However, that's not really what I wanted to talk about in this post. Today, I want to talk about something that pretty much every writer who hopes to be active within the publishing industry has or will experience. It's something that I have been experiencing myself recently as I search for an agent to represent me. Rejection. Cold, bitter, soul-crushing rejection. Let's face it, rejection, in all it's forms, sucks. "I like you as just a friend." "You're application is denied." "We just didn't feel you were the best fit for this position." "I wasn't as drawn into the story as I had hoped..." Rejection is the WORST. It cuts at your self-confidence, and can make you feel small and worthless. It doesn't matter if it's not personal. It almost always feels personal. Having your manuscript rejected by an agent or publisher can be one of the hardest things a writer has to endure. When facing this daunting hurdle, though, it's really important to remember that everyone, and I mean everyone, gets rejected at one point or another. For the vast majority of writers, rejection never happens just once. Even New York Times bestsellers, and classic authors whose works have become staples in the literary world faced multiple (and sometimes straight up rude) rejections.
Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, was rejected by 60 agents before landing representation.
C.S. Lewis faced years of rejection before The Chronicles of Narnia became a worldwide bestseller that has been translated into 47 languages.Agatha Christie endured 5 years of rejection before landing her first publishing deal, and now the only other literary figure in history whose works have earned more than her is William Shakespeare.
The freaking Diary of Anne Frank was rejected 16 times! How does that even happen?!?
It wasn't until the 13th publisher that J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter was put into print and became a worldwide sensation. And that was only because the editor's eight-year-old daughter demanded to read the rest of the book!
(For a vastly longer list of famous, bestselling stories initially rejected, check out http://www.literaryrejections.com/best-sellers-initially-rejected/ There's one guy listed with 121 rejections for a single book! Also, this website is just a great resource for aspiring authors in general!)
Here's my point in all of this: the people who are able to break into the publishing industry are those who don't give up. They are persistent, a little stubborn, but are willing to grow and learn through their experiences. Sometimes that means a rewrite. Sometimes it means starting from scratch with a whole new project. Sometimes it means believing so thoroughly in a project that you willing face rejection after rejection because you know somewhere out there is an agent and publisher who will believe in it as much as you. Those authors who manage to snag the attention of an agent and/or publisher are the ones who can get back up when they're knocked down. Sure, they're a little sore, a little bruised, but also wiser and tougher. If being published is what you really, truly want, then a handful of rejections can't discourage you.
It's not easy moving from a mindset of creative artistry to one of savvy business smarts. That's the reality all aspiring authors hoping to have even a little success in the publishing world face, however. So, if you're ready to release your work into this selective industry, or have already started trying, just remember three things: 1. Rejection happens to everyone, 2. It's not personal, and 3. Don't give up. Keep working, keep growing, keep improving, keep going, and someday you could see your book on the shelf.
Until next time,
E.K. Broich
