The R Word: how to cope with rejection
‘Rejection.’ Nothing cushions the impact of those three syllables. Last week I wrote about how to submit to agents, this week I want to look at the ‘R’ word. How do we turn something so negative – our precious child returned unwanted – into a positive that helps us get published?
Few authors are published without a taste of rejection – the only one I know who had a smooth path to publication is Susan Hill. Even authors whose debut novels are published endured rejection by agents.
Some more than others: 50 agents rejected Clare Morrall before Tindal Street published her. Those agents must have kicked themselves: Morrall’s début was Man Booker shortlisted. And pity the poor agents who wake up screaming because they failed to realise the potential of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when it landed on their slush pile.
Bestselling historical novelist Elizabeth Chadwick is typical of many whose novels are now regulars in the bestseller charts. She had eight novels rejected before anyone wanted to publish her. She keeps these unwanted children – see the picture accompanying this post. ‘It goes to show that perseverance pays,’ she says. ‘These chart my learning curve.’
Lesley Pearse is another novelist whose stellar success is built on a foundation of rejection. Her first manuscript was by her own admission dire. ‘I didn’t have one word of dialogue in it. I wrote it in pencil and stuck the pages together like a child,’ she told me. But like Elizabeth Chadwick, she persevered: her fourth book, Georgia, was taken on by agent Darley Anderson, who helped turn it into bestselling gold.
Rejection is not always a reflection of quality, as author and poet Sarah Salway points out. Agents may reject your work because they consider it is not commercial, not to their taste or because they cannot see a market for it. ‘I realise that often it’s my best pieces that have been rejected along the way,’ Sarah says. ‘This is because I’ve not been scared to try something different and to keep on expanding my style, rather than to try to write safely and what I imagine everyone will like.’
‘But,’ I hear you say, ‘my book has been rejected by so many agents, how can I possibly continue writing?’ Well, it takes guts to carry on in the face of rejection, but remember, if you give up you have reduced your chance of publication to exactly zero.
So, here are my 10 tips to defeat the R word:
- Get on with it: Celia Brayfield, who wrote Bestseller and runs the Creative Writing MA at Brunel, rebuffs unpublished authors who complain a book has been rejected by agents for the umpteen time with ‘write another.’ It sounds harsh, but what she means is use your energy positively, don’t bury yourself in failure.
- Feed your habit: Every successful writer I know writes because they are compelled to do so. If you are serious about writing, you will be moved by the same compulsion. Indulge it.
- It’s war: writing is a war of attrition, but you must be the last man standing. Let the competition give up and clear the field for you.
- Keep learning: Elizabeth Chadwick asked herself: ‘What can I fix so the next one will stand a higher chance.’ She looked at other historical fiction to understand the genre better and ensure her work was influenced by the best.
- Believe: as a young aspiring novelist Lesley Cookman came close to a book deal, but it fell through at the last minute. She gave up. Years later she started writing again. She has now published 10 novels
- Get trained: friends and family are poor critics. There are now more writing resources for aspiring authors than ever before, use what is available, whether workshops, courses or writing groups. Work on your craft and develop your style and voice. Listen to informed criticism and learn from it.
- Get real: this is the first time that the number of readers has eclipsed the number of would-be novelists. Rejection slips reflect the amount of competition.
- Enjoy the freedom: once tied to a publishing contract you will not have the same freedom to experiment with genre, style, voice and form as you had before you were published. Enjoy this freedom.
- Toughen up: if you can’t take rejection now, how will you cope with less than enthusiastic reviews once published? If you can develop a thicker skin, it will help deflect the pain of criticism when published.
- Be professional: don’t hold grudges against agents who reject your work. They are doing their job. Your job is to write a book they want to publish. Nothing will alienate you from agents more than a hissy fit. Writing is a profession, be professional!
And finally, something to help you laugh in the face of rejection: Bernard’s Letter
7 Responses to “The R Word: how to cope with rejection”
I won’t go into my own publishing details – there’s enough of me wittering on about that on other blogs, websites etc!
I am the UK editor for reviewing self published Historical Fiction for the Historical Novel Society Online Review, I also support many self published authors – and happily do so, except for the few who grumble because their book has received a poor review or critique. Well yes, it will do if the text is set incorrectly, if the book has a slow start (or end, or middle) if there are typos all over the place, poor continuity, POV changes left right and centre etc. What I am trying to say is: if/when your precious book is rejected again, again, and again, by an agent or publisher, don’t just say the usual “they are all blind / stupid / can’t read.” Think instead that maybe your book has been rejected for a reason. Number one reason will probably be that it could do with a good re-write because you haven’t quite hit the mark for it to be a good, readable book. It might just be worth your while investing in a professional critique, or a good professional editor – or attending a few writer’s groups …. or just starting again.
Everyone can write a book – not everyone can (without taking good advice) write a readable book.
And if you do get a critique – from anyone outside friends and family, who are never honest, who do not know the technical side of writing, and who certainly do not know the current market, think about the advice you are given and don’t go off in a huff because it wasn’t the response you were expecting. If you are advised the book needs a polish, a rewrite, whatever, then it probably does. Which is why you are getting the rejections, or the not so good reviews.
Writing is hard work, and there are often more downs than ups – but if you really want to write – stick at it!
Thanks for sharing this article Danuta – very inspiring and encouraging!
Thanks for this – we may need it tattoo’ed on our foreheads that rejection is part of the learning – and beyond.
I always try to remind myself that this agent/magazine/competition may not like my writing (and, being realistic, not everyone will) but they are not saying anything about me. I’m the same woman who got up this morning and will enjoy a glass of wine tonight. That piece of writing may or may not be rubbish, but I’m still okay.
Great follow on post to last weeks and so true. We must not give up instead we must keep going but learn through the process. Hone our craft and next time submit something that is even better than before. Many thanks for this post it was great to read
I find there’s something weirdly life-affirming about rejections. They remind me I’m continuing to work at something that is worth continuously working at. They also remind me I’ve been doing this a relatively short amount of time and why would I expect to be brilliant at it just yet?
All part of the process – when something comes back send it out to someone else, take a deep breath and carry on writing. Good luck everyone!
I’ve just received a rejection of the lowest form. The agent merely returned my original submission letter with “No thanks” written across my own signature. Honestly it made me glad that they weren’t representing me.
When I get published I shall return here and tell you what I did, so that it gives a thread of hope to those currently in the same position as me
Thanks for this blog, I appreciated it very much. I especially loved the addition of the link to Bernard’s Letter
Am part of a group called Authors Electric who support each other on independent publishing projects. All professionals and committed to blogging once a month on shared site. Today we begin a new venture – an independent review site committed to promoting self-published e-books of professional quality. My first novel was rejected again and again until i gave up and published it myself. Other members of our group use e-publishing to bring their own out-of print titles back into circulation. Asd a reviewer for the new site I’ve read some brilliant titles over the past weeks. There’ll be one a day for the rest of this month. indieebookreview@wordpress.com
I think the only thing I would add – the above comments and article covering things wonderfully well already – is that each rejection is an opportunity to show that agent or publisher (who will know plenty of other people in the industry and no doubt talk to them from time to time!) that you are professional enough to take rejection on the chin, and thank them with a note or card for taking the time to consider your work and letting you know where you stand with them. Emails might clutter up their inbox, but the worst a little card or note will do is fill their recycling bin. It’s also an opportunity for chocolate!
Leave a Reply