We’re All in This Together: Rejection Post #1
I am a member of several writing circles. One thing that we all have in common is persisting in the face of rejection. I’m starting a new series of posts this week featuring some of my writer friends. I’m calling it “We’re All in This Together” because many times I feel like it’s my writer friends who keep me going in this writing life. Each week I’ll feature a new topic, and my writer friends will chime in.
Sue Heavenrich
Writes about science and reviews kid’s books at Archimedes Notebook and Sally’s Bookshelf
A couple weeks ago I received an email rejection to a story that I thought was perfect for the editor. After opening a bag of M&Ms and fixing a cup of tea I decided to put this story aside for a week and work on other things. Rejection, I learned a long time ago, is subjective. Many years ago I mailed a query to a magazine editor – one who had already published a couple of my articles. After waiting a month or so I mailed a follow-up letter, enclosing a copy of the query (in case it had gone lost). A week later I received a rejection. That was fast, I thought. Guess she really didn’t like it. Two weeks later I received my second SASE. This time she wrote: Yes; would love to see the article.
In The Forest for the Trees, once-editor-now-agent Betsy Lerner writes: “Do not spend more time with rejection letters than the time it takes to read them and file them away.” In the end, she says, no matter how many rejection letters you receive, the only rejection that really counts is our own.
Miranda Paul
Children’s Author and Editor http://www.MirandaPaul.com
A couple of years ago, I met Pat Schmatz. Before becoming an award-winning author, she faced a lot of rejection—so much, in fact, that she was able to wallpaper her bathroom with rejection letters. She’d turned rejection into a creative project, faced it every day, and shared it with others! So, every time I get a rejection letter I save copies and I show them off when I teach or visit a school. During my last school visit, I think the kids enjoyed hearing about my rejections more than my successes! As I write, I remember that rejection is part of every writer’s process, and that being rejected is still of value to myself and others.
Lori Degman
Author of 1 Zany Zoo, Simon & Schuster, 2010
Cock-a-Doodle Oops!, Creston Books, 2014
www.Loridegman.com
This is my favorite story to encourage writers to hang on in the face of rejection! Four years ago, I submitted a manuscript for critique at our annual Illinois SCBWI conference. The story had been rejected by several major publishers, so I wanted some feedback to find out what I was doing wrong. The editor, who critiqued it, pretty much trashed it and I was devastated! I had thought it was a solid manuscript so, when she couldn’t find more than one positive thing to say about it, I doubted my abilities to write and to even judge my own writing. Then, three weeks later, the same exact manuscript (word for word) won the Cheerios New Author Contest!! That’s when it really hit home that this is a very subjective business and you just need to find the right editor for your story! But, I suggest you have other writers (whose opinions you value) critique it for you so your manuscript is as polished as possible before submitting it!
Romelle Broas
www.romellebroas.blogspot.com
We’ve all heard it- every rejection gets you closer to an acceptance letter. But how many rejections can you take? I try to remind myself WHY I write and keep on doing what I love because one of these days I know that one of my stories will fall into the hands of right editor at the right time. It also helps to remind myself that even the best writers and the well-known authors get rejected.
Here are some helpful posts about rejections that will make you feel better about your writing:
* Subjective–A New Look at Rejections
* 7 Reasons Your Manuscript Might Be Rejected
Elizabeth Parker Garcia
http://elizabethparkergarcia.com
I love reading established authors’ stories about their paths to publication. So many now-famous writers climbed their way up on a pile of rejections. Persistence is key!
Hannah Holt
Children’s Writer
www.lightbulbbooks.com/blog
I set a goal to receive a certain number of rejections this year. Now when I get a “no thanks,” it’s still progress I can measure.
All of these are great tips. Thanks to all who participated. Stay tuned to tomorrow’s post where I feature more children’s writers’ takes on rejections.
18 Comments
Alayne Kay Christian
What fantastic stories and tips. Some of these stories are amazing. Many of you made me smile. Many of you made me think. A perfect way to launch the “We’re All In This Together” series Marcie. Thanks all!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thanks, Alayne!
Deborah Holt Williams
I’m as comfortable with my rejection letters as I am with my stretch marks and wrinkles. They are friendly entries in my life’s scrapbook.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
What a great way to think! They are part of the scrapbook.
Carrie F
I love reading all this advice. Lori’s story is amazing! That really proves how subjective this business is.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Thanks, Carrie! I told Lori her story brought tears to my eyes.
Romelle Broas
It’s so encouraging reading about everyone’s experience with rejections. Thanks for posing the question and sharing it. We are all on this together is right!
Sue Heavenrich
Thanks for pulling us all together, Marcie. Clearly, we are in this all together!
Tina Cho
This was fun to read–everyone’s take on rejections. Thanks, Marcie!
Lori Degman
I love this series, Marcie – we’re definitely all in this together! Children’s book writers and illustrators are amazingly generous and supportive!!
I loved reading the other authors’ takes on rejection! Miranda, I’ve had the same experience – the kids LOVE hearing about all my rejections 🙂
I think I’m going to steal Deborah’s scrapbook analogy!
Darshana
Thank you for doing this, great post!
Miranda Paul
Thanks, Marcie, for hosting this series! Rejection is really a huge part of being a writer. We are all in this together!
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Deborah Holt Williams
I paid an author $80 to critique my manuscript, and he told me several places to cut. For $50, he looked at it again and told me I hadn’t cut enough. I hacked and chopped and sent it to Rate Your Story, where it only rated a 5, because, “The writing is great, the characters are endearing, but it feels slight–are you sure it’s a picture book and not a magazine story?” Aaaagh! You are right, Lori, this is such a subjective business. From now on I’ll write my stories to please myself.
Hannah Holt
What great stories! I love that Sue had the same editor rejected and accepted her manuscript. Lori, that is a remarkable story about your Cheerio’s contest winner. I’m so glad you submitted before receiving that terrible critique. The advice here is priceless. It really helps to remember that we are all in it together!
Vivian Kirkfield
This is going to be a great series, Marcie…I am loving it already. 🙂
Each story brings home the realization that it is tenacity and a positive attitude that will spell success!
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