When I set out to learn about my mother's bridge club, the Jewish octogenarians behind the matching outfits and accessories, I never expected to fall in love with them. This is the story of the ladies, their game, their gen, and the ragged path that led me back to my mother.
I received a query letter today from a man who acknowledged that I don’t handle fiction, but wanted to send his novel for my consideration anyway. He had a feeling that I would love it. Most people who send me fiction clearly haven’t bothered to look at the description of my interests on our agency website. At least this guy went to the trouble of ascertaining my preference before not giving a fuck. This is a multiple choice question: why did the man do this?
a) a victim of magical thinking
b) arrogance in the extreme
c) I’m special; the rules don’t apply to me.
d) my mother thinks I’m beautiful and brilliant
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Betsy Lerner 
E. All of the above.
Perhaps the query is from a writer who has unsuccessfully queried absolutely every agent who does handle fiction, and so he is left to the even lower odds of querying agents who do not. Emailed queries are cheap, of course, and maybe (you would know, but we would not) his query to you was identical to others, not carefully crafted to fit you. A lot of people drop $5 on a nearly impossible lottery ticket, so his query sounds unsurprising.
Maybe his mum’s dead (like mine) and he wants you to think he’s beautiful and brilliant. It never worked for me, but worth a try.
Hope springs eternal, even amongst the infernal.
Magical thinking–unless he’s asking you if you know another agent interested. I give you credit for looking at the myriad of reasons. I think his illogic is based, ultimately, on hope. Agree?
I, once, misunderstood the prose posted on an agency’s website and sent a query to an agent who didn’t represent fiction. My punishment was to receive (via snail-mail, no less) a faded copy of a boiler-plate rejection letter, unsigned. My humiliation now indelible, I’ve kept that letter as both a bitter lesson, and yet with the hope it won’t be my true destiny. Perhaps, this guy could benefit from a similar response?
Why do I envision him snickering as he hits send and thinking “there!”
To me, it’s the typical can’t hurt to try route. All she can do is say no.
And blog about it! Touche!
Many years ago I too fell victim to (A).
Sometimes you just want something so much that you think all the rules and barriers and common sense will fall away. Sometimes you think that fate is on your side. Sadly magical thinking (I remember the term as an eye-opener) is simply defined as naive misguidance.
Sometimes we’re just asses on a mission.
Doesn’t understand reality.
This generation mostly think, rules don’t apply to me. I see it every day.