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Negotiating Manuscript Changes

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When it comes to changes to your manuscript, it’s ultimately your decision to make them or not. I’m a very editorial agent, so I’m going to make extensive recommendations. I usually do this when I offer representation so the author knows what my expectations are for a revision.

However, revisions are a conversation. If an agent says that x needs to be changed but you think that would hurt the integrity of your story, you can explain why. We’ll try to work with you to enhance that point so you can keep it in. I’m always open to discussing potential revisions. 

I think the only real red flags agents will have are racist/sexist/offensive issues. If there is something that needs to be changed because it will alienate or offend a group of people, I expect that change to be made, and I won’t budge on it. Of course, getting sensitivity reads is important, and any recommendations they make have to be followed as well.

Other than that, agents know that the book is yours. We don’t want to change your vision for the book, but we want to make it the best book it can be. If you don’t like an agent’s editorial vision, then they likely aren’t the right agent for you. That’s why it’s important to talk about revisions before you sign with an agent!

This post was recommended by @leslie_goodreid. Thanks for the recommendation, and please keep sending me blog post ideas on Twitter!

xoxo Tia

If you like what I talk about on my blog, consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tiarosemele

Is A Non-Form Rejection Better Than a Form Rejection?

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I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, but I think one can be more helpful. A rejection that is personalized with feedback will give you something to consider as you continue to revise and tune your project. Of course, take that feedback with a grain of salt, because it might be personal to the agent. This means that what the agent said might not be an inherent flaw in the manuscript, but just something they personally didn’t like. Agenting is extremely subjective, so that is something to always consider when looking at feedback in a rejection.

That being said, a form rejection isn’t a knock on your writing. Remember that agents are (in general) not paid for reading and responding to queries. We’re doing this on our own time in hopes that we find projects we can sell and earn money in the future. Some of us can’t spend the time to give personal feedback on every single query we receive. It would take up hours of our time that we can’t afford to give up without pay. I know form rejections can be discouraging, but sometimes they are necessary from our side. We don’t like using form rejections, but we have to in order to keep focus on our clients and working to build ourselves as agents.

This post was recommended by @chaddurling. Thank you for the recommendation and keep suggesting blog ideas on Twitter!

xoxo Tia

If you like what I talk about on my blog, consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tiarosemele

Query Resubmissions

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After submitting your query and getting a few rounds of rejections, you may revise your work. It’s probably tempting to resubmit that query to agents who saw it and passed on it.

My immediate recommendation: don’t.

Some agents are fine with resubmissions. I’ll take a second look at a query and sample I have already passed on. A few times, I have read full manuscripts after I have rejected a query/manuscript in the past. I have never signed a resubmission. 

The thing is, if I pass, it’s because I don’t think it’s something I can work with. I often pass because I’m not interested in the subject or because the voice isn’t working for me. The first issue is impossible to fix – if I’m not interested in the plot/subject/etc., a revision isn’t going to change that. The second isn’t impossible, but it’s difficult. An author’s voice is their voice, and sometimes I just don’t connect with it. That doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with the writing. The project just isn’t right for me.

There are many instances where I think a project is interesting and I like the voice, but there are fixable issues that mean I’m not ready to sign but am willing to see the project again. In these cases, I specify in my rejection that I’m happy to take another look upon extensive revisions.

My reason for saying not to resubmit (unless an agent asked to see it again!) is because there are tons more agents you can query who haven’t already passed. These agents don’t have the initial wariness while reading, because they’ve never seen the project before.

If you do resubmit, you have to tell an agent that it’s a resubmission. This is going to make me immediately hesitant, because I know I’ve already passed on the project. Again, you don’t get this hesitation with agents who have never rejected the project.

Also keep in mind that, if you are resubmitting, the revisions have to be beyond extensive. The project has to be vastly improved. I recommend taking at least a full year before you consider resubmitting. You should set the manuscript aside for a few months and then look at it with fresh eyes. I also recommend writing groups and critique partners to help with revisions. 

