adult female-driven comm fantasy-mag realism 88k 11/28/20

3 days after query "I'm not the agent for this book."

FQ: Hist Fiction, 90K, sent Sept. 29/20
FR: "Sorry to say I am not the agent for this novel."

Abrupt rejection. Woeful story about COVID affecting publishing. UGH.

One line rejection.

EQ 7/9 Upmarket
Full request 7/10
Rejected 7/20 with helpful if depressing comments re: fiction marketplace

"You’re a wonderful writer, but I don’t believe I could succeed with the novel in the current market. Honestly, I’m having trouble selling anything right now, between the Covid pandemic and social unrest. But also, the backing and forthing here between times and places drives me a bit crazy. I know there are others who aren’t bothered by this but alas I am. But that’s not why I’m turning this down; it is really about the current market for fiction, which is the worst I’ve ever dealt with. Having said that, I’d love a chance to read your next work. I truly love your writing."

EQ: 4/23/2020 Adult Espionage Thriller 78,000 words
FR: 4/23/2020 Adult Espionage Thriller 3 hours after query was sent
ER 5/4/2020 Helpful comments

EQ: 2/22/2020 70k Contemporary Fiction
Nudge with Offer of Rep: 3/24/2020
FR: 3/26/2020
Offer of Rep: 4/6/2020
Offer Accepted!!

EQ 3/11
ER less an hour later (same one-sentence "thanks but not for me" response that many receive)
I appreciate hearing back rapidly, but as others have mentioned below, it would be nice if her agency biography was a little more informative about what she's looking for.

I must say that even though we have never met, I trust this woman can work very well with selected individuals based on various things I have heard about her from her presence on line and from testimonials I ran across. She read my entire manuscript over the weekend and said only that she "am not the agent for this." I, too, like Tessa below, did not understand why she rejected working with me, I literally begged her and she told me why. As painful as it was to hear that it had to do with my writing, it spurred me on to revise the entire novel.
She is an amazing person. For many years she was editor of th Book of the Month Club and has many great connections for the lucky ones she chooses to represent.

EQ: 8/7/19
FR: 8/8/19
Upmarket WF
Full sent Oct 31/19
Personal note, rejection 11/13/19, wanting to see other material.

Replied the very next day: 'Thanks but I’m not the agent for this. V'
Great she replied. I'm thankful for that. Saves me waiting. Wish her bio was more explicit, though, as to what she is looking for.
(75000 w. humor novel)

EQ: 18-Oct WF
ER: 21-Oct "...but I can't deal with the subject. Sorry. V."
Which tells me she didn't even read any pages. Disappointing since she had requested the full ms on my last project, but it's all about finding the agent who will go to bat for you. If the agent isn't into the concept of your novel -- no matter how successful the agent may be -- that agent is definitely not the right agent for you.

Literary fiction rejected in 2 days: "This is not for me."

EQ 08/23/2019
FR 08/26/2019
Lit thriller
Rejection 9/26/2019

Thanks for this. It’s quite good, yet it just isn’t hitting my sweet spot, which in this awful market for fiction means I’m not the right agent. Victoria

Kind of depressing, honestly

7/24/19 - EQ re: LONG & SHORT - Contemporary Rom-Com - 64K