tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post4015140121855209923..comments2023-08-28T15:15:35.995-04:00Comments on Murphblog: Rejection Dejection...And My First List!Paul Michael Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17318098111985714443noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-3426804223042778232009-02-19T19:47:00.000-05:002009-02-19T19:47:00.000-05:00Rejections are a bummer. When I get them, I tend ...Rejections are a bummer. When I get them, I tend to make myself feel better with some down home fried chicken or a cupcake....Martha Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07577165520610942727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-34548054902124209672009-02-19T19:23:00.000-05:002009-02-19T19:23:00.000-05:00I happen to like Heineken, but I'll still commiser...I happen to like Heineken, but I'll still commiserate with you on the rejections. Rejections suck rocks.Carrie Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14893023777471521703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-58337956463142704612009-02-18T21:25:00.000-05:002009-02-18T21:25:00.000-05:00Big V--I'm a sadist. I save them.Big V--I'm a sadist. I save them.Paul Michael Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17318098111985714443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-17710899221477579132009-02-18T20:07:00.000-05:002009-02-18T20:07:00.000-05:00Here's an idea: eat your rejections. They'll prob...Here's an idea: eat your rejections. They'll probably taste nasty, and then you can add them to your list.Ray Veenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11956279552298172157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-25835082407782352162009-02-18T14:51:00.000-05:002009-02-18T14:51:00.000-05:00Thank you all for the kind words of support.Lily--...Thank you all for the kind words of support.<BR/><BR/>Lily--I look forward to your response. The first 25 rejections or so were kind of fun. Like paper badges of courage. Now, they basically suck.<BR/><BR/>Tracy--thanks for the advice. I actually did send it along to one agent even though they didn't request it and I'll probably continue to do so. What's the worst that can happen? (Rhetorical)<BR/><BR/>Anita and Chris--expect something soon in your inboxes. The more eyes the merrier.<BR/><BR/>Kelly--how was the trip? (Apologies if you blogged about it. Haven't been blog surfing yet today.)Paul Michael Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17318098111985714443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-22816695288940037382009-02-18T14:08:00.000-05:002009-02-18T14:08:00.000-05:00Sorry about the rejections, but you are right. Tha...Sorry about the rejections, but you are right. That is to be expected in this tough biz.<BR/>Funny list. I happen to love fried chicken with corn on the cob in the summer! It's messy but good!<BR/>I agree with water. I wish I could make myself drink more!Kelly Polarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10968381456100611120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-79631015277739960932009-02-18T12:02:00.000-05:002009-02-18T12:02:00.000-05:00sorry about the rejections. it's okay, you can wh...sorry about the rejections. it's okay, you can whine about it. i still do. <BR/><BR/>i'm by no means a query expert, but if you'd like i can take a look at your query and/or first few pages. <BR/><BR/>as for your list, i was reading it and nodding my head. I was on board with you. but then you dissed cupcakes. that's not cool, paul michael murphy. at first when i read your viscious remarks about cupcakes i cried a little bit. i curled up into a ball next to my washing machine and sobbed on my dirty laundry. but then some song called "hero" came on the radio. and i realized i needed to be strong. becasue that's what heroes do. so i baked a dozen cupcakes and ate them all with extra frosting.chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11263596558436041767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-61102164016193763422009-02-18T10:56:00.000-05:002009-02-18T10:56:00.000-05:00Also, don't be shy about including your first chap...Also, don't be shy about including your first chapter after the query in the body of the email. Don't attach it because many agents don't open docs unless they've requested them. I often put my first chapter in the body of the email with something at the end of the query like "I have included the first chapter so you can get a real sense of the story." It's worked so far and at least forces said agent to read further, if nothing more, out of curiosity. Okay, I'll shut up now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514067724256745623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-55992533251415758092009-02-18T10:53:00.000-05:002009-02-18T10:53:00.000-05:00Don't worry, Paul. More than likely, you'll get ma...Don't worry, Paul. More than likely, you'll get many more rejections, it's the nature of the business. You'll eventually find the right person who's passionate about your work, which from what little of it I've read, is really good. These agents are missing out. (and I'm not just saying that) Hang in there. Take a few steps back to take a giant leap forward.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514067724256745623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-24914092930233339682009-02-18T10:29:00.000-05:002009-02-18T10:29:00.000-05:00I think I'm going to have to post a response to th...I think I'm going to have to post a response to this classic food snobbery, Paul. <BR/><BR/>About the rejections, at this point, try to see them as a sign of progress. When I got my first rejection for a short story from a magazine, I framed it and hung it above my computer for a while. <BR/>It was a reminder that I had gotten farther than 90% of the people who say, "gee, I'd like to be a writer." <BR/>I actually wrote something. <BR/>Now, I'm on to that next step of trying to write something, you know, good.Lily Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-63984121485115796662009-02-18T00:35:00.000-05:002009-02-18T00:35:00.000-05:00Oregon water is the best water on the planet!! I s...Oregon water is the best water on the planet!! I should know - I grew up there. Now I live in Utah, where the water tastes like you're licking a rock. Blech!<BR/><BR/>Sorry about the rejections. At least it proves you're actually doing something and not just one of those "thinking" writers - the one's who like to talk about being a writer without actually doing anything to get there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-56014562622984163532009-02-17T23:37:00.000-05:002009-02-17T23:37:00.000-05:00I wouldn't worry unless you're getting rejected wi...I wouldn't worry unless you're getting rejected with your first chapter having obviously been read. If it gets to the point where you've had a few rejections with first chapters and no feedback, feel free to send me the first chapter and I'll let you know my thoughts, if you want them.Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-14896471846655690622009-02-17T23:19:00.000-05:002009-02-17T23:19:00.000-05:00Six were query only. One with manny, but who knows...Six were query only. One with manny, but who knows whether the agent got that far, eh?<BR/><BR/>Two still out.<BR/><BR/>I'll rework before the next batch.Paul Michael Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17318098111985714443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-48476330604690352172009-02-17T23:07:00.000-05:002009-02-17T23:07:00.000-05:00Have the rejections included samples of the manusc...Have the rejections included samples of the manuscript or just the query?Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-54441616713239769702009-02-17T22:46:00.000-05:002009-02-17T22:46:00.000-05:00No to both. Although I have tasted Oregon water, r...No to both. Although I have tasted Oregon water, right from the waterfall. And it was pretty good, but I was probably influenced by the setting. <BR/><BR/>As to the rejections. I've received seven and if you added the word counts of all seven, you might get to 50.Paul Michael Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17318098111985714443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7004461851315310562.post-70919754417198407622009-02-17T22:38:00.000-05:002009-02-17T22:38:00.000-05:00You must never have tasted Colorado water.Was ther...You must never have tasted Colorado water.<BR/><BR/>Was there any feedback in the rejections?Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.com