From: nicky.matthews@btinternet.com   
      
   On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 3:37:54 AM UTC+1, Jacey Bedford wrote:   
   > On 01/09/2014 14:25, Nicky wrote:   
      
   > Even if you don't have a better offer you can turn down a desultory one    
   >    
   > with a clear conscience.   
   >    
   >    
   >    
   > Can't Mic make an exception for this? It's not as if she doesn't deal    
   >    
   > with children's fic.   
      
   She didn't like this book. It is very young probably 8-12 and lacks any of the   
   features she likes in my    
   writing. It was deliberately stripped back and straight forward.    
   >    
   > Just a thought:   
   >    
   > Tell the publisher that's made the offer that you had really hoped for    
   >    
   > an advance and for some input into the cover style. Ask if they can    
   >    
   > offer better terms (that gives you some wibble time as they'll have to    
   >    
   > think about it). If they won't deal then ask for time to consider. Even    
   >    
   > if they will deal then still ask for time to consider.   
   >    
   Yes I've done that.   
   >    
   > In the meantime write to all the other places you've sent it to and say    
   >    
   > you have an offer on the table, but your preference would really be to    
   >    
   > go with [them] and you would appreciate a fast response.   
   >    
   Yes I've done that too. One came back with a very prompt 'no' and I'm still   
   waiting to hear from two others.   
   >    
   > Or send it quickly to a major house. If they don't like simsubs send a    
   >    
   > query instead, i.e. a query letter and the first three chapters. Be    
   >    
   > upfront. Tell them you have an offer from an indie publisher   
      
   I had thought about this but they really only deal with agented writers and I   
   don't want to pull in favours for a book I don't actually care that much about.   
   >    
   > I once accidentally sim-subbed to HarperCollins and Gollancz. Yes it    
   >    
   > really was accidental. HC had had the MS for over a year and I got a    
   >    
   > message from a friend to say that the editor at Golly was willing to    
   >    
   > take a look, so I emailed HC to withdraw the MS and sent it to Golly.   
   >    
   >    
   >    
   > Next thing I know HC said they were considering it and it had been    
   >    
   > passed on to a senior editor.   
   >    
   >    
   >    
   > i.e. as soon as they knew someone else was interested they hauled it out    
   >    
   > of the slush pile and started reading quickly.   
       
   > As it turned out neither bought it - but DAW did.   
   Well, the book was good, Jacey, and a piece of work you had faith in.   
   >    
   This was really about me trying to monetise my personal slush pile of old   
   material. So I didn't approach the market in a remotely rational way. If I'm   
   honest, I didn't expect anyone to want it or I might have done my thinking   
   first rather than after the    
   fact : )   
      
   Nicky   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)