Boarders writing a novel, part 10

[Jaime's Wench]

Let's wait and see if you feel that way after a few rejections. :P

I automatically went to like this... then I realised I wasn't on Facebook.

The boy I've been texting has just sent me his 20,000 word 'novel' to read. I am trying to stop myself from telling him it isn't even long enough to be a novella. I do hope he can punctuate!

[Ebenstone]

Let's wait and see if you feel that way after a few rejections. :P

Rejections are a part of the game. I've piled up an impressive list. But do remember those rejections are what makes them human. At that given moment, the moment your MS is in front of an agent or an editor, you work may or may not be right for them. Another moment it might be the opposite results. Keep that in mind. Rejections are part of the game. Don't be afraid of them, wear them as a badge, even if it becomes an entire coat.

[The Grey Wolf]

Wear them like a badge of honor.

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

Rejections are a part of the game. I've piled up an impressive list. But do remember those rejections are what makes them human. At that given moment, the moment your MS is in front of an agent or an editor, you work may or may not be right for them. Another moment it might be the opposite results. Keep that in mind. Rejections are part of the game. Don't be afraid of them, wear them as a badge, even if it becomes an entire coat.

What a great post.

[Basebourne]

Wear them like a badge of honor.

and in silence, or they'll honor you again! :)

[Zoë Sumra]

I'm not afraid of rejections, just fed up of not getting actual rejection letters and having the six-month-wall-of-silence instead. They said I would get rejection letters, damn it! :tantrum:

(Only part joking. Look, I understand why agents don't bother to reject: time pressure, and not wanting to get drawn into a conversation with the unprofessional. It's just annoying, to the extent that I've queried one agent whom I know doesn't take SFF because I knew she sent actual rejection notes.)

[Basebourne]

It would certainly be preferable for them to give a copy/pasted kind rejection and ignore future correspondence to avoid being drawn into a convo.

[The Marquis de Leech]

I'm not afraid of rejections, just fed up of not getting actual rejection letters and having the six-month-wall-of-silence instead. They said I would get rejection letters, damn it! :tantrum:

Reminds me of another New Zealand small press I tried to deal with at the start of the year. Their website promised reply within six weeks. I sent a query in, waited eight weeks, then sent a (polite) enquiry into how affairs were proceeding. After two further weeks, still nothing, so I thought that perhaps their email wasn't working, so I used the website messaging thingy to post a follow-up. Still nothing. Then I wrote them an actual (still polite) letter. Still nothing.

At that point I gave up.

[Ebenstone]

I'm not afraid of rejections, just fed up of not getting actual rejection letters and having the six-month-wall-of-silence instead. They said I would get rejection letters, damn it! :tantrum:

(Only part joking. Look, I understand why agents don't bother to reject: time pressure, and not wanting to get drawn into a conversation with the unprofessional. It's just annoying, to the extent that I've queried one agent whom I know doesn't take SFF because I knew she sent actual rejection notes.)

The worst, for me, was when an agent was really interested in my book but wanted me to do a rewrite...I did it and then he wound up rejecting me. That was almost it, I was ready to cash in my ticket and be done with it. It was the worst feeling. But you get over it.

[The Marquis de Leech]

The worst, for me, was when an agent was really interested in my book but wanted me to do a rewrite...I did it and then he wound up rejecting me. That was almost it, I was ready to cash in my ticket and be done with it. It was the worst feeling. But you get over it.

Ouch. Double ouch.

[AdXRoss]

Well, I've now completed my re-edit of my manuscript, but I've decided to let it sit for a bit since I've started making progress on a second novel, this one a full-on sci-fi project that's been gestating for a long time.

About 10,000 words in thus far and its starting to get a little bit of traction. I'm intent on finishing it one way or another, but I'm considering shifting this one up to the query stage first if it drafts and redrafts okay. On the one hand it might be trickier sell than my current, fairly grounded project, as this one is set some 3,000 years into the future, when the various human worlds, colonised centuries earlier, are rediscovering each other and teetering on the verge of a galactic war. There's no aliens as such, but plenty of weird technology and strange not-quite human any more civilizations, coming out of a murky interstellar dark age, with some hints of foreboding sinister locked away in humanity's now partially forgotten history amongst the stars.

But on the other hand, this is a more straightforward story, focussing on two runaways, one from the galaxy's worst slum and another from gated privilege, getting tangled up in espionage, action, mystery and horror - a plot which might be described as Star Wars running head first into HP Lovecraft. There's plenty of ancient spaceships, deserted decrepit space stations and colonies were horrible things once happened, and (I hope) delightfully hateable villains.

That and the book, if it goes as planned, should be a more manageable length of 70-90k (rather than 142k) and the narrative a lot less labyrinthine.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Would anyone be interested in a sample chapter or two from the first book in my series? I was thinking of possibly doing a reading on Skype in December.

[The Grey Wolf]

I wouldn't mind listening but around what time/date were you thinking of doing it? [Also, I'd have to know the time differences between where you live and I do.]

[The Grey Wolf]

I have Skype too by the way.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Let me check my winter break schedule from college and get back to you shortly. It's 5:35 PM where I live, if that helps you.

[The Grey Wolf]

Where I live in Texas its currently 4: 39 in the afternoon so I think there's about only an hour's difference between us.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Okay, not too bad a difference at all. Looks like my last day of classes are December 9 and exams are December 10-16. So maybe the 18th or 19th?

[The Grey Wolf]

Let me check my schedule quickly.

[The Grey Wolf]

Just checked. I finish my fall classes on the 12th so I'm free that day. What time were you thinking of doing the reading? Also, if your going to do it on Skype send me your Skype name or add me, whichever you prefer, I don't mind giving mine.

[Littlefingers In The Air]

The evening is always best for me, I'm more relaxed. Say, 6:00 PM Eastern?

Eta: if you could, just PM me your information.