Friday, March 11, 2011

I Love My Platypus

I didn’t make it too far into the literary agency contest.  They told me that “my manuscript didn’t meet their needs at this time.” And they told me that I was welcome to query other projects to their agency. Pretty much your tier one standard rejection. (Not good, but better than “don’t darken our doorstep again, you ignorant hack.”)
I was very disappointed. I wasn’t planning on making it to the “end” of the contest. After all, my book is very different than what they represent. But I’d hoped that I’d at least make it to the next level. What I forgot is that they are a business. They are looking for novels that fit their selling niche. For example, some agencies represent science fiction and fantasy. And no matter how beautifully written your romantic thriller is, they’ll turn it down in the time it takes you to blink.
My novel is historical fiction with pretentions to literary fiction. I called it “women’s fiction,” which the agency does represent. But clearly they didn’t buy it—if it doesn’t walk like a duck or talk like a duck, it’s probably not a duck. And though my book had a duck bill (i.e., it was about a woman) my book is more like a platypus and sticking a bunch of feathers on it (calling it “women’s fiction”) didn’t fool the agents.
So I have to get off my duff, write the query and the synopsis, and find someone who earnestly loves to represent platypuses with waddles.
(Don’t you think the plural of platypus ought to be platypi?)

15 comments:

  1. Aw! Good luck with querying!

    And yes, platipi has a better ring to it.

    :-)

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  2. And seriously, who would rather have a duck than a platypus? Platypi are awesome.

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  3. Oh absolutely, Platypi it is.

    And what's so cool about ducks? I mean....they don't have poisonous spikes! A-and they only have two flippers. Oh well..They are missing out.

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  4. Hey, their loss Connie :) If it's not their thing, it's not their thing--but it's someone else's platypus. Good luck!!

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  5. Thanks for all the encouragement everyone! Considered yourselves hugged from me.

    Guess what? My fancy dictionary says an alternative plural spelling is...wait for it...platypi! Yay! Though since the word descends from the Greek and not Latin, it's a bit hard to justify it. But I don't care. Platypi it is. :)

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  6. You raise a good question though - what exactly is the defining characteristic of "women's fiction"?? I have a WIP I'm calling women's fiction... probably because I don't know what other genre I could fit it in. I think I read somewhere that it has a strong female protag and romance may be present but it isn't the defining characteristic... rather vague. Sorry, rambling here! I love your references to the duck and the platypus! Keep searching for the perfect fit! You're better off than me, I haven't even begun.

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  7. Good luck. There's a huge market for historical fiction.

    demitrialunetta.blogspot.com

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  8. Figuring out who would best represent your work is that hardest part.

    Good luck.

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  9. I guess you'll never fit in either the duck or the beaver groups. You'll just have to find an agency that's looking for platypi!!

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  10. Hmmm, ducks make good target practice, but that's about all. They're good eating too. . .

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  11. You have a great attitude about this experience. Best of luck!

    Okay, and I think platypi are adorable! :)

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  12. I agree, it should be platypi.

    Sorry about the contest! But just because it's no good for them means it'll be great for someone else!

    Also, anybody who brings up playtpi in their blog post is just super awesome, period.

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  13. Good luck with querying. I can relate to your agent hunt because my book is a platypus too (I love your analogy, btw.). Keep the faith!

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  14. *hugs* The query trenches can be tough. Hang in there girl! You WILL get there.

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  15. Platypus versus duck? It's an easy decision.

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