tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post6284990128099942666..comments2024-01-22T01:33:12.564-08:00Comments on Adventures in Agentland: No Response=No DebateNatalie M. Lakosilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11558113325014783721noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-45480779167836562232012-02-26T09:36:33.447-08:002012-02-26T09:36:33.447-08:00I think the simplest solution here is one already ...I think the simplest solution here is one already mentioned: The agent could easily set up an auto response to let authors know their query was received, while also stating plainly on the agency website that if no response is received within a certain time-period, then it's a "NO". <br /><br />The fact is, as an author, I completely understand our need to know why our work has been rejected; without vital feedback, how are we supposed to know why in particular a project was turned down by an agent who represents what we write? That said, agents are people, too. Busy people. People with existing clients that have already gotten their foot in the proverbial door. Clients who deserve nothing less than their agent's focus. <br /><br />So there really are no bad guys here. There's only perspective and understanding. Another fact querying authors should take into consideration is how they would feel if their agent is too busy to take their calls because of time being spent responding to queries from other authors. Again, perspective and understanding....C. L. Freirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15724143030799780533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-6110570942043610282011-11-23T07:55:18.361-08:002011-11-23T07:55:18.361-08:00I like the last anonymous comment, mostly because ...I like the last anonymous comment, mostly because without the jab at the end it's exactly what I was going to say. I haven't applied for general labor or non-professional jobs in a long time. I also haven't not heard one way or another on a job in a long time. <br /><br />But there is one more thing I want to say. I know we often compare the query process to a job hunt and in a lot of ways, I think that's fair. But when you're querying, the work is already done. When you apply for a job, it hasn't been done. At this point I personally prefer no response means no, but I can understand how after you invest years of your life in something, you would be frustrated even heartbroken or angry that someone can't take thirty seconds of their time to say "no."Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09962862566388212238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-15874953280113893562011-11-22T20:14:23.488-08:002011-11-22T20:14:23.488-08:00The job application analogy cuts to the heart of t...The job application analogy cuts to the heart of the problem. If you're applying for unskilled work at the bottom of the pay scale, employers typically have a no-response-means-no policy. If you're applying for skilled work at the top of the pay scale, most potential employers send personalized rejection letters on expensive stationary. Why would any writer want an agent who sees the writer's job as a menial one?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-2721297001928622222011-11-22T04:27:22.980-08:002011-11-22T04:27:22.980-08:00If there's interest, I'll get a response. ...If there's interest, I'll get a response. Somehow, I'm not sure I would want an agent with a silence=Not for me policy. Maybe that's because I live in Texas not NY. Just sayin'!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-54380153849809698972011-11-21T21:46:32.246-08:002011-11-21T21:46:32.246-08:00The main problem with that policy, for me, is when...The main problem with that policy, for me, is when a publisher has a no simultaneous submission policy AND a no response policy. Because... how am I supposed to know if I can resubmit the same piece elsewhere? It just hangs around, waiting, which takes up an annoying amount of time in which I could have been submitting elsewhere. I just like to know when I'm being rejected.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-38175252444034085352011-11-21T20:30:23.915-08:002011-11-21T20:30:23.915-08:00I never had a problem with no response=no policies...I never had a problem with no response=no policies. If the policy was stated on the agent's website, I knew I could move on after a certain amount of time. Not a big deal to me. <br /><br />AmyA.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-73128714023990249442011-11-20T10:01:32.318-08:002011-11-20T10:01:32.318-08:00The auto-response is reassurance. When cyber-space...The auto-response is reassurance. When cyber-space eats email like chocolate cake, it is only a tool for me.<br /> <br />This doesn't mean I'll froth in rage if this tool isn't there but it does mean I'll try more responsive agents first.Huntresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08155372788872245758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-62486806127629744382011-11-20T07:38:36.980-08:002011-11-20T07:38:36.980-08:00I think many new authors have a hard time acceptin...I think many new authors have a hard time accepting that publishing is a business and the "bottom line" is critical at the end of the day. That means there's not time to give everyone personal attention. But I think it should be a professional courtesy for all agents to send a form letter "thanks, but no thanks" response to authors who submit to them. It doesn't take much time and it conveys a clear message about the agent, indicating that he/she appreciates the time and effort spent by the author to submit.jameskellogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17978047507231006612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-14867538265600725942011-11-19T21:10:33.476-08:002011-11-19T21:10:33.476-08:00You're an agent.
