I love agents who go out of their way to say, sorry, this isn't right for me, in response to a query.

One sentence, polite, to the point, and yet it means the world. That agent took the time to say no.

Since January, 8 agents have taken the time to say no to my work. Fourteen queries are still out there - some just within the last week. About four, I suspect, I will never hear from, as their website states, "we'll let you know if we want more" because they're too busy to say "no".

I understand that, I truly do. They must be swamped with queries, especially now with the blogosphere having everyone believing they're writers deserving of great fame and fortune.

But still, the agents who take the time to say "no" have a special place in my heart. Those agents I'll query again. Those agents deserve my efforts a tiny bit more, in my opinion.

It's one way to cull the herd, I suppose.