You should definitely check and see if an agent even accepts resubmissions. Many do not. I do, and I always consider the projects that are resent, but I go into them thinking that there was a reason I passed in the first place, and it is unlikely that reason has changed. 

I’m not saying you absolutely can’t resubmit. Err on the side of caution. Keep in mind you might be starting from a hard place because the agent has already passed before, and you might have a better chance with an agent who has never seen the project before. 

I realize this sounds very negative, but I promise I’m not meaning it to be! For every agent who passed, there are plenty more who haven’t. Your post-revision list should include these agents. It may make a huge difference!

Xoxo Tia

This blog post was requested by @SincerelySincl1! Thanks for the recommendation. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter with blog recommendations!

If you like what I talk about on my blog, consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tiarosemele

The Importance of Friends

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Something I love to talk about is how important it is to surround yourself with a community of people when you’re a writer.

Writing is a solitary business. It’s something you mostly do on your own. You sit down and you write your book (or article or poem, etc) and it’s just you. 

Just because writing is solitary doesn’t mean it has to be lonely.

It is so important to surround yourself with other writers. Twitter is a beast, but it’s a great place to meet fellow writers in the same place in their career as you. You can also find local writing groups (and online writing groups!) in order to find a sense of community. 

However, you don’t want your only friends to be writers. This can be difficult. Make sure to keep friends outside of the industry as well. You want people you can complain to when a scene isn’t coming together, or to cry to when you get a rejection, or to celebrate with when you get an offer of representation or a publishing deal. However, you also want people to be with when the last thing you want to talk about is your WIP. Having groups within and outside of the writing community is really important.

If writing groups and Twitter aren’t your thing, you can also use websites like Query Tracker and other querying sites or blogs and message boards to connect with people who are in the same boat as you. Once you have found your community, hold tight. You may be writing alone, but you’re all in this together.

xoxo Tia

If you like what I talk about on my blog, consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tiarosemele

Give Yourself a Break

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When 90% of your work can be done remotely, it’s really hard to remember that it’s okay to give yourself a day off. This is always true, but is especially relevant when we don’t have our usual distractions. I used to spend weekends with friends and go to baseball games on weeknights, which helped me not think about work all the time. I’ve been hiking a lot lately, which helps, but it’s not as helpful as my old habits. I’ve had to figure out other ways to force myself away from my inbox.

I find myself feeling guilty whenever I do something other than work. I have always felt like this, even when there wasn’t a stay at home order. When I catch up on my favorite TV shows, I could be reading queries. When I bake cupcakes, I could be reading manuscripts. When I go hiking with my brothers, I could be researching editors or comp titles. 

Except, I’m usually doing these things after work hours and on weekends. So I shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying my free time. Yet, I do.

The thing is, I don’t mind working outside normal office hours. It comes with the gig, and I’ve found all of my clients by reading their projects on evenings and weekends. What I need to remind myself, though, is that it’s okay to spend a day not working.

So, I force myself to take a break. I chose Sunday as my Day Off mostly because I was reading queries one Sunday morning and realized I didn’t have to. So I finished the one I was working on, downloaded a mindless game on my phone, and spent the rest of the day Not Working. (Okay, so maybe I continued to check my email and ended up reading a few more queries, but it was A Start.)

I’ll never distance myself from my email completely. I’ve gotten a lot better about it, though. I’ve been avoiding my email on weekends. I only check it a couple times on Saturday, if at all, and I go all of Sunday without opening the app or checking on my laptop. I try out new cupcakes recipes and cook dinner for the family. I watch movies with my dad and cuddle with my dogs. I challenge myself with harder and harder hikes, including Bear Mountain, which is the highest peak in CT.

I video chat with friends, or send memes to my various group chats. After quarantine is over and it’s safe to do so, I’ll start spending my weekends with friends again. It’s a lot easier to not check your email when there are people holding you accountable.

The point is, you don’t have to work 24/7, even if you can do a lot of your work at home. Let yourself do other things from the safety of your home, or go out for a walk if you’re able. Just remember, give yourself a break!

xoxo Tia

If you like what I talk about on my blog, consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tiarosemele