FQ:7/3
ER: Same day. I appreciate the swiftness.

YA contemporary 74k

YA contemporary UNRECEIVED 48,000
EQ: 7/2/20
ER: Same day :(

FQ - 6/29/20
FR - 6/29/20 (4 hrs later)

YA Dark Fantasy 87k

EQ - 6/27/20
ER - 6/28/29. Form rejection
YA contemporary 95k

EQ - 18/06/2020
FR - 19/06/2020 (about 3 hours later! form but very sweet)

#OwnVoices LGBT YA Contemp Fantasy - 77k

FQ - 5/29/2020
PR - 5/31/2020
Full Request - 6/7/2020
Rejection - 6/18/2020

@FranFlan

So Megan uses a template. *shrug* Plenty of agents don’t respond at all, and don’t even confirm submission. You know now that Megan uses a template. You’ve stated that had you known, you wouldn’t have queried—that’s fine.

You’re upset because you received the same template for two different books—also fine.

But, and here’s the thing, template feedback is a practice that’s beneficial to authors. Many manuscripts have the same types of problems—pacing, character development, world building etc. Setting up multiple template responses to address common issues is a great way to kindly tip off a writer to a weakness in their pages, while efficiently managing ones time.

And maybe, just maybe, if you get the same template on two separate books, then the issue addressed is something you struggle with overall as a writer. Something you wouldn’t have known to look for without the feedback that was given, feedback that none of us writers are entitled to.

Look, I get it. I’ve had my share of rejections over the years. Rejection is hard. Form rejection, personalized rejection-it hurts. Especially on ownvoices, on something that’s so much a part of you. But when so many send no response at all on queries (and partials and fulls— I’ve gotten no response on all of those things) it’s discouraging to see someone upset about receiving any kind of potentially helpful feedback.


FWIW, I’ve been rejected by Megan too.
See below:

Thank you for letting me read TITLE . Unfortunately, I will not be requesting more at this time. While the concept of your story is interesting, your opening pages weren't pulling me in as much as I hoped. Therefore, I don't believe I'm the right fit for this project.

Take heart: the publishing industry is very subjective, so what may not work for me could be just what another agency is looking for. I strongly encourage you to continue your pursuit of publication.

Most agents don't bother with templates, but have one form with no feedback...IF they even respond. The fact she takes the time to send feedback, through templates, is amazing. Megan is awesome!

Hi Guys. Sends out this template. I received the same template twice for two completely different books at two different times. Word for word. You need to know this because I thought this was real feedback and worked on those aspects. Its a template. .

All this back and forth about Megan is really making D4EO agency look unprofessional and its probably putting serious writers off submitting work to that agency. Its just not good for the business. If I had read this before, there is no way I would have submitted to D4EO. I would have went elsewhere immediately. And that is the risk for D4EO.



Here is the template that Megan sent twice months and months apart on two completely different books. Thank you for letting me read (your book title here) Unfortunately, I will not be requesting more at this time. Your beginning showcases a handful of telling, as opposed to showing, of your main character's actions and emotions, which distances your readers from truly connecting to your character and wanting to read more.

Take heart: the publishing industry is very subjective, so what may not work for me could be just what another agency is looking for. I strongly encourage you to continue your pursuit of publication.

Best,

Megan

About the template stuff...I don't see a problem with it. Think about it, there's probably many common issues that a lot of opening pages have. Having the template saves time and it tells you why she rejected. Most agents have generic form rejections that don't even point out specific problems. Agents only make money from their clients and they get a ton of queries. It's not possible for them to write up a response for everyone. It's a very wonderful thing that Megan seems to respond to everyone quickly. Some agents aren't able to do that.

Edit: I received a rejection. But it was helpful. Even if it's a template, it's different than what others have gotten. "Thank you for letting me read [book title] Unfortunately, I will not be requesting more at this time. Your opening felt a bit rushed to me, especially with [character] mentioning [plot thing] I would have liked to see more lead up to this information." Clearly she is taking the time to tell the writer what they need to work on.

@Franflan

It is possible for two books by the same author to have the same issues. I've known for a long time that pacing is my achilles heel, and the manuscript I'm querying right now is the first one I actually feel confident in the pacing of because I was intentional about figuring out the beats before I started writing. Just because you got the same email twice doesn't mean it's not true, only that it was the same aspects that were weak.

I know what it's like to feel desperate for scraps of any sort of feedback, so I'm sorry that you feel disheartened and slighted. But if this is something that is pointed out twice, and you clearly found something to improve, then I wouldn't say it was wrong or a waste of a form. A little generic, perhaps--if only because many other writers have the same weakness, as well. If you decide to not work on those aspects or query this agent again, that's fine. But a form response that tries to be helpful doesn't necessitate dragging an agent or an agency through the mud.

Take heart, friend. If you're feeling really discouraged, then I'd take @maracalone1 up on their offer of support. You can never have enough writer friends, especially when they might know what you're going through.

@Franflan I've sent two queries and I've gotten two different replies with different feedback and with the second one she absolutely had a point. I'm not saying they're not templates, but she definitely doesn't send the same thing to everyone.

(Edit, since this comment apparently caused more controversy, here's the feedback I got about two weeks ago:

"Thank you for letting me read [title of my book]. Unfortunately, I will not be requesting more at this time. Your opening felt rushed, preventing me from getting settled into your world and from getting to know your characters.")

(another edit, @Franflan: you keep saying "you" like you're talking to me, so I'd just like to reiterate that I'm a writer and have never claimed to have anything to do with this agency, which you seem to be insinuating. I've simply told you about my experience, which clearly differs from yours. By the way, I might be wrong, but I don't think agencies typically check the comments on here.)

EQ 01 MAY 2020
ERej 01 MAY 2020

YA GOTHIC MYSTERY

Profile Update: Open to queries.

Profile Update: Closed to queries.