WaysouthHow Many Rejections Before You Just Give Up?
October 17th 2006 02:52
It happened again. For about the 50th time.
I was rejected. My precious work was rejected. My beloved Kit (fiesty herione extrodanaire) was thrown back at me.
This one has hit me harder than most. Yes, that one on my birthday certainly kicked me in the guts, but this latest one...
It's sapped my optimism. Ripped at my hope. Made me even begin to wonder, 'Perhaps this time I should give up? Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something?'
How many rejections can one person accumulate, before you start to wonder whether your writing really is as revolting as these rejection slips seem to say they are?
Okay, that's a bit melodramatic...but the occasion calls for it, I think!
No, these rejection letters don't tell you much at all...I've had perhaps two that listed detailed reasons as to why the publishing house, or agent, didn't want to take me on board. And, actually, they were fantastic reasons. I took them in, like a sponge, and rechecked my work for what they were saying. Perhaps I didn't agree, but I sure knew where they were coming from.
This is called constructive criticism, folks, and I can deal with that a lot better than I can deal with these almost blank rejection slips that read like they never read your work in the first place.
Yes, those fancy pancy editors have got to me again. They are certainly living up to how I'd always envisioned them - throwing my manuscript over their shoulder, without a care, while they sip their latte, and stare out at their magnifent New York views, while shouting at their assistant editor for handing them my piece of crap in the first place.
Sigh.
My toddler has been sick for days, and there has been a serious lack of sleep going on in my life (more than usual). At times like this, I almost long to chuck in the towel, throw away my laptop (well, perhaps I'd have to pay the loan off first, to then toss it in the bin), and forget I'd ever picked up a damn pencil and notebook and imagined I could write in the first place.
I imagine there are more who feel like this out there - writers who have given up. Who have had countless rejections and just made that split decision...to never write again.
How heartbreaking. How utterly depressing.
I can imagine a housewife, similiar to me, with young kids, fixing the evening dinner, listening to her children and her husband that's just walked in the door with half an ear...imagining she could have been a writer. Remembering how she'd type away madly each night as the kids slept and her husband watched TV. But she'd thrown in the towel, under the weight of too many rejections to that romance novel she'd worked so hard on. She now sits beside her husband and watches TV with him (how perfectly horrible!).
Or the business man who'd always dreamed of the solitary life of a writer, tucked away in his attic study, typing away the day, happy as a larry, and not stuck in board meetings. After years of this seachange, he'd begun to run out of money, and decided he needed to go back to work.
The writing dream has gone for these people. For countless many more.
I find myself tossing up whether to be one of these people. This time I find myself seriously contemplating it. Wondering if that would be best...after all, if I was meant to be published, wouldn't it be that simple? I would be?
Maybe it is time for this Romance Writer to acknowledge defeat. Throw in the proverbial towel (or that lovely pink cupcake tea towel sitting beside me).
But a small voice, that is very persistant, tells me no. You do not want to become one of these sad people that have given up. You do not want to watch crime shows next to your husband every evening (God forbid).
And, more importantly, the world hasn't got enough romance novels. Not yet. Because the world doesn't have mine.
So I keep going. The only other choice is to give up, throw that lovely tea towel into the kitchen sink, and never pick it up again (I wish).
Tonight, there will be no watching of terrible shows. Tonight, I will write.
I was rejected. My precious work was rejected. My beloved Kit (fiesty herione extrodanaire) was thrown back at me.
This one has hit me harder than most. Yes, that one on my birthday certainly kicked me in the guts, but this latest one...
It's sapped my optimism. Ripped at my hope. Made me even begin to wonder, 'Perhaps this time I should give up? Perhaps the universe is trying to tell me something?'
How many rejections can one person accumulate, before you start to wonder whether your writing really is as revolting as these rejection slips seem to say they are?
Okay, that's a bit melodramatic...but the occasion calls for it, I think!
No, these rejection letters don't tell you much at all...I've had perhaps two that listed detailed reasons as to why the publishing house, or agent, didn't want to take me on board. And, actually, they were fantastic reasons. I took them in, like a sponge, and rechecked my work for what they were saying. Perhaps I didn't agree, but I sure knew where they were coming from.
This is called constructive criticism, folks, and I can deal with that a lot better than I can deal with these almost blank rejection slips that read like they never read your work in the first place.
Yes, those fancy pancy editors have got to me again. They are certainly living up to how I'd always envisioned them - throwing my manuscript over their shoulder, without a care, while they sip their latte, and stare out at their magnifent New York views, while shouting at their assistant editor for handing them my piece of crap in the first place.
Sigh.
