Another thought could be that the publishers depend on agents to screen the work and go mostly by the book proposal--I am sure many sound the same as things already done.How carefully does an agent or publisher read? Good question. I have been told that editors do not edit any longer (at publishing houses) They want publish ready. So they may have read the proposal and said--"Oh, this is like and we already have done that and or seen it."
As to agents--I have to wonder which agents the person sent to--some of them are awful.
I had one tell me I over used !!!! (and some other things) I frowned at that one---they said I needed to work on my writing and gave me a three page letter about how writing was like learning to ski. I frowned and wondered what the heck? As I could not remember using any !!! They also said I used past tense too often, and that a writer had to work on getting rid of had and was ect.
I went to my work and did a search for !--guess what? Not one appeared in my work. Nor do I over use had and was --ect.
I don't think they read my work at all--they saw a query from an unknown and thought SUCKER
They wanted money to "fix" my work. This didn't come till a few weeks after I got the rejection. I got a second letter stating--I cannot get your story line out of my head and think the idea has merit--pay us $$$$ and we will fix your work.
A lot also depends on the query you send. ( Bad query=rejection)
Like anything--the results can be skewed to fit what the presenter wants.
Shawn
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