That means you're biased...You're an agent. <br />That means you're biased. <br />Of course you're going to defend your colleagues. <br /><br /><br />Agents who don't send rejections are pond scum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-76208118954266819682011-11-19T12:04:31.520-08:002011-11-19T12:04:31.520-08:00Just give me the rules up front and I'll abide...Just give me the rules up front and I'll abide by them. If an agent says, "No response=No" I'm fine with that. I can mark a date on my calendar that reminds me to check off that submission as closed. I do appreciate an auto response, so I at least know my query arrived where I intended it to.cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-29983043480659322762011-11-19T10:52:27.433-08:002011-11-19T10:52:27.433-08:00Not responding is rude for both employers and agen...Not responding is rude for both employers and agents/publishers. Autoresponse is fine. It saves time, and it lets authors know their work was received and not eaten by the spam filter. Personally, when querying in the magazine world, I've had nonresponses from editors. After politely following up, I landed an assignment cause my original had gone to spam. So it's a legitimate concern. <br /><br />I think agents, employers, editors, and all people in positions of power need to get off the high horse and correspond with the common folk. It's a sign of respect. Just because you can get away with something, doesn't mean you should. Just because something is widely practiced, doesn't mean it's admirable or decent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-12646027884100866052011-11-19T03:15:20.128-08:002011-11-19T03:15:20.128-08:00It isn't acceptable to ignore a job applicatio...It isn't acceptable to ignore a job application or a query. A form email passing on a submission is not, in this electronic age, too much to ask, much less expect. Not so many years have passed since it was SOP for a writer to enclose a SASE postcard or return envelope for just such a response. <br /><br />As long as agents/agencies advertise their services in varied venues, complete with submission requirements, receiving submissions, including those wildly off-the-mark, is the result. It is not license to ignore those who answer a solicitation.<br /><br />Etiquette in business is not one-directional. How refreshing it would be for agents to rise above the level of employers who don't acknowledge applicants with a simple "No, thank you," rather than mimic them.Suzann Ellingsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06557377316959068820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-8978600216328610632011-11-18T22:06:52.028-08:002011-11-18T22:06:52.028-08:00If a writer has sent a query and received no respo...If a writer has sent a query and received no response, that's one thing and no response can easily be considered no. If nothing shakes in six weeks I consider it rejected. It is another thing altogether when an agent specifically asks for material and then fails to respond. In addition to being impolite, it's unprofessional. You asked to see my work? You at least owe me the courtesy of a "no thanks, not for us". Agents that request to see my material then never respond are crossed off my list as persons I would not choose to have represent me or my work.Robert L Pacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14568125549017100691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-87336459528206154932011-11-18T12:19:23.427-08:002011-11-18T12:19:23.427-08:00I think an auto response, form or not is nice, and...I think an auto response, form or not is nice, and those are the sort of people I would want to work with. I don't particularly think employers who don't call and let applicants know a position is filled are very thoughtful employers and not the sort I would want to work for. It is the same in this industry. And I don't think it is as easy as saying, 'well no one responded so my work must suck'. It may just be the particular agent didn't see the great thing you have created and you need to find the agent who does 'get' your project. I believe in the manuscript I am trying to get representation for. I don't believe that because some agents haven't responded means that i need to get back to the grindstone. If that was the case then why would I have ever started querying in the first place?anya*https://www.blogger.com/profile/05893949058312926128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-42999290747484699652011-11-18T12:10:58.865-08:002011-11-18T12:10:58.865-08:00Correction to my post:
I'm sorry, I disagree....Correction to my post:<br /><br />I'm sorry, I disagree. It think the SCBWI letter had some good points. I just don't see how sending a form rejection can take up that much of an agents time. There is a lot of understood etiquette in the biz, and why shouldn't agents be asked to follow some standards, as writers are?Mayanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-17233953882506423612011-11-18T12:09:14.815-08:002011-11-18T12:09:14.815-08:00I'm sorry, I disagree. It think the SCBWI and ...I'm sorry, I disagree. It think the SCBWI and I just don't see how sending a form rejection can take up that much of an agents time. There is a lot of understood etiquette in the biz, and why shouldn't agents be asked to follow some standards, as writers are?Mayanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-35984927618312934162011-11-18T01:43:55.012-08:002011-11-18T01:43:55.012-08:00I think people should do crazier queries that are ...I think people should do crazier queries that are a crateful of fireworks ready to go, at least that's fun :D I learned from Gaga to be outrageous and dream BIG. Lol. Go crazy and hope some agent likes your passion. :)M.K Outlandhttp://www.youtube.com/user/MKOutlandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-56370691042828318872011-11-17T12:04:47.826-08:002011-11-17T12:04:47.826-08:00Not