My toddler has been sick for days, and there has been a serious lack of sleep going on in my life (more than usual). At times like this, I almost long to chuck in the towel, throw away my laptop (well, perhaps I'd have to pay the loan off first, to then toss it in the bin), and forget I'd ever picked up a damn pencil and notebook and imagined I could write in the first place.
I imagine there are more who feel like this out there - writers who have given up. Who have had countless rejections and just made that split decision...to never write again.
How heartbreaking. How utterly depressing.
I can imagine a housewife, similiar to me, with young kids, fixing the evening dinner, listening to her children and her husband that's just walked in the door with half an ear...imagining she could have been a writer. Remembering how she'd type away madly each night as the kids slept and her husband watched TV. But she'd thrown in the towel, under the weight of too many rejections to that romance novel she'd worked so hard on. She now sits beside her husband and watches TV with him (how perfectly horrible!).
Or the business man who'd always dreamed of the solitary life of a writer, tucked away in his attic study, typing away the day, happy as a larry, and not stuck in board meetings. After years of this seachange, he'd begun to run out of money, and decided he needed to go back to work.
The writing dream has gone for these people. For countless many more.
I find myself tossing up whether to be one of these people. This time I find myself seriously contemplating it. Wondering if that would be best...after all, if I was meant to be published, wouldn't it be that simple? I would be?
Maybe it is time for this Romance Writer to acknowledge defeat. Throw in the proverbial towel (or that lovely pink cupcake tea towel sitting beside me).
But a small voice, that is very persistant, tells me no. You do not want to become one of these sad people that have given up. You do not want to watch crime shows next to your husband every evening (God forbid).
And, more importantly, the world hasn't got enough romance novels. Not yet. Because the world doesn't have mine.
So I keep going. The only other choice is to give up, throw that lovely tea towel into the kitchen sink, and never pick it up again (I wish).
Tonight, there will be no watching of terrible shows. Tonight, I will write.
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by spain01
Juan Carlos
spain again
While your'e about it
Viva l'difference
Fire News Blog
Cities dying of thirst.
Comment by Paula writes
Oh, and chin up!! It took me 15 years to figure out what I was doing wrong and fix it <g>. I've had authors lament that it took them... ::gasp::: 2 1/2 year to get published. Oh, pass the tiny, tiny violins, can ya?
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
I put my shades on and visited just checked back to ask how you were going with the book and am sorry to hear the news.
I know it may be redundant, but have you got a hold of the Writer's Marketplace book listing all the puiblishers? If you have, good ... then throw it away and google Romance Publishers - follow your intuition.
What have you got to loose?
(Meanwhile, I am looking up this romantic mob who published in Canberra whilst I ran a newspaper there, I'll pass it on if you're interested).
Too right, chin up.
Lilla.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Cibbuano,
I know, I should just go the self-publishing road...it would mean coming up with a lot of money upfront, however.
Wouldn't it?
Thanks for reading!
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Spain01,
You've just answered my own question...
I've read some books on just how much self-publishing costs, and it's very daunting!
Perhaps I will just have to look seriously into it...
Yes, I knew about J.K. and The Diary of Ann Frank...in fact, just reading Jack Canfield's The Success Principles book (which is fab, by the way), and he mentions the rejection slip of Ann Frank...can't believe the stupidity of some of these publishing houses! Or editors!
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Lilla,
I look forward to reading your comments, I truly do!
Would love that info you mentioned...that would be wonderful...
Thanks for reading! Appreciate it (I realise how painful my turquoise screen is for you!).
And thanks for the kind words and support,
K.L.
Comment by CarolineTigeress
Zine Reviews
Mutant Life
Did you hear the one about
Randomosity
Indy Media Reviews
The older I get, the more I write, the more I realize that traditional publishers are that, traditional. I don't write traditional material, I write a lot of different things, and blog about them. Do I make tons of cash? No.
I make some money here and there when I sell a zine, and when publish america finishes butchering a manuscript, I'll make a few bucks off them. One thing I have learned (especially in the romantica department), is that if you want to sell then, have a lot of *little* babies out and hit the romantica markets - there's a huge, huge, huge market for short fiction (most of it online). One of my shorts ended up on an ezine and I got some good feedback on it.
Shorts are nice for blogs, because you can break them up; that's useful - you can create a readership. Readers eventually turn into buyers - or sometimes donators.
As for self publishing---
Many, many great people self publish. Thomas Payne self published, "common sense". Steven King self published a newspaper when he was in school, and many other authors got the word out about their work self publishing. The caveat is that you have to learn about marketing. Marketing is a MOFO... I know, I'm doing it now. On one of my blogs, I market other people's zines and indymedia.
