As I mentioned in my January Update, I sent out some queries after I entered ABNA. Out of the ten I sent out then, I’ve received replies for five of them, all of which were varying forms of “no.”
While it’s true that no means no, I think I’m right in saying that this no:
Thank you for contacting me, but this is not a good fit for my list at this time.
Is very very different from this no:
Dear Kristin,
Thank you so much for sharing your book with me, I truly appreciate your interest. I should also apologize for my lengthy response time, I’m very sorry to have kept you waiting this long.
I’ve had a chance to read and consider your work and can see how much you’ve invested in this. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m the right agent for this particular project, so I must pass. But I send this with gratitude and all good wishes for the future.
I say this mostly to remind myself and others like me that rejection is necessary, and it’s okay. I’d even go so far as to say that the last rejection was a good rejection. I did not feel hopeless or sad after receiving it. In fact, I actually felt kind of good because it reminded me that I’m on the right track.
I’m still new to the querying process, so I’d love to hear from someone (anyone) who has some experience with it.
Until I have the urge to post again,
Kristin