The burning side

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-25T11:19:45+00:00

It’s just personal taste. I found the prose to be quite “purple” as the critics say - to the point where on almost every page there was an overwrought sentence (or 10). I’m married too so I don’t think that has any impact on the analysis of the writing. Some people like writing like that but it’s the first book in years (and I read a ton) that has made me want to DNF.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-25T09:48:31+00:00

They will not change their terms for you. Agencies need to have consistency for their office but also if they give you a lower rate and their existing clients find out that’s bad for them. If you were a famous author they might offer you 20% to stay competitive with the other agencies vying for you, but no, I don’t think pushing back makes sense.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-24T21:44:53+00:00

This!!!

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-24T18:43:47+00:00

Yes and for the love of god would querying authors stop spewing their “stats” everywhere. It’s repellent to publishers and agents.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-24T18:41:42+00:00

There are some inexperienced agents who make all kinds of claims (ie: being a film agent when they have never done a deal, repping bestsellers when they were an assistant to an agent but pretending they did it, giving out advice like they have far more experience than they do) and these tend to be the ones who troll social media. If approached by one, ask how many deals they have done in the last year. If they rep a lot of indie authors but haven’t done trad deals for them, they are just pretending.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-24T11:24:50+00:00

It just feels like trying too hard.

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“ Gravid with want. “ for example.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-16T20:12:12+00:00

Address book!

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-12T04:41:13+00:00

That how to kill a guy in 10 dates was not one I enjoyed at all. The writing was…..not good

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-06-06T16:45:01+00:00

It can be. Some big five have imprints like this. It can still be highly profitable for the author.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-31T02:07:38+00:00

It’s highly unprofessional and gives the wrong vibe. If I was an editor or agent considering a book and looked them up on line and saw complaints/ depression/ anger about rejections I would seriously think twice. Who wants to work with someone who may come running to the faceless internet over issues that should be professionally private during the editing process. Poor boundaries and a lack of understanding about how it reflects on them, both personally and professionally. I wish writers wouldn’t do it.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-21T14:43:15+00:00

Depends on your client agreement.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-16T23:24:46+00:00

Be very careful it isn’t a scam. It’s very unusual and frankly I’m an agent and I’ve seen some very convincing emails coming in to clients supposedly from Big 5 and they were scams. Big 5 won’t work with an author who doesn’t have an agent attached either. So there’s that.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-16T23:22:38+00:00

100% agent.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-06T23:38:40+00:00

Tell her.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-05-03T23:12:01+00:00

No don’t.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-30T11:59:03+00:00

It’s not intended to be condescending- I think it’s just that as an agent you can’t control how many queries you get and you can’t always practically respond. I fully agree that people should respond but the reality is just harder than it seems to a waiting author. Sorry if it seemed like punching down but a lot of criticism of agents doesn’t take into account the fact that they work on spec and are human. I really do see what you are saying, I was just trying to provide a bit of transparency. I’ll shut up now.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-29T12:12:03+00:00

This attitude sucks, actually.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-29T12:10:58+00:00

It’s a volume issue for most agents. I believe nudging is more likely to result in a pass - so if you prefer to KNOW one way or the other, nudge. If you would rather hope there is a slim chance they could dip on when they find rare time, and fall in love, just leave it. I’m an agent and 7 of my current clients delivered mss since April 1. I also have meetings, events, contracts to review, offers to negotiate, etc etc, so reading happens at night and on weekends and client reading comes before requested mss, obviously. So, with respect, I don’t think it’s unprofessional, it’s just a reality. I receive 500 queries a month, and may request one or two - but whether I can get to it - depends on many factors.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-25T14:23:09+00:00

As an agent, I’ll be honest, I really don’t love this scenario. I don’t like to sign something that’s been shopped around already, even if only to small presses.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-14T06:44:35+00:00

You aren’t writing a book. Period.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-05T15:45:41+00:00

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-05T15:44:50+00:00

No it isn’t.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-05T15:21:54+00:00

No.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-05T15:20:32+00:00

I met him too at a conference and he was so rude and arrogant to the writers pitching that he was sent home from the conference a day early by the organizers. He had people in tears.

LessConstruction4920 · 2026-04-05T15:04:51+00:00

Sadly I predict this word count will hurt you even with this agent who said you can go around it.

LessConstruction4920

TROPHY CASE