I get lots of emails from readers of Writing Magazine who have been bruised and battered by rejection letters. Or sometimes they get rejection emails sent out on Christmas Day or on Easter Sunday, or sometimes rejection compliment (ha ha ha - oh, the irony) slips with NO scribbled across them, or sometimes there's just a REJECTED rubber stamp on the typescript itself.
OMG these things hurt.
So today, on Easter Monday, I'm drawing everyone's attention to a wonderfully cheering website which should buck up every writer!
http://www.literaryrejections.com/best-sellers-initially-rejected/
Do have a look and be encouraged.
You haven't failed until you have given up and stopped trying.
I love the Peanuts cartoon in which Snoopy opens an envelope and takes out a letter which says 'to save postage we are sending you two rejection notices - one for the story you just sent us and another for the story you might be thinking of sending us in the future.'
ReplyDeleteBut then I love even better the 'Dark and Stormy Night' cartoon in which the publisher's message reads, 'we'd like to publish your book' and Snoopy turns three somersaults in the air on top of his kennel!
Highs and lows; highs and lows.
Oh, yes indeed, Fennie, highs and lows - it's what being an author is all about! It's also why authors need to know other authors, so we can grumble/rejoice with people who understand.
ReplyDeleteA very supportive post. The thing is, our novels are highly personal and individual outcomes of a year or so of our lives. A rejection appears to reject all that and core selves.
ReplyDeleteThe thing to do is burn the silly ones ('No!') Then cut out the marginally good comments and paste them together on a single sheet. Take notice of constructive comments - those with which you might agree - and put them on the bottom of your sheet. Lastly write a line about why you think this is a good novel and add this. (Helps your self esteem as a writer and helps you to keep going)
Lastly go back into the manuscript and make positive minor changes to that crucial first chapter. And send it out again. And keep your chin up.
Wendy, that's great advice - thank you! Yes, rejections do indeed appear to reject everything about us, not just our books. It's so good to have friends who are authors and who understand!
ReplyDeleteThank you for helping writers find inspiration on the Literary Rejections website. Very privileged by the mention and hope the site continues to inspire.
ReplyDelete