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McAnally's (The Community Pub) => Author Craft => Topic started by: Willowhugger on January 24, 2007, 09:12:52 PM
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So, how do you guys cope with that first rejection letter? I'm curious because every author has to deal with it (except that Eragon kid). It's something that really can cut right to the quick and leave a person feeling down.
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So, how do you guys cope with that first rejection letter? I'm curious because every author has to deal with it (except that Eragon kid). It's something that really can cut right to the quick and leave a person feeling down.
It's just like being a teenager; after the first dozen rejections you kind of get used to it. I gather it becomes a different sort of grind after the first hundred or so, but as short stories take me about as long to write as novels, it will be a long while before I get that far.
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You sigh and feel sad, then distract yourself by finding more people to submit to. Continuing to query is what's most important. In my first round of queries, I sent to maybe five agents and got discouraged when they all rejected me. I took about 6 months off and then queried five more. That's when I got my hit. If I hadn't taken that time off, my book would be out in print already! It sounds so cliched, but don't give up. You can't help but feel disappointed by a rejection, but don't let that hold you back.
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Righto
I will buy Succubus Blues BTW!
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I knew I'd wind up getting rejected on my first try, and I sort of looked forward to the letter as a milestone. "Aw see honey, my very first rejection letter!" I thought about framing it. But then, I have a warped sense of humor. ;D
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So, how do you guys cope with that first rejection letter? I'm curious because every author has to deal with it (except that Eragon kid). It's something that really can cut right to the quick and leave a person feeling down.
Just add them to a 'list' of people to pay a visit to when you are wealthy with minions.
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I knew I'd wind up getting rejected on my first try, and I sort of looked forward to the letter as a milestone. "Aw see honey, my very first rejection letter!" I thought about framing it. But then, I have a warped sense of humor. ;D
LOL! I can't really do that with my first one, because it's on email. But then, you know, i could print it out . . .
Nah.
Once I have enough, I'm planning on putting all my rejections in those little plastic sleeves and keeping them all in a binder. I know that sounds odd, but you know . . . rejection letters are kind of an odd validation . . . they're tangible evidence that you've submitted, that you're trying. And, considering it's something every writer goes through, it's affirmation that you indeed are a writer.
*shrug* There's my two cents.
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Works for me. I have enough to recycle the rainforest the paper came from.
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Righto
I will buy Succubus Blues BTW!
Aw, thanks! Much appreciated. :)
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My first one was about 16, 17 years ago. Marion Zimmer Bradley was still alive and still accepting stories from unknowns for "Sword & Sorceress". A story I sent in got rejected, and the letter I got back was... not nice, but it was personal, and gave the right criticism. Even at the time, I could see she was right about where the story had gone wrong. MZB was a gem among editors because she tried very hard to give as many personal critiques as she could, given the number of submissions. A useful rejection is a rare thing, and she was a doll for giving them.
My next submission was in 2004. I know, because I still have that rejection letter. I sent a story to Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine. Said story made it out of the slush, through the first reader, through the assistant editor, and into the hands of the editor (Gordon Van Gelder). I know *that* because the rejection letter is signed by him, whereas rejection letters from earlier in the chain are signed by the rejector. He said "This story is engaging and the prose is good". Who cares if it's a rejection letter? I have good prose and an engaging story, says Gordon Van Gelder. That rejection letter's on the corkboard over my monitor.
In another 13 or 14 years, when I get the urge to submit something again, I may even get published.
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I've only submitted twice. The same story.
Rejected both times. But I didn't really feel bad about it, because I was expecting rejection. I mean, I'm a no name from Missouri, who am I to think I'll get a hit on the first swing? After I sent it out the first time, I had no illusions that my story would be accepted. But I waited eagerly for the rejection letter.
When the letter comes, you know someone in the industry has read your story. Someone who is not your friend or acquaintance or family member. I'm going to keep submitting, because eventually my name will become familiar to someone. And I think that name recognition counts for something.
Also, I just think of Stephen King's success story...thousands of rejection letters before someone finally bought Carrie. And now look at him. Maybe every book of his isn't a winner, but he's still a great effing writer.
So in a way, I'm trying to wrack up as many rejection letters as I can...I'm two of some-odd thousand right now...I gotta get to work.
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Learning to not take it personally. Except for when it's actually a personal rejection letter written to me with actual advice on how to make it better (or at least reading why they thought it sucked). Then I ponder if the story is any good or not...usually find the next magazine or publisher to send it to and kick it on it's way. Sometimes I'll decide it needs more work, and I'll hold onto it until I get the chance to slice, dice, and apply copious amounts of writer's glue. Then I'm almost gratefully I got the rejection because it means I got the chance to save myself from embarrassment by having a bad story out there. And yes, perseverance is key. You won't get rejected or accepted unless you have material making the circuit.
www.jrvogt.com
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Well, here's one way of dealing with it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU4S2BIqoHY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU4S2BIqoHY)
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, though. :D
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Well, here's one way of dealing with it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU4S2BIqoHY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU4S2BIqoHY)
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, though. :D
Why not?
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I knew I'd wind up getting rejected on my first try, and I sort of looked forward to the letter as a milestone. "Aw see honey, my very first rejection letter!" I thought about framing it. But then, I have a warped sense of humor. ;D
I've always planned to wall paper my bathroom with them. :D
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:-\ You guys are just gonna hate me and make Eragon kid jokes, but I'm actually friend with a former literary agent that offered to rep my work if I ever get around to finishing it.
I know it's kinda lame to have an agent before you have a manuscript huh?
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Rejection is hard. It's hard to send something out there knowing that it will most likely be rejected. My solution has been to keep writing and soon I will do another round of queries.