Wrote a historical Irish Novel. But nobody wants it... but it's not bad...

Donal Og O Baelach

I wrote a historical Irish novel (4 yrs work), set in 1879, with long flashbacks to the famine. In fairness it is a very large novel (190,000wds).
Took over a year to get an agent. Long story here, no Irish agents could be interested, (there are only about 8) but some of the responses were classic. UK agents - very professional, and eventually settled with a nice chap in London.
He sent it to 3 publishers - one liked it a lot - gave 3 pages of notes and asked for a re-write. I did a re-write (3 months). Re-submitted, and waited...and waited...and waited...
Today, 3 mnths later - got a rejection from the publisher. They said they hadn't time to read it all, but...no - oh I could moan all f~~cking DAY - but... I'll only moan for a half hour here anyway.


What I really want to say about this is - F**k, F**k, F**k, F**k F**k, F**k, F**kF**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k
F**k, F**k F**k, F**k... etc.

Sorry for the rant - Bollox,bollox, bollox. x 1000.
I was just on itunes liking for appropriate music - thought"Best of Nick Cave" might do the trick but.. appears not.
Any suggestions?

Taaaaaankns. ( slides hand into pocket and takes fraudulent insuracne claim)

Mr. Presentable

Send a chapter to an agent in the USA. They lap that sh1t up there

Winty

Have you sent it to Mercier History in Blackrock?

Hazys

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Send a chapter to an agent in the USA. They lap that sh1t up there

Add more leprechauns.

Donal Og O Baelach

Sent it to some of US agents. You only send first few chapters, it's tricky to grab them. Settled with the guy in London. (Good fellow - but a gentleman - God forbid). Locked into that now.

Winty

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Good fellow - but a gentleman

What?

Is Trent in it?

Earthhorse

Long flashbacks to the famine?

Sounds great.

Donal Og O Baelach

Winty wrote: »

What?

He's too nice d'ye see. He needs to be cutting some throats.. 'specially now since the digital worlds is evolving - the old guys are derilict, dinasours-ish. But awfully nice - dontyaknow...

fedor.2.

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

I wrote a historical Irish novel (4 yrs work), set in 1879, with long flashbacks to the famine. In fairness it is a very large novel (190,000wds).
Took over a year to get an agent. Long story here, no Irish agents could be interested, (there are only about 8) but some of the responses were classic. UK agents - very professional, and eventually settled with a nice chap in London.
He sent it to 3 publishers - one liked it a lot - gave 3 pages of notes and asked for a re-write. I did a re-write (3 months). Re-submitted, and waited...and waited...and waited...
Today, 3 mnths later - got a rejection from the publisher. They said they hadn't time to read it all, but...no - oh I could moan all f~~cking DAY - but... I'll only moan for a half hour here anyway.


What I really want to say about this is - F**k, F**k, F**k, F**k F**k, F**k, F**kF**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k
F**k, F**k F**k, F**k... etc.

Sorry for the rant - Bollox,bollox, bollox. x 1000.
I was just on itunes liking for appropriate music - thought"Best of Nick Cave" might do the trick but.. appears not.
Any suggestions?

Taaaaaankns. ( slides hand into pocket and takes fraudulent insuracne claim)

If it reads anything like this, i can understand why nobody wants it. Have you tried drawing?...........the dole that is

Banjaxed82

Do you have any other ideas to work on or this your one and only baby?

ejmaztec

More paedos, drinking, fighting, virgins and whores, and more potatoes.......and a bit of a jig in chapter 23.

Donal Og O Baelach

fedor.2. wrote: »

If it reads anything like this, i can understand why nobody wants it. Have you tried drawing?...........the dole that is

A-ho-aho-aho-aho-aho -

Gimp.

RMD

Do some research, try to find some publisher of Irish American descent. Send it to them and hope for the best, as said they love that stuff.

fedor.2. wrote: »

If it reads anything like this, i can understand why nobody wants it. Have you tried drawing?...........the dole that is

Ba-zing, you've always got stand-up to fallback on anyway.

fedor.2.

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

A-ho-aho-aho-aho-aho -

Gimp.

I aint no ho buddy

Donal Og O Baelach

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Do you have any other ideas to work on or this your one and only baby?

Like the name - its how I feel.
Have another book in progress but feel this is the most worthwhile one I wll ever do.)

sponsoredwalk

Wow, fair dues for going through with this, I can only say that some of the
best novels in history were rejected repeatedly so just stick with it & don't
pin your hopes on anyone in particular :cool:

fedor.2.

I liked the story about the badger though

Donal Og O Baelach

fedor.2. wrote: »

I aint no ho buddy

Sorry about the gimp thing. Not called for.

Earthhorse

sponsoredwalk wrote: »

Wow, fair dues for going through with this, I can only say that some of the
best novels in history were rejected repeatedly so just stick with it & don't
pin your hopes on anyone in particular :cool:

On the other hand, so were some of the worst.

Millicent

Have you tried editing below 190,000 words? That's exceptionally long, even for a historical novel. Might explain things a bit. The conventional advice is to start on your next one while you keep querying this one. This website is a good website for advice and is solely for writers. Might get some useful advice or better ideas there. Good luck.

My name is URL

Do you not reside in a place which does not exist? How accurate was the novel? =p

bonerm

Maybe if you put more sex scenes in?

sponsoredwalk

bonerm wrote: »

Maybe if you put more sex scenes in?

Is there a market for famine sex?

Donal Og O Baelach

chicken fingers wrote: »

tldr [your novel is obviously just not good enough to sell]

I understand this comment - and it's a fair one - but I ...fu*k it anyway. ( I don't belive it by the way, I thnk it's a good novel and I don't accept this single editors opinion.)

