And while that hurts, it's not as bad as what I'm about to tell you. For the past couple of weeks I've been struggling with the decision to try to self-publish The Reusables or to try to get representation. From what I gather, there are pro's and con's to both sides. Self-publishing is expensive and without any experience in this department, you leave the door wide open to making the wrong decisions about everything from picking a printing company to marketing your product...and that's only if you get the funding you need to the project off the ground. But, when you self-publish you have complete creative control. You pick your illustrator. You keep all of the profits. You also assume a much greater risk than if you have someone in your corner pitching to major publishing companies...those same companies who will not accept unsolicited material unless it is submitted by a reputable agency.
Working with an agent ensures that the right people see your work and while you don't get to make as many of the decisions, you know that they will pick only the highest-quality professionals who will help make your work as marketable as possible. The downside, of course, is that even if they convince a big publishing company to get on board there's no guarantee you'll be successful. When you go this route, you get something like 15% proceeds from the sale of your book...and 15% of your 15% goes to your agent...so unless you're selling millions of units, you're not making very much.
Still, most people say that working with an agent is the way to go. Unfortunately, convincing someone to represent you is an uphill battle in and of itself. Agencies require query letters (a sales pitch) before they'll extend an invitation for you to submit your manuscript. Some agencies will allow you to include a sample of your work...but really, it's all about the presentation.
To date, I've written 11 query letters. I took the time to research each agency and personalize each letter I sent because you only have one chance to make a first impression. I spent hours...and hours...and hours on them.
Yesterday I got my first two rejections.
Listen, I'm not naive about this. I know that I might have to go through an awful lot of no's before I finally get a yes. It might not ever happen. Rejection is part of the game. I KNOW this to be the reality of the situation at hand. That being said, I guess deep down I was hoping that my letter...the query I spent so much time on...would be so attention grabbing...and so compelling...that the first agent to read it would immediately jump at the opportunity to take on my project for fear of losing it to someone else.
That didn't happen.
Rejection #1 came yesterday morning from the Heacock Literary Agency. Whomp, whomp, whomp:
At present, we are regretfully going to pass by the opportunity to consider your work for representation. The query must strike a chord which leads us to believe that we will not only resonate deeply with the material but also will be successful in selling it in the current market conditions. Out of necessity, we are frequently forced to pass by material which shows potential. We recognize that in doing so we miss opportunities to represent fine and worthwhile material, but we also trust that if you persist you will eventually connect with the right agent at the right time for your success.
Of all the agencies I researched, this was the one I felt the most strongly about. I really thought that if I got a positive response from any of the agencies, it would be them. Wrong.
Rejection #2 wasn't far behind the first. It came yesterday afternoon. This one was a little more direct:
Thank you for your query. Unfortunately, I did not connect enough with the description of your book to want to see more. I wish you the best of luck in finding the right representation.
Here's the problem. I take rejection personal. I always have. I can't help it. And it's only compounded by the fact that my writing is the most personal thing in the world to me. Up until recently, I never let people read anything I wrote. It was embarrassing. Blogs are one thing...but the rest...forget it.
The other agencies I sent query letters to, say that it might take up to 12 weeks to receive a response. Some even say that if you don't get a response within three months then you should just assume they're not interested in representing you. Oh ok, thanks...that helps. So yesterday I lost one of my few blog subscribers, got rejected...twice...and realized that this might be what I'm in for over the next couple of months. Fantastic.
The moral of this story is that I know I have to stop taking everything to heart. I think I care too much sometimes...not just about The Reusables, but about everything. I care if I get a piece of hate mail at work, I care if someone is mad at me, I care if someone's feelings get hurt...you get the idea.
In the words of Monics: Just one of them thangs, Don't take it personal...
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