Grim stuff, right? Now, let me make you even more depressed. Your story may compete with opposing stories or sales from another agent or editor in the office.
Let me explain.
Let's say I love, love, love Dawn's novel. But, Gyppo has a project he loves too from Sio. Our budget for this quarter will only allow one new project.
Gyppo and I duke it out, not literally, and try to convince our peers to vote for our project. Here's where marketing comes into play. Let's say A.W.M. also wants to get his project the funding, and he has an offer for a tell-all from Brad and Angelina's nanny. It seems Angelina makes Joan Crawford look like Santa Claus.
Guess who's going to get the votes from the board to buy?
It's the reason you'll hear agents and editors say, "I didn't love it." They have to love it in order to go to bat for it. And yes, sometimes those meetings get nasty. We're all convinced our project is the next big seller.
Often, and sadly, it's all about timing. When you spin the wheel, sometimes you'll land on the big money. Ask Sparks. The person he requested rejected The Notebook. She died. Her assist saved it from the garbage and went to bat.
You know the rest.
Just be aware, sometimes it really isn't you or your writing. Sometimes it's something you'll never know about. And just so you know, agents and editors see rejection more often than any writer. The biggest rejection being the one where you get the boot from your agency or company.
That one leaves a mark.