receiving a response to an email query is pref...Not receiving a response to an email query is preferred to the old days of not getting a response to a query that included a required SASE. It's a long standing problem and each agent has to figure out the best way to handle it. <br /><br />And yes, it is a lot like applying for a job, except once the deal is struck the agent works for the author. So, authors need to be sure that the agents they query do business in a way compatible to their needs and sensibilities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-53849564969513469012011-11-17T10:39:48.409-08:002011-11-17T10:39:48.409-08:00Admitting the mistake and editing the post to some...Admitting the mistake and editing the post to something far more reasonable was a classy response, so thank you Natalie. I had shown this to many work colleagues and all were as equally appalled by the analogy. As the anonymous after me stated, it was the glorification of the analogy that most found upsetting.<br /><br />The easiest thing would have been to delete the entire thread but you didn't. Again, that shows class. I will now remove myself from the debate.Cassandra Prippasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-5198913107577540612011-11-17T10:22:49.037-08:002011-11-17T10:22:49.037-08:00Jha - I agree that my post wasn't as well thou...Jha - I agree that my post wasn't as well thought-out as it should have been; that's why I edited. I'm not opposed to admitting I was wrong and fixing it. I appreciate all this feedback - just as I always appreciate ANY feedback.<br /><br />However, I am actually an agent who responds to all query letters - so I wasn't trying to justify not sending. Just trying to ask people to reflect on ways to be proactive in a positive way rather than a negative way.<br /><br />Best,<br />NatalieNatalie M. Lakosilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11558113325014783721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-28104902889562848212011-11-17T10:15:01.818-08:002011-11-17T10:15:01.818-08:00Also, thank you for editing.
It isn't offense...Also, thank you for editing.<br /><br />It isn't offense you caused; you hurt people by feeding into a stereotype that being homeless is a simple issue of "keep trying," the same way that it is for most writers. You really don't have to defend yourself with that kind of analogy.Jhahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16985629384463009968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-76298939991466822312011-11-17T10:10:39.882-08:002011-11-17T10:10:39.882-08:00I got the point of your post, which is that you do...I got the point of your post, which is that you don't want to send rejections, and that is absolutely okay by me. Different agents do things differently, whatever works for them. I've seen rejections, I've had no responses, and frankly it's no problem for me.<br /><br />But that homeless analogy is tasteless and cruel. Way to conflate the issue. This is not "getting hung up on the wrong thing" so much as it is a call out for you to examine yourself. Being a writer and having written any manuscript to shop out is a privilege in itself, UNLIKE BEING HOMELESS.<br /><br />So no, you shouldn't feel guilty for not responding to queries, or even walking past (because if you have nothing to spare, you have nothing to spare) but don't believe you're making sense while hiding behind some warped logic of long-term cost-benefit analysis. You're just doing what's right for yourself, that's all, that's it.Jhahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16985629384463009968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-48875543373044272402011-11-17T09:50:53.035-08:002011-11-17T09:50:53.035-08:00PS - I do like what anonymous had to say, however;...PS - I do like what anonymous had to say, however; it is very true: this also highlights that there are far more important things to worry and fume about.Natalie M. Lakosilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11558113325014783721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-17487461416536311612011-11-17T09:49:42.177-08:002011-11-17T09:49:42.177-08:00Cassandra,rather than insult Natalie - who is clea...Cassandra,rather than insult Natalie - who is clearly only trying to help - please try and accept her post in the spirit in which it was intended. I also work with an organization that supports the homeless,and when I read this post I wondered how many folks would be offended, because the sad reality is many homeless can't just decide to "get their act together" - most are fighting mental illness and/or addiction. But unless you are in the industry, you won't know that.<br /><br />So cut Natalie a break. Let's be grateful she is willing to give of her time to help aspiring writers. Also, given that many agents talk about finding a "home" for your manuscript, I can see where the kernel of the analogy came from.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06010001002995329558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2965176195649202077.post-30412043216641417502011-11-17T09:49:18.276-08:002011-11-17T09:49:18.276-08:00I want to take a moment to apologize for causing o...I want to take a moment to apologize for causing offense for my homeless analogy; I did realize, before posting, that this is quite a difficult issue and had (probably wrongly) hoped that people would focus on its use as metaphor rather than a stance in either direction toward the issue of homelessness, or an effort to make light of the situation in any way. <br /><br />I’m not looking to offend anyone or cause anger with this post for the wrong reasons; so, I will edit my post.<br /><br />Thank you for the feedback.<br /><br />NatalieNatalie M. Lakosilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11558113325014783721noreply@blogger.com