The ugly “R” word—rejection! After slaving over
your writing, you will reach, “The
End.” It’s difficult to let it
go, to put your book out there and face possible rejection. It’s hard to let
your baby go forth into the big world, but a manuscript neatly packed in a box
under your bed is not going to sell.
Part of every writer’s life is the “R” word.
Watching those rejection form letters pile up can be discouraging. Before giving
up, consider these points of reference. Did you hop on your two-wheeler bike for
the first time and take off on a smooth ride? Did you tie your shoes properly
the first time? Did you win your first spelling bee? Probably not.
It’s unrealistic to think your manuscript will be
accepted ‘as is’ by the first agent or publisher who reads it. More likely, your
final draft will need corrections, editing, rewrites, and multiple
submissions.
The reasons for rejection of your manuscript are
numerous, but tend to fall into certain patterns.
There may be legitimate literacy concerns. The
story may be poorly written, grammatically incorrect, have spelling errors or
have point-of-view confusion. The plot may not be fully developed or lack
tension. The story may be too short or too long to hold the readers’ attention.
The characters may be stereotyped, one dimensional, or without depth of
emotion.
These are the easiest variables for you to
control. Your willingness to accept feedback, edit, rewrite, correct, and update
your manuscript will generally result in tighter and improved writing. The
writer can control for literacy problems by improving his or her writing skills.
Your writing will improve as you read more, attend writers’ conferences, go to
book fairs,join a critic group, participate in a writers’ group, and of course,
write, write, write.
The political context of your book can also lead
to rejection. There may be a glut of science fiction, horror or love stories on
the market at the time of your submission. The publisher may have another
similar book about to be published and doesn’t want to create undue competition.
A publishing house can change their focus from Westerns to romance. You have no
control over these issues; however, diligent research will help you find the
right fit for your book. If you believe in your story and feel it is worthy of
publication, remember, persistence is the key to success.
Most frustrating for any author is the rejection
of a well-written story, with intriguing characters, and an exciting plot. You
have no doubt read many books and wondered how they ever found a publisher. Your
book is so much better!
Keep in mind famous authors faced rejection many
times before they found publication. For example, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck had 12 rejections before it was
accepted for publication. James Joyce had over 20 rejections for Dubliners. J.K. Rowling, the wealthiest and most successful
author of all time, had the Harry Potter story rejected time after
time.
Remember also, even after literary success, six
figure retainers, and fame that spread from book to screen, there are people who
don’t like to read works by Stephen King, John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Danielle
Steel, John Steinbeck or Ernest Hemmingway. They have all suffered “reader
rejection” at some point in their careers.
When dealing with rejection, believe in yourself,
be realistic, and keep things in perspective.
~
Valerie Allen ~
Amazon.com/Author/ValerieAllen
Member of NLAPW, Cape Canaveral Branch
Beyond the Inkblots: Confusion to Harmony
Write Publish Sell!
Summer School for Smarties
Bad Hair, Good Hat, New Friends
Sins of the Father
Suffer the Little Children
Excerpted from: Write, Publish, Sell! Quick, Easy, Inexpensive Ideas for the Marketing
Challenged by
Valerie Allen.
Be your own publisher, free with Amazon Kindle, and live a life empty of rejections. You know it makes cents. And dollars.
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