Publishing 101: Rejection

If you’ve missed my previous Publishing 101 posts, you can check them out here and here and here.

Today’s topic is one that I feel particularly qualified to talk about. In fact, I could very well be considered an expert on the subject. Join me as I talk about something no creator wants to deal with, but that each and every one of us will likely have to face at some point.

There’s no easy way to put this. Getting rejected sucks. The 100th rejection letter stings just as intensely as the 1st one did, at least in my own experience. Each rejection chips away at your self-confidence and dents your self-image. Rejection plants insidious seeds of doubt in the back of your mind, which are fed and watered with each subsequent rejection.

When it comes to publishing I have an absolutely abysmal track record. I have had one manuscript accepted for publication (my sweet, beloved little Wild One), but the number of manuscripts that have been rejected is, to be quite honest, staggering. There are times when I am quite convinced that I will never, ever publish another story as long as I live, because everything else I have written has been absolute and utter drivel (it hasn’t, of course, but those little seeds of doubt can be very persuasive indeed).

The reality of course is that there are many reasons why a manuscript might be rejected by an agent or a publisher, many of which have nothing to do with the quality of your writing. The publisher might have already published a book with a similar theme or style, or might not specialize in your book’s subject area. They might be moving in a different literary direction, or prefer works with a different style or tone. Or, just maybe, your manuscript still needs a bit more polishing to get it into tip top shape.

I wish I had an easy answer for you, friends, but I honestly don’t. I can only offer a  tiny morsel of hope in the form of examples of other authors who have triumphed over repeat rejection.

Kate DiCamillo’s debut novel Because of Winn-Dixie received 473 rejection letters from agents and publishers over a ten year period. 473 rejections. The novel went on to become a modern-day middle grade classic, and was adapted into a feature film. DiCamillo has since written twenty children’s book, and won the Newbery TWICE.

Mem Fox received 9 rejections over the space of five years for her debut picture book, Possum Magic. When the manuscript was finally accepted, the publisher asked her reduce the book by 2/3 and change all the characters. Possum Magic is now one of the most famous stories in Australia, and has sold several million copies worldwide.

J. K. Rowling, T.S. Elliot, Joseph Heller, John le Carré and James Joyce all received numerous, and often withering rejection letters before eventually finding literary success.

The moral of this post, if there is one at all, is that if you submit manuscripts for publication, you will likely be rejected. It hurts, and it’s frustrating, and it’s not very nice at all. But rejection really is a rite of passage for most published authors, so if it helps, try to think of those letters as a badge of honour, marking your entrance into an exclusive club with some pretty illustrious company.

Then grab yourself a spoon and eat that ice cream straight out of the tub, because you’ve earned it!