, which makes navigating its treacherous waters like walking through the catacombs without so much as a flashlight, but that doesn’t mean we won’t succeed. While the subjectivity of editors, agents, and readers can be confusing, all it takes is one person’s subjective opinion swinging towards the “yes” side of things, and your novel could be sold in a two-book deal at auction. My book could be sold tomorrow, for all I know. And that’s the beauty of this daydream I’m living in—before I even have time to process what’s happening, that daydream could become reality.
Here are the places my words have ended up since I last wrote:
I Tested Out Paid Beta Readers So You Don’t Have To published in Inspired Writer
How to Manage Freelance Writing and Working Full-Time published in The Writing Cooperative
I’ll Just Burn Brighter republished on my blog
How to Find Your Voice republished on my blog
Writing Emotional Scenes republished on my blog
Jumpstart Your Creativity with Collaborative Writing republished on my blog
Writing When You Don’t Want to Write republished on my blog
I won’t bore you with more information about An Echo in the Bone, which I still haven’t finished (I’m reading particularly slowly right now, don’t judge me). I do, though, have some new writing resources I’ve been loving lately!
First, I have been binging all the videos on the #MomsWritersClub YouTube channel with Sara Read and Jessica Payne. I am not a mom, but I’ve loved hearing from these two agented authors as they talk candidly about the entire journey to becoming a published novelist, including everything from how to actually write a book to what it’s like to go on submission when you finally snag an agent. I found the below video, “Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year,” particularly encouraging and insightful when it comes to putting yourself out there as a writer in various different contexts. I would highly recommend checking out their YouTube channel—even if, like me, you’re not a mom!
I’ve also enjoyed joining SavvyAuthors online. I initially signed up (which is free for the basic level of membership, by the way) so I could join their fall pitchfest, and I’ve seen some helpful chats and events pop up since then. I had a great experience at their pitchfest, too (I received a request from an agent and another one from an editor), and they have multiple pitching events throughout the year, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their home page for any that might be a fit for you and your book!