We Like You, But Not Enough

I shouldn’t have to say this, but: Submissions are closed on the St. Martin’s “New Adult” Contest. All entries received after Friday, November 20 will not be regarded. I would really love to be able to consider everyone, but for the sake of my sanity (and my time), I simply cannot. Winners will be announced Wednesday, November 25 at 9pm EST–stay tuned for venue!

Don't feel bad! Look how cutely you get rejected!

Rejecting people was so much easier when I worked at a literary agency. We had a nice form rejection letter that we were able to use for a lot of different occasions. Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold true on the editorial side. Why? On the agency side, I could say, “No thanks, but this particular query is not for me” and leave it at that. Here, because I have read the submissions that come across my desk from various agents and agencies, I must say, “I’m sorry, but this isn’t for us because of X, Y, and Z.”

Essentially, it feels like I’m saying, “I like you, just not enough to buy you.” At this stage, because the rejection is more about qualitative judgment and less about individual taste, it feels more personal. And the qualitative judgment I have to make, of course, is “Can I work on this? Will it be worth the time? Will it justify the expense?”

That last bit is the newest and the one I have the oddest time adjusting my mind around. Another reason writers want to have an agent; an agent won’t look at you and wonder whether you will keep her in the black. All authors in the agent’s stable should (theoretically) keep her in the black. A (reputable) agent makes his money when his clients make money and therefore he must sink or swim with his authors. That is not the case in a publishing house. These are entirely different economics–one where literary merit has absolute, definite financial value.

In some ways it still works the same: I have to love something in order to take it on. But now I must be ever conscious of its monetary worth: whether or not the editorial board will approve it, whether Barnes & Noble/Borders/bookstores everywhere will stock it, whether readers will buy it, whether people will like it. Period. I can’t just say, “I love it!” I have to say “I love it because X, Y, and Z and I also think readers will love it because of A, B, and C!” On this end, it’s more of a gamble and I was never any good at laying bets on the table. But that could be because I have no head for card games, even if I can read people.

Busy day back in the office! Lots of reading to do. Lots of submissions to go through (oi…). But on the plus side, I have a shiny new e-reader! As it is mine, yet not mine, I have christened it “Tomas”, as I am clearly Sabina from Milan Kundera’s THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING.