Because of the whole Blogger snafu, this post got screwed up. You may have seen it on something like Google Reader, but no one could comment on it or visit the site. Boo! So here it is again. And I hope this time, nothing goes wrong.
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One thing you must remember before querying: you will be rejected. Even if you have a great novel, you will be rejected, by an agent, an editor, a publisher, who feels your work is good, but they aren’t the best to represent it. As for the rest of us, we will have to deal with our writing not being “there” yet.
It’s hard. You may scream, pout, cry, curse the name of the fools who had the audacity to reject you. All that’s okay (as long as you don’t do it online!). Just don’t give up. Take a minute to feel bad, then start planning who to send it to next. Or think about what you can do to your query/synopsis/novel that might make it pop off the page. Or screen.
Forget hard. It’s painful! Take it from someone who made the mistake of querying with a novel so far from “there” that they live in different solar systems. But rejection isn’t an insult. It’s a sign that you have more work to do, either finding a more appropriate publisher, vamping up your MC or writing a query that brings people to their knees.
It is a lot of work. There’s no way around that. I haven’t even reached the next post in my journey yet. But when I do, when I have the fruits of years of hard work…
: D
Well posted!
ReplyDeleteI just saw Jane Yolen speak at NESCBWI this weekend. She said she still gets rejected. Yes, the author of award-winning, Owl Moon.
I guess the message is, as long as we write and submit, we'll be rejected. Let's hope for some acceptance along the way.
This is an important sentiment to get out there. So many people get discouraged...but rejection is part of the industry. Great post.
ReplyDeleteEdge of Your Seat Romance
Well said. The thought of trying to sell my book and having to, in essence, promote myself--well, that is hard.
ReplyDeleteJane Yolen, wow. She is an awesome prolific writer, and she still gets rejection notices? wow.
Very well put. The first rejection is always the hardest, they do get easier, or at least I think they do. :)
ReplyDeleteRejection sucks, and yet it's good practice for being a humble human being :D
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of writers need to hear this. It is really tough putting yourself out there only to receive the ol' "thanks but no thanks." Hopefully this post and others like it will give us writers the tenacity and encouragement to keep at it anyways!
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