Lulu.com and others make a *huge* *HUGE* profit off of you by doing things that will cost you money up front - isbn's, formatting, cover art, ad cetera. Same with Publish America - they will charge 15-17 dollars for a trade paperback - it's how they make their money back.
Physically constructing the book really isn't that expensive. There are various blogs out there how to do it. It takes time, and effort, and in the long term is far less expensive than having a book traditionally printed.
Your problem comes back to marketing. How do you get the word out? Advertise? yes, but WHERE?
Again, this is where your blog comes to mind. In my sci-fi series, 'mutant life' a hunk of these stories appear in various places. I've garnered a quiet bit of readership here and there, so when the book does launch, I've got a place to draw on. "If you like these characters, here's where you need to order the book at..."
Use you blog as a building tool, then self-publish, imho.
and never, ever, back down.
Also, writer's forums can be helpful. I like writerscafe.org - get lots of positive feedback there. If you join, add me as a friend - carolinetigeress
Good luck. They only win when you give up.
Caroline
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
sscott@thebooksistah.com has a great article for all writers in her latest e-zine which talks about 3 low cost 'Ways to Meet Agents and Editors.'
I find her stuff usefull and you can subscribe, it's full of good tips and How to's each week.
... Meanwhile, back at the bat lab ....
I'm a third way through the 22 Binder folders I created whilst running the paper - looking for the name of that Canberra company. Be patient, I haven't forgotten you.
Thanks for the compliments, it really is my pleasure.
Lilla.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Caroline Tigeress,
Thank you so much for your comment! It was very informative, and very helpful!
There was so much in it, I'll be reading it over and over...
You obviously know what you're doing, out in the writing world! Good on you!
Appreciate your feedback...I will be sure to check out the sites you mentioned.
Thank you so much,
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Lilla,
I will check out that site you mentioned...thank you!
Thanks for looking into the Canberra company, too...
K.L.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Bulamakanka
Writing is easy, getting published is hell.
What are you doing about editing?
The first paragraph is about all that a publisher will read.
What is your first paragraph? Is it great? Does it promise romance?
Comment by Candice
Sorry to hear about your latest manuscript. It can be disillusioning to get rejections and I know I've left it for months sometimes before having the strength to resend something out there. It's especially difficult when you get a slip that tells you nothing about why your manuscript was rejected.
What I do is:
1. Remember that I'm writing because I love to and because I need to write - so do it for yourself first and to be published second.
2. I have a list of publishers ready so as soon as I get a rejection the manuscript goes to the next one. This way I don't have time to think 'maybe I suck' and stick the manuscript in the drawer for a year instead of getting it back out there.
3. I'm part of a writers' group. Just a bunch of friends who pretty much tell eachother how good we are. A writers' group is really good for motivation and encouragement, not to mention feedback on your work
Hope that's helpful.
The only other thought I have is that maybe you could give a manuscript assessment service a go?? I haven't been to one myself but my writing teacher, who's a novelist, said they can be good on feedback but to be wary it's still just one person's opinion.
Good luck and again, don't give up if that's what you truly love and want to accomplish!
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
We are all cursed with the writing craze and no matter how much we would like to just throw the towel in, before long we find ourselves infront of that blank white screen with that annoying blink...blink....blink of the cursor waiting for our fingers to start tapping away. Keep your chin up, it`s just not your time yet - rememeber 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.
Ash
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Bulamakanka,
Thanks for reading, and your comment...
I think my first paragraph is great...my first chapter sucks a person in...
I think so, anyway! I've just got to get an editor to agree!
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
Hi Candice,
Thanks for your lovely words...your support is overwhelming and wonderful!
Only true writers support each other like this!!
I love your suggestions, thank you very much...
I've never given a manuscript assessment company a go, but I've had a few writers now recommend this...
I just like to get it out there, like you do! And hope for the best!
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
To Ash,
Thanks for your lovely words...
Very kind of you...and very true! I know if I say I'll give up, it will just be in self-pity! And I'd be back at the computer within days!!
K.L.
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Now then that publishing Co. I was talking about was,
Power Of Love Publishing
PO Box 145
O'Connor ACT 2602
http://www.poweroflove.com.au
info@poweroflove.com.au
They sent me four books to review and I'll include them here incase you want to get copies on the type of romance they take.
Felicity's Power
Mitchell's Nanny
High Flying Love
Strictly Business
As romance novels go they were better than Fabio - ha ha.
Okay, I'd better get back to things and wish you success.
Lilla.
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
You are a gem! Thank you so much for that! Will check it all out!
To Always Eighteen,
You're sweet! Thanks for that!
K.L.
Comment by MatthewB
WE WANT ART WITH AESTHETICS!!