Rejection #11 (Or: The Rejection That Wasn't Quite a Rejection)

Date Submitted: 8th July 2015

Date Rejected: 7th August 2015

Response Time: 1 month

Response Type: Full MS request. Offer to resubmit.

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In my last post, I said that I had just sent out my first submission in a long, long time. 

Then, about a hour later, I heard back. 

The agent was actually recommend to me by Martine Bailey, who I met at a book signing here in York. I think that mentioning this recommendation in the opening of my submission email probably encouraged the agent to come back to me to request my full manuscript(!!!). 

After hopping around the flat in a complete frazzle for several minutes, I dutifully emailed back my MS (thankfully newly polished after a recent re-edit), then proceeded to stare madly at my empty inbox for a whole month.

When the response did come it was not The Legendary Call, but an email including a heart sinking "I'm afraid...". But she also wrote that, "We both really liked your writing, and your ideas..." and finished with, "I'd be happy to look at it again if you reworked it, or to look at whatever you might write in the future."

Oh goodness gracious and oh my, but that is good to hear!

It is, by far and away, the best response I've had to date. It still isn't an acceptance and the disappointment of being unsuccessful was all the worse for having handed over my whole manuscript, but the excitement of having an agent be really, truly interested in my writing is incredible. I discussed some ideas briefly with her and thanked her for her time, and her offer to come back. 

It would be easy to be defensive and to argue that, just because one person thinks my book should change doesn't mean everyone would. But I honestly do understand her perspective and (more importantly) want Grey Sister to be as good as it possibly can be. 

So, I'll try to improve my novel. And I will resubmit. And maybe next time, she'll Call...