HornyDevil

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

I understand this comment - and it's a fair one - but I ...fu*k it anyway. ( I don't belive it by the ay, I thnk it's a good novel and I don't accept this single editors opinion.)

well thats your choice . . . . so ye're fecked then!

Donal Og O Baelach

My name is URL wrote: »

Do you not reside in a place which does not exist? How accurate was the novel? =p

It is accurate. Ballyquent is buried under snow at the moment (instead of bull**** as normal)

foxinsox

Keep trying...

I'd like to read it...

seriously...

Donal Og O Baelach

fedor.2. wrote: »

I liked the story about the badger though

Thank you.

Donal Og O Baelach

HornyDevil wrote: »

well thats your choice . . . . so ye're fecked then!

Never fecked.
How the feck could I fail when Jedward can succeed? (Respect to the Jedward twins workrate by the way)

jimthemental

From whatever money you have left go buy a crate of shíte beer and a good bottle of whiskey. Have a good night and start fresh two days later.

ebixa82

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

I wrote a historical Irish novel (4 yrs work), set in 1879, with long flashbacks to the famine. In fairness it is a very large novel (190,000wds).
Took over a year to get an agent. Long story here, no Irish agents could be interested, (there are only about 8) but some of the responses were classic. UK agents - very professional, and eventually settled with a nice chap in London.
He sent it to 3 publishers - one liked it a lot - gave 3 pages of notes and asked for a re-write. I did a re-write (3 months). Re-submitted, and waited...and waited...and waited...
Today, 3 mnths later - got a rejection from the publisher. They said they hadn't time to read it all, but...no - oh I could moan all f~~cking DAY - but... I'll only moan for a half hour here anyway.


What I really want to say about this is - F**k, F**k, F**k, F**k F**k, F**k, F**kF**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k F**k, F**k
F**k, F**k F**k, F**k... etc.

Sorry for the rant - Bollox,bollox, bollox. x 1000.
I was just on itunes liking for appropriate music - thought"Best of Nick Cave" might do the trick but.. appears not.
Any suggestions?

Taaaaaankns. ( slides hand into pocket and takes fraudulent insuracne claim)

Spellcheck much?

Donal Og O Baelach

ebixa82 wrote: »

Spellcheck much?

Funny - thats exactly what they said in the rejection....

bonerm

foxinsox wrote: »

Never heard that version before. It's awful!

I think I'll just stick with the original

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCRZLr9oRw

talla10

Does Micky from Athenry get a mention??

Donal Og O Baelach

talla10 wrote: »

Does Micky from Athenry get a mention??

Do you want him to?

Johro

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Never fecked.
How the feck could I fail when Jedward can succeed? (Respect to the Jedward twins workrate by the way)

Not really comparable though is it? Ask Louis Walsh to plug it.

talla10

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Do you want him to?

Ah yeah but he is prob in Austraila in 1879!!

Good luck with the book JK Rowling was turned down loads of times!

Donal Og O Baelach

Johro wrote: »

Not really comparable though is it? Ask Louis Walsh to plug it.

Imagine me, 40+ and ragged, clutching a copy of my large manuscript, wading through the glam teenie hopefuls.

WAIT - he liked wagner...

kincsem

Send it to a few people (not publishers) to read. Ask for opinions.

Does it have a catchy opening sentence like this?
http://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Dirty-Influence-People/dp/0671751085

Johro

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Long story here,...

You're not kidding.. 190,000 words, you need to do some serious editing alright. What sort of suggestions did ya get from the publisher?

Captain Darling

Johro wrote: »

Not really comparable though is it? Ask Louis Walsh to plug it.

There is a smidgen of talent here, so Louis Walsh is not appropriate. Just a smidgen mind you.

Nulty

A book of 190,000 words that is - to quote the author - "not bad".

If you don't believe in it then no one else will. "Not bad" leaves room for improvement though

Johro

Captain Darling wrote: »

There is a smidgen of talent here, so Louis Walsh is not appropriate. Just a smidgen mind you.

Fair enough, a smidgen is enough to tell Louis to f#ck right off.

ejmaztec

Nulty wrote: »

A book of 190,000 words that is - to quote the author - "not bad".

If you don't believe in it then no one else will. "Not bad" leaves room for improvement though

I suppose the trick is to get them in the most sellable order.

starbelgrade

You could make a serious amount of paper aeroplanes from all that paper.

Imagine the fun you could have, re-enacting Pearl Harbour...

Pew, pew, BOOOOSH, pew, pew.. BOOOOOOOSH... pew

DublinWriter

Hazys wrote: »

Add more leprechauns.

...and change your name to Leon Iris.

Johro

starbelgrade wrote: »

You could make a serious amount of paper aeroplanes from all that paper.

Imagine the fun you could have, re-enacting Pearl Harbour...

Pew, pew, BOOOOSH, pew, pew.. BOOOOOOOSH... pew

You're not helping..:rolleyes::D

bonerm

starbelgrade wrote: »

You could make a serious amount of paper aeroplanes from all that paper.

Imagine the fun you could have, re-enacting Pearl Harbour...

Pew, pew, BOOOOSH, pew, pew.. BOOOOOOOSH... pew

Trent : The Famine Years?

Best-seller IMHO.

DublinWriter

Hazys wrote: »

Add more leprechauns.

...and zombies.

Better still, mutant zombie leprechauns.

From outer space.

Johro

DublinWriter wrote: »

...and change your name to Leon Iris.

Nah there's nothing wrong with the name. The name fits. Irish historical novel. Irish historical name. Irish historical novelist.