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November 07, 2005
The Rejection
After spending three years writing her book, a friend of mine received her first rejection from a publisher today. She feels really bad and is so upset she wants to give up her dream of being a writer. I feel her pain. I have been the recipient of that “awful feeling” more times than I care to admit. No matter how prepared you are, that “rejection letter” has a way of taking the wind out of any sail.
For example: “Mr. Romain, after careful consideration we feel that there is not a big enough market for your proposed self-help book series including "How To Do Homework Without Throwing Up", "Bullies Are a Pain In the Brain" and" Cliques, Phonies and Other Baloney". We also don’t believe that your books take the subjects you have tackled seriously enough and feel that your humorous approach might turn some readers off. We wish you the best of luck in placing your books with another publishing house.”
The above letter arrived almost two months after my book "How To Do Homework Without Throwing Up" was published. (The publishing house who rejected me took almost fourteen months to respond to my manuscript submission.) I look back and smile to myself considering that the book How To Do Homework Without Throwing Up has become an international best seller and has been translated into a number of different languages.
In response to her rejection I told my friend to send out another proposal for the same book right away. This is why:
“You can’t play the piano, and God knows you can’t sing. You’d better learn how to weave chairs so you can support yourself.” – A comment by Ray Charles’s teacher.
“You have a voice, but it’s nothing special.” - said by a teacher who rejected Diana Ross after she auditioned for a part in a high school musical.
“Liquidate the business right now and recoup whatever cash you can. If you don’t, you’ll end up penniless.” – The attorney of Mary Kay a few weeks before she opened her first store.
Mary Kay’s mascot for her cosmetics company is a bumblebee. “Because of its tiny wings and heavy body, aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly. But the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it flies anyway.”
Every time one of my books or creative projects is rejected I remember the words of my wonderful grandfather Ted, who said “Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe in you.”
Posted by trevor at November 7, 2005 10:36 AM
Comments
Yes. She must resubmit again and again and again. Way back when I sent out 10 simultaneous submissions and received 11 rejections in return -- one of the publishers had merged with another and they wanted to let me know (just in case) that the publisher they merged with wasn't interested either. That was for a humor column I used to write and I went quite far with it anyway. I have a file filled with rejections. I call it my "Boo" file and it's right next to my "Hmmm" file which is filled with things that make me feel good about myself. It's all about balance. And if it was a form letter rejection your friend received, tell her not to despair of it being impersonal -- my first acceptance letter was a form letter, something that had been photocopied many times and it was still addressed "Dear Writer." Sometimes You've just got to laugh about it, even if you cry first.
Posted by: Nina at November 7, 2005 01:10 PM
William Shakespeare's first spectators often pelted him with food waste and had been known to leap upon the stage with drawn swords. Isaac Asimov wrote down some very good thoughts on the subject. Apparently, even that grand master of science fiction literature had trouble getting published in his youth. He kept at it for years until the quality of his writing became so apparent that reviewers could not help but recommend it for publication.
If an inspiration was worth the labor of writing a book, it is worth the effort of trying again.
Posted by: E.K. at November 7, 2005 08:35 PM
Just a few examples from Jill Badonsky's _The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)_
Dr. Seuss's first book was reject 45 times.
JFK finished last in his Ivy League college.
Charles Schulz was rejected by Disney.
Jack Nicholson was told he couldn't act, as was Marilyn Monoe, and many more actors who beame super stars.
From my research:
"You can't play the piano, and God knows you can't sing You'd better learn how to weave chairs so you can support yourself." A comment by Ray Charles's teacher.
"You have a voice, but it's nothing special." said by a teacher who rejected
Dianna Ross after she auditioned for a part in a high school play.
And lastly,...
"Liquidate the busness right now and recoup whatever cash you can. If you don't you'll end up penniless." The attorney of Mary Kay a few weeks before she opened her first store.
Mary Kay's mascot for her cosmetic company is a bumblebee "Because of it tiny wings and heavy body, aerodynamically the bumblelee shoudln't be able to fly. But the bumblebee doesn't know that, so it flies anyway.
Madame B
Ah, but what do I know. I am just an old gypsy woman, who lost a friend to the Rainbow Bridge this weekend.
Publication? No.
Counting my health as my biggest blessing.
Heavy heart.
Posted by: madame babushka at November 7, 2005 11:11 PM