The BAR*D Newsletter

November 2025

(The 1st Anniversary Edition)

* BAR’D: a lighthearted combination of my initials, BAR, and a nod to the bards, those gifted with writing and delivering fine prose.

“There’s Something About Mary”

Portrait of Mary, Lady Northcliffe (“Molly,” to her friends).

This evocative portrait features prominently in my manuscript.

Welcome

This time last year, I sent my first newsletter to a small number of you. Thanks to those original supporters (you know who you are) and to those who have joined along the way!

Writing is a solitary endeavour, so knowing good people like you are interested in what I’m doing means so much.

Don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback, questions, or to simply say ‘Hello.’

As usual, my newsletter is structured as follows.

1. Status of My Manuscript.

2. The Writing Life + Facts & Curiosities.

3. Writer in the Wild.

Status of My Manuscript

It’s gone!

In last month’s newsletter, I noted how important persistence and perseverance are to writers. I reflected on those words, steeled my resolve, finished editing my manuscript, and submitted it!

It’s now in the hands of a small number of literary agents who expressed an interest in it.

It feels surreal having my work (81,276 words and 292 pages crafted over the past three years) “out there” in the hands of these agents, the industry gatekeepers.

Having a literary agent is essentially a requirement to gain the attention of the top five international publishing houses: Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan. A relatively small number of agents are being inundated with submissions like mine; many receive hundreds each month, so it is very difficult to get their attention.

Thanks to my MFA, I was fortunate to have had the door opened a crack to a handful of agents in Toronto and New York. After practice pitching them, I was thrilled that two asked for my manuscript when it was ready. You might think, “Exciting! You’re a shoo-in.” Not quite. Allow me to use a hockey analogy here. The fact that these agents have asked for my manuscript is like a hockey scout in the stands noticing a promising player who skates and passes the puck well. It’s a long way from there to the pros! It’s one thing to have pitched my story well; writing a compelling novel that meets the current market demand is significantly more challenging.

That said, I feel I’ve done my best, including incorporating wise feedback from several people. I’ve determined further tinkering to my manuscript wasn’t adding significant value, so it was time to release my work and see if this boat floats.

It’s difficult to say when I’ll receive responses from these agents, especially given the holidays around the corner. My best guess is I’ll hear something in the first month or two of 2026 (I hope).

Stay tuned…

The Writing Life + Facts & Curiosities

Continuing with the theme above, feedback from literary agents generally comes in one of the following forms:

(1) No response at all.

(2) A polite form-letter saying thanks, but no thanks.

(3) A kind and encouraging response showing the agent has at least read some of the submission, but still no thank you.

(4) An “R&R.” Please Revise (following the agent’s guidance) and Resubmit the manuscript for further consideration. This is encouraging, but not a yes.

(5) I’m interested in representing you!

A writer may have proven they can write at the line level, have a great story, have developed compelling characters, and structured their manuscript well, but an agent may still decline. Why? Perhaps the agent has recently taken on a similar genre, location, time period, or theme. Perhaps the genre is out of fashion with publishers at this time. Perhaps the agent likes it but isn’t convinced they’re the right person to pitch it to a publisher. You can add many more factors here.

Let’s assume I strike gold and capture the interest of a literary agent. The likelihood that my manuscript, as it is currently drafted, is ready to be submitted to a publishing house is very slim. Depending on the agent, my manuscript may need several rounds of further edits. After that, it’s possible (some say, likely) the agent still may not be able to sell it to a publisher. Even if a publisher takes it on, many more edits may be required, and other things can go off the rails. You get the picture.

Countless writerly newsletters, social media posts and podcasts prepare writers for rejection. It is to be expected, a badge of literary honour. I heard an established author say something akin to “In what other profession does a newcomer have the audacity to believe they’re going to strike gold in their first try?” Good point. Yet… like winning the lottery, it happens.

Given these grim facts, you may be asking yourself, “Is it really worth the effort?” As an experienced professional accountant, I acknowledge it’s not a great financial return on investment, yet it’s compelling, fulfilling, and a lot of fun (most days). I love it!

You also may be wondering, “Aren’t there are other paths to publication?” Yes, indeed, and I’ll canvas some of those in future newsletters.

So, what will I do while I’m waiting for the agents to reply? Read and write, of course. I have a backlog of novels I’m eager to dive into (I’ll share some of those titles in future newsletters) and I’ve started researching and developing character sketches for the next manuscript. It’s often the third or fourth manuscript when a writer get’s it right!

Writer in the Wild

If you celebrate a holiday between now and the end of the year, I wish you glad tidings.

If you were a literary agent, would you turn this guy down? (Perhaps you may be intimidated by the negotiation stance?)