The Dangers of Being Too Polite

[jacey]

In September 2006 I submitted 'The Ballad of Tom Ling'  to Scholastic's slushpile. (That's Scholastic in London, I even got their new address.) Then I waited. Patiently. Politely. Don't hassle the nice editors we are told. So I didn't. Three months ago I sent a written query... after fifteen months I didn't figure that was too much hassle.

No reply.

Today I finally plucked up the courage to phone them. Spoke to a nice foreign lady who didn't know the term 'slushpile' but who was willing to look up my submission history. Yes, they received it in mid October 2006. It was number 14163. They are currently reading number 14600 but... there's no record of my manuscript at all. It has vanished.

Nice lady says to send it again and she'll try to make sure it doesn't go to the bottom of the pile.

<sigh>

Comments

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Oh God! What a good thing you checked. But not good that they seem to have lost it.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

As if it isn't hard enough being unagented as it is... and not being able to sin-sub... to waste 18 months on a perfectly saleable novel it annoying to say the least.

I've just got off my arse and done another agent query. Not found anyone else since parting company with CW. I suspect I'm not persistent enough.

Are you still happy with your agent? Is she still taking on?