Getting published, we are told, is almost impossible without a literary agent. So poor me: I sent out a whole load of samples to agents and have had mixed responses – some saying nice things, others giving bland, stock rejections.
From my select list I chose a rather high profile agency to charm with my work. I checked their web site for their submission guidelines, adhered to them and submitted. Anyone who has tried this will tell you that postage is not cheap – especially when you have to pay both to send it and get it back. This particular agency replied on 2 October 2009, after a delay of a few weeks. Their response?
They are not taking unsolicited submissions due to the volume of projects they already have.
Shame they didn’t put that on their submission guidelines. To quote from their own web site (checked at 11:22 am on 3 October 2009): “We do look at unsolicited material, but please adhere to the following guidelines when submitting your work”.
I won’t give away the name of these rather inconsiderate people, but the name does rhyme with an expensive brand of champagne.
ADENDUM
To save others from wasting time, effort and money, I have sent the agency this message:
“Dear Ms “FANCY CHAMPAGNE”,
I recently posted a sample of my work to your agency after first checking your submission guidelines and adhering to them. As you will be aware, printing and postage costs are not cheap, so I was very careful to whom I sent my work. On 2 October the sample was sent back to me with a pink index card, to which was attached a label telling me that “FANCY CHAMPAGNE” Ltd are unable to accept unsolicited submissions. Fearing I had made a mistake, I checked your website at 11:22 on 3 October, and found the following:
We do look at unsolicited material, but please adhere to the following guidelines when submitting your work…
I am appalled that the “FANCY CHAMPAGNE” Agency encourages writers to submit their work to them, but feel it is perfectly OK to reject it without even considering the content. The postage and printing costs might be a small drop in the ocean to you, but not to me.
Thank you very much for wasting my time and money.
Kevin Bennett”
So sorry to hear about this Kevin, it is unforgiveable in this age of instant communication for anyone to fail to update their website on such an important change.
Stick with it though, this is their failure, perseverence will win in the end!