Rejection Letter

Dear Joanne

Many thanks for sending me this material, which I read with interest.

Although it's highly inventive I'm afraid it just doesn't quite grab my imagination in the way that it must for me to offer to represent it. So I shall have to follow my gut instinct and pass on this occasion. I'm sorry to be so disappointing, but thanks for thinking of us. Of course this is a totally subjective view, so do keep trying other agents and I sincerely wish you every success with it elsewhere.

With all best wishes

Broo

Broo Doherty
Wade & Doherty Literary Agency

Rejection Letter

From: Scott Hoffman
Date: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 6:31 PM
To: Joanne Dillinger
Subject: RE: Psychopomp

Thank you for your recent query letter and your interest in PMA. We are always eager to hear from writers who are serious about the business of writing; unfortunately, we do not feel that PMA is the right company to represent your work.

We have to be very selective of what we choose to represent, and all of our decisions are based on a frank assessment of the current needs of the literary and film markets. The fact that this work doesn’t fit our narrow criteria for representation does not mean it couldn’t find a home elsewhere. We urge you to submit your work to other agencies or management companies that may be more suited to this type of material.

Kind Regards,
Scott P. Hoffman
PMA Literary and Film Management, Inc.

Rejection Letter - with feedback

From: Sally Harding
Date: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 2:34 PM
To: Joanne Dillinger
Subject: Psychopomp

Dear Joanne

I've been reading your submission. Can you tell me a bit about your writing process. How many drafts has this been through?

Sally

Sally Harding
Literary Agent
Seventh Avenue Literary Agency
a division of Contemporary Communications

***

From: Joanne Dillinger
Date: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 4:18 PM
To: Sally Harding
Subject: Psychopomp

Hello Sally,

actually, I spent a winter locked away in my mother's cottage up north to write this book. I wrote it all-at-once, which took about six-months. I then wrote a second draft almost immediately, after which I took a three month break from it. You are reading the third draft now, though I'm a little ashamed to admit, I may have spent a lot more time on research, than on the actual writing of the thing.

Best,
Joanne

***

From: Sally Harding
Date: Thursday, September 02, 2004 1:51 PM
To: Joanne Dillinger
Subject: RE: Psychopomp

Dear Joanne

Thank you for the background.

As you can guess, I've been in two minds about this book. The thing is, the writing just isn't tight enough. It needs more snap than it currently has. There are also difficulties with the tone. I'm not sure that you've found your voice.

Joanne, it might be as simple as the fact you just need to do more writing and not necessarily on this book. Sometimes if you overwork a novel it loses its edge. Sometimes it is better to start on something else and then go back to the earlier work. You will need to figure out what works best for you.

There's an expression in the industry: there's something there. So keep working on your craft.

Thank you for sharing your work with me, and if you would like to submit again, I'd be interested to have a look.

Sally

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