Author: Matthew Battles
Date:   10-30-09 10:36

I recently got told that my TITLE didn't fit their already established list. It was also on a site that tells you how far they went into your application and I could see plainly that they hadn't even OPENED the query before rejecting it.

Does this happen regularly or was this agent being a particularly large **** (insert derogatory word here)

Author: Gravity Fades
Date:   10-30-09 11:33

"Title" sometimes is agency-speak for "manuscript." Don't let it get to you, just move on to the next ones on your list.

Author: Matthew Battles
Date:   10-30-09 11:40

I was just curious, seeing as they didn't read any of it, I just assumed it was the title that put them up...

Author: Gary Kessler
Date:   10-30-09 12:00

What gravity said. Beyond that, since you don't provide any information on what your title is and what genres the agent advertises it represents, anything further a responder here could give would be pure speculation. If the agent represents Christian inspirationals, for instance, and your title is pornographic, obviously the title alone will be an interest killer.

Author: Cathy C
Date:   10-30-09 20:03

That really confuses me, Matthew. How could you possibly know they didn't open the query? What could they see BEFORE the query that would register on the site as a percentage? You didn't send the query as an email attachment, did you? That'll get an auto-rejection at a lot of agencies and publishers without a live person ever even seeing it. I do mean "auto" rejection, too. Emails with attachments are often dumped into a special location and an automatic reply is generated by the server (similar to an out-of-office reply). I'd imagine it could be set up to be worded as a rejection letter.

However, I agree with Gravity. "Title" really is how books are described when they're not referred to as a "manuscript" or "release."

Author: Matthew Battles
Date:   10-30-09 20:13

No, I'm part of a website where you contact Agents directly, it's a new feature, but it also tells you how far the agent read i.e None, Query letter, synopsis, manuscript sample and author biography.

When the rejection notification came back, it said none. She hadn't even opened it. She literally read the title of the book: 'Bloodfest - The Legend Begins' and rejected it

Author: Gary Kessler
Date:   10-30-09 20:20

This doesn't sound like something reputable agents get involved with. I'd have to know a whole lot more about this instance to give any advice or make any meaningful suppositions. Another case of information just dribbling out.

Author: Matthew Battles
Date:   10-30-09 20:22

It's a reputable agent as well. It's that Webook website

Author: Cathy C
Date:   10-30-09 21:27

I've honestly never heard of this, which is interesting since I know several of the agents listed. I'm going to do a little more checking up on this. If it's legit, it could be a really good and useful tool for aspiring authors. I hope it is. It's a GREAT bunch of agents to query from. I'll let you know what I hear back.

Author: Matthew Battles
Date:   10-30-09 21:40

I'm currently working on expanding the story anyway. Giving room to improve certain characters that (inadvertently) had been pushed to the sidelines. Plus I wanted to explore deeper into the life that my main character had before the proverbial spanner was thrown into the works.

Author: Smiling Curmudgeon
Date:   10-30-09 22:02

Matthew,

I spent a few minutes looking at Webook's site. Looks hinky to me, but I may have missed something that would change my mind.

Ask yourself some questions.

What does Webook offer that would cause an agent to sign up? They appear to offer a screening service. I'm pretty sure that's been done before. Don't recall whether it was a scam.

Let's suppose they are the next great thing. Someone has to pay them, I think. Did you pay them anything? If you didn't, someone else is.

Who would the someone else be? Your dream agent? Doesn't seem likely to me. Agents don't need an intermediary to screen queries/manuscripts. The publishing pie is already sliced small.

What about Webook's expertise would make an agent think their screening service is useful?

Cathy C said she would try to learn more, since she knows some of the agents on the Webook site. Betcha a dime she discovers the agents have never heard of Webook. Hope I'm wrong.

Feel free to ignore.

Cur

Author: Joe Zeff
Date:   10-31-09 19:15

I think I might know what happened, Matthew: your title makes it clear that it's the start of a series, and agents are unlikely to be interested in the start of a series by an unknown, unpublished author. This is because there's no way of knowing if the book's going to sell well enough for there to be a demand for the rest of the series, and there are generally so many loose ends and unresolved subplots at the start of a series for it to be satisfying if the rest of the series never gets published.

I would suggest that you come up with a new title that doesn't imply a series, and make sure your book can work as a stand-alone before querying again. You don't have to tidy everything up, but you should have enough of a resolution that nobody's going to feel cheated if that's all there ever is.