Resilience from Rejection

[Paul Whybrow]

This article in The Guardian is worth a read:

Rejection is the norm for authors. So why do we hide it? | Sophie Mackintosh

Sophie Mackintosh mentions "steadily getting rejected from every creative writing MFA (master of fine arts) I applied to, and then by dozens of agents," but doesn't specify how many times.

Her one published novel is The Water Cure:

The Water Cure

I was rejected (or ignored) 750 times from 2013-2019, before recently attracting the interest of Hodder & Stoughton's The Future Bookshelf submission scheme. I'm still waiting to hear back from them.

I'll be slightly disappointed if they reject me, but not destroyed, for after so many rejections, I'm as resilient as a rhinoceros wearing Kevlar armour! I'm ready to self-publish on KDP Select, which will at least offer immediate feedback on the worth of my Cornish Detective series.

There's more than one way to climb the publishing mountain, so don't be discouraged.

 

[Patricia D]

My latest rejection was the third or fourth from the same magazine - I refuse to count. I keep submitting because each rejection says they will not be buying my story but hope I will keep submitting. This latest one was longer, practically a letter from a friend. Sometimes I'm encouraged; sometimes I think they are sadistic and messing with me. Ever onward.

 

[RK Wallis]

My first ever novel was rejected I don't know how many times, I was young and naive. Looking back, I'd not learnt the craft, I'd not used critique partners, I'd not read enough in my genre. Lesson learned.

 

[Jackson Banks]

I think most writers hide it for the same reason they try it, because they believe anyone can do it. And since they belive that and the idea that 'everyone has a good book inside of them' (which is absolute rubbish) the rejection its hard to grasp.- What I mean is, a lot of people approach writing a novel as an easy task. I can read and write so therefore I am almost there!
Look at it this way. Pick an instrument or another art you cannot do ie playing a violin /ballet. Now tell your friends, 'I bought a second hand violin and am going to start busking in two months.' You wouldn't because you know it is foolishness. Yet with writing, because people can read and write, they believe the skills are already in place and in just a few short months they have created a masterpiece that is worthy of publishing.

The millions of dead books on Amazon are a testament to that assumption as well as numerous published works that are simply horrible. To further add to this problem, the idea of 'people will find me' are the famous last words of many that go into business for themselves. Somewhere along the way a dream was sold via writing and people bought into it. It comes full circle why many do not take up ballet or an instrument. Because we know deep down the dedication/ time involved is massive. But not with writing....
So back to the point, why no one speaks about rejection is simply because how could one fail on such an 'easy' art that anyone can do? Thats the reason.

 

[RK Wallis]

Pick an instrument or another art you cannot do ie playing a violin /ballet.

Great analogy First you need to learn scales or positions before, after years of practice, you find the art (unless you're a prodigy).

 

[Lex Black]

Lately I get a higher ratio of "No thanks, but we look forward to seeing something else" but I can't determine how much of that is just boilerplate crap.

Best of luck with H&S, @Paul Whybrow!

 

[Steve C]

We all secretly hope we are good enough to be published but we don't elaborate on it because we are not sure. Our hope is secret.
Rejection eats away at our secret so we try to hide it too, not from others but from ourselves. That way we can hold onto our hope that bit longer.
Not sure I made myself clear but hopefully you get the gist

 

[CageSage]

There is another analogy - we all know how to drive. We need to for our daily lives. So we think we're good at it, and because we do it every day, we must be able to slide up a gear and take on something bigger and better. Maybe even head off into earning a living from doing something we know so well.

Then comes the difficulty, dealing with the traffic, the gatekeepers, the costs, the noise and rules and regs and costs, more costs, and everyone wants everything yesterday, and perfect, and ... most will give up at this stage. It's so much harder than it seems on the surface, so many things getting in the way.

There are people who make money in the business, and I can do what they're doing, so why can't I make money in the same business? *big lip*.

Is the aim for Grand Prix status? Or delivery courier? Which is better reflected by my skills?
---
That's how writing is. We all know how to do it, and we all think that because we can string a few things together, and sometimes people tell us we have the 'knack' ... but are we willing to put in the work to become the 1% of the 1%? Do we aim for courier, a steady income based on meeting needs, or do we aim for the top of the pile, even if we're completely unaware of the team and training and work practices behind the top-notch Race teams?

I'm a driver with aims to improve my skills by effort and learning, by listening and offering, by putting my work out there to see who it shines for.
I'm hoping I live long enough to reach the end of the road ...

 

[Paul Whybrow]

My latest rejection was the third or fourth from the same magazine - I refuse to count. I keep submitting because each rejection says they will not be buying my story but hope I will keep submitting. This latest one was longer, practically a letter from a friend. Sometimes I'm encouraged; sometimes I think they are sadistic and messing with me. Ever onward.

Personalised replies are always good. I've had just four from 750 submissions, all from new agencies and one new Indie publisher, who took the time to treat me as a human being, rather than something to throw into the cyber-bin! Out of 88 queries I made in the spring, I've not heard back from 30 and I don't expect to, as it's been my experience that about one-third of agents ignore you.

 

[LeahH]

I am VP of a group called The Writers' Guild of Texas. Every month, when we meet, we encourage members to share tales of rejection because it means they are putting themselves out there. Taking a chance on their passion, their future, their creation. And without that chance taken, dreams won't be realized.