From the course: Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher

Thank-you letters

From the course: Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher

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Thank-you letters

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- [Female] Before we move on from those depressing rejections, there's one very important step you still have to do. You have to thank the agent that sent you the rejection letter, I know this sounds crazy. And it will sound even crazier to you when you're staring that rejection letter in the face. But trust me, it's the smart professional thing to do. Even though as authors we sometimes fall into that tortured artist category, writing is still a profession. So you have to treat it like a serious career and act graciously. Do not be petty, or spiteful, or mean. Even if an agent's rejection made you feel like the lowest of the low. I know your ego is bruised but don't lash out at the agent who bruised it. Because once again, it's a small industry. And word of your pettiness will get around. Plus you never know when you might want to query that agent again. Once you calm down, give yourself a few days to recover and possibly decide that, yes, you do want to revise this manuscript or even write a new once, you'll want to return to that agent someday and tell them that you have a new and improved version or even a brand new project. And that agent very well might offer to read the new improved version or brand new project. And they very well might like it and sign you as a client. But I guarantee that none of that will happen if you lashed out at them or were in anyway rude, dismissive, or unprofessional. So put your injured feelings and your bruised ego aside for just a moment, swallow your pride and thank the agent kindly for considering your work or offering you feedback on it. Check out the PDF handout in the resources section called sample thank you letters to agents, to find email templates that you can use to reply to agents who have sent you rejections at various stages of the process.

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