Today I got back my second formal rejection. So far, I've had two no responses, one partial request with a "no, thanks", and a formal rejection. But I'm not giving up. I've only just begun. Thought I'd share with you all.
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Rejection...
- Thread starter Caged Maiden
- Start date
Hang in there. Like you said, early in the process. Keep shopping it around until you find a home for it 
Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. - Truman Capote
Even famous writers, those that are considered brilliant, faced rejection. Keep trying, working, and hoping. You only truly fail when you quit.
Even famous writers, those that are considered brilliant, faced rejection. Keep trying, working, and hoping. You only truly fail when you quit.
Jamber
Sage
Hi Caged Maiden,
This has probably been linked to before, but for what it's worth: 30 famous authors whose works were rejected (repeatedly, and sometimes rudely) by publishers - National Book | Examiner.com
Don't let anyone get you down. Publishing readers really do make mistakes, and they sometimes forget writers are human.
Incidentally, I once got a 12 page (single spaced) rejection letter. It was a newbie reader and clearly she thought she had to substantiate every point so the publishers would think she was doing a good job. A simple 'yes' or 'no' would have been enough. Because of that one letter, I burned the manuscript, deleted all copies, and stopped writing for