All in all, it could be worse. Scott Hoffman at Folio Lit. rejected a query and Lois at Ashley Grayson's agency isn't interested either. When Byrd Leavell left Venture Literary for the Waxman Agency, I figured my query there was a wash-out, but wasn't I surprised to get a request for a partial from Mr. Scatoni? In one envelope and out another.
Looks like the good people at Kneerim & Williams work by committee. I sent a query and sample chapters to Jill Kneerim, who seemed the best fit for the manuscript. Today, two months later, I received a rejection in the mail. Apparently, the partial was handed over to Brettne Bloom, another agent who reps fiction, and I heard back from Melissa Grella.
Interesting to note that the manuscript was turned down because it did not garner 'unanimous support' which this agency requires. Maybe some people liked it but others did not, and so it becomes a pass. Another telling point is Ms. Grella's mention of the agency's 'caution about representing first fiction' because of competition. It made me wonder if agents sometimes go off on their own because they don't have as much say as they would like in who they can take on.
As for the reason for rejection, I get it. I've heard it before, and I'm working on it, but acquiring some sort of publishing credit ain't easy. What editor could Kneerim & Williams approach without being able to add 'previously published in Stellar Literary Magazine'? So you thought that writing your novel was hard? Getting publishing credits is even more work.
They'll not be rid of me so easily as that. I'll keep at it, and sooner or later, I'll win. Persistence is more the name of the game than talent.
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