Comments on: What a bad literary agent looks like from the other side of the desk http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/ my progress as I write, revise, send to my editor, re-revise, fact-check, galley-read, and promote a multi-volume history of the world. While living on a farm, educating my kids, and teaching. And doing a few other things too. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:49:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Ellen http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88291 Ellen Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:16:14 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88291 I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I have read (and in one case, purchased) books by published authors on "how I write," which are jam-packed with useless information. Several offered examples of successful query letters that were just as asinine as the one you received. It makes one wonder. . . . I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I have read (and in one case, purchased) books by published authors on “how I write,” which are jam-packed with useless information. Several offered examples of successful query letters that were just as asinine as the one you received. It makes one wonder. . . .

]]> By: Chelsea http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88265 Chelsea Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:41:27 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88265 I love your Simon Cowell persona. It's very amusing to read. I just hope you never have a reason to turn it in my direction! :-) I love your Simon Cowell persona. It’s very amusing to read. I just hope you never have a reason to turn it in my direction! :-)

]]> By: Sebastian (a lady) http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88261 Sebastian (a lady) Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:55:47 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88261 Maybe when you're done chronicling the history of the world, you can write a series of amusing novels about a homeschooling pastor's wife and small publishing house president. Maybe when you’re done chronicling the history of the world, you can write a series of amusing novels about a homeschooling pastor’s wife and small publishing house president.

]]> By: Jill Miles http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88258 Jill Miles Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:48:08 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88258 Bang! bang! bang! That would be the sound of my head against the wall. I sent you a manuscript and neglected to greet you as ‘Dr. Bauer.’ In all that slush did you happen to notice the '1 2 3 History!' dummy I sent? At least it is a history resource for K-2. Wondering when I can anticipate my rejection letter? I am really thrilled for you regarding your new release, and I look forward to reading "The History of the Medieval World"...Dr. Bauer. :-) Bang! bang! bang! That would be the sound of my head against the wall. I sent you a manuscript and neglected to greet you as ‘Dr. Bauer.’ In all that slush did you happen to notice the ’1 2 3 History!’ dummy I sent? At least it is a history resource for K-2. Wondering when I can anticipate my rejection letter?

I am really thrilled for you regarding your new release, and I look forward to reading “The History of the Medieval World”…Dr. Bauer. :-)

]]> By: Kendra http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88254 Kendra Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:40:45 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88254 I'll probably never write a book worthy of submitting anywhere, but this post was quite fun to read. Thanks! I’ll probably never write a book worthy of submitting anywhere, but this post was quite fun to read. Thanks!

]]> By: strider http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88253 strider Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:54:59 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88253 Your post resonates with me. I worked in publishing for several years--for much of that time it was my task to sift through the slushpile. Most days it was a sad, tedious task. Unfortunately, the more elaborate or gimmicky the submission, the less we liked it. Every now and then there would be an item of interest, but not one ever panned out into a contract. I left the business fairly cynical about the difficulties of getting published (especially for those who are not famous). I also ended up fairly cynical towards the many would-be writers. Your post resonates with me. I worked in publishing for several years–for much of that time it was my task to sift through the slushpile. Most days it was a sad, tedious task. Unfortunately, the more elaborate or gimmicky the submission, the less we liked it. Every now and then there would be an item of interest, but not one ever panned out into a contract. I left the business fairly cynical about the difficulties of getting published (especially for those who are not famous). I also ended up fairly cynical towards the many would-be writers.

]]> By: Bethany http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88251 Bethany Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:27:41 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88251 the above commenter beat me to the "make he or she laugh" comment. i understand that some people have difficulty with subject vs. object pronouns, but that one even SOUNDS ridiculous. what i noticed also about the book description is that it really doesn't SAY anything. the above commenter beat me to the “make he or she laugh” comment. i understand that some people have difficulty with subject vs. object pronouns, but that one even SOUNDS ridiculous.

what i noticed also about the book description is that it really doesn’t SAY anything.

]]> By: cathmom http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88250 cathmom Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:13:07 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88250 "make he or she laugh"????? Now that made me laugh! “make he or she laugh”????? Now that made me laugh!

]]> By: Jetpacks http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88248 Jetpacks Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:44:49 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88248 So discouraging. The writing world seems filled with sharks and snakes and charlatans. As hopeful writers wait in the murky waters for a net to scoop them up, there are illiterate clowns circling, offering "representation." I think the trouble stems from this fact: EVERYONE (especially unpublished agents) thinks they're great writers. So discouraging. The writing world seems filled with sharks and snakes and charlatans. As hopeful writers wait in the murky waters for a net to scoop them up, there are illiterate clowns circling, offering “representation.”

I think the trouble stems from this fact: EVERYONE (especially unpublished agents) thinks they’re great writers.

]]> By: Sligo http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/running-a-small-press/what-a-bad-literary-agent-looks-like-from-the-other-side-of-the-desk/comment-page-1/#comment-88247 Sligo Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:16:52 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=1389#comment-88247 Thanks for the quick follow-up. Very interesting post. Thanks for the quick follow-up. Very interesting post.

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