Hi
I finished my novel last year and have so far submitted to around 25 agents- still awaiting four replies from last batch. I had a request for the full ms in February from a large agency but the agent then said she hadn't fallen in love with it as she thought she would but that I was a very talented writer and that she would encourage me to continue submitting until I found someone who did. She also said she thought PERHAPS the plot needed work which confused me a little as the plot was very clear from the synopsis so can't work out why she asked for the full in that case! Another said she liked the idea but didn't like the way I had executed it on the basis of synopsis and first three chapters. I am wondering if I should continue to submit. Any advice based on what they have said would be appreciated but I can't go anywhere near affording to pay for readers or editorial. I really don't know where to go from here. Keep plugging away as- 21 seems an awful lot of"no thanks" (of those who bothered to answer at all) - or put it back in the drawer and do something else. Help!
Thanks Marina!
Here is a list of 25 best sellers that got rejected 20 or more times. If you believe in your work, keep pushing for it.
http://fancyfrivolous.com/2014/06/18/ten-best-selling-books-rejected-by-publishers-twenty-or-more-times/
Thank you all. Some useful comments but I'm still in a quandary really! I haven't read it since last year so will do so again but as to doing something else - more confusing is I'm now half way through the sequel! It was written as you say Oliver with that sort of passin. It made me cry (how ridiculous is that?) and gave me goosebumps in parts when I read through such was the emotion I had put in so I don't think I want to completely re write it as I think some of that original feeling would be lost. Perhaps it's more to do with the style as it is split between two time periods in alternating chapters so maybe that makes it a bit more marmite as it were! Thanks again all x