The Rules of Resubmitting
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Apr 21 2020
You’ve queried, you’ve submitted and now you’ve done revisions. What are the rules about resubmitting your book to agents?
As with anything, every agent will have a different view on this. My view is, why not? Give it a try. The worst that can happen is a “no.”
Go ahead as long as you’ve made extensive revisions and by extensive I mean your query and your book are completely different. Not 10 pages different, but new plots and new characters.
I understand the frustration of rejection. Agents see it nearly every day. But I also know sometimes things are what they are and it’s better to move forward than it is to try to keep changing the same old thing.
You can’t change a boyfriend. He’s not going to be different once you get married. Sometimes you need to accept the same about your manuscript. Sometimes it’s better to move on to a story that is already what you wanted this one to be.
Want to learn more about resubmitting to agents? Watch this video from our YouTube Channel:
I’ve done much research since my first rejection. Changed the title. Cut 80,000 words and nixed the prologue. Did a rewrite. My manuscript is a tragic family saga with a paranormal atmosphere. Set in the early 1970’s, it deals with abuse, mental illness, addiction and murder. It’s as truthful as can be told. I’m publishing as fiction. I’m toying with a pseudonym. Need professional advice.
Ken Jester, what professional advice do you need? If it’s fiction it doesn’t matter how “truthful” the story is, because it is fiction. As fiction, you need to be careful anyone you’ve based the story on can not be recognised…a whole can full of worms there!
Try Google. There is a lot of advice out there.
“Sometimes it’s better to move on to a story that is already what you wanted this one to be.”
And that’s why you end up with manuscripts that will never see the light of day. I call them my apprenticeship manuscripts. Hoping that apprenticeship pays off!
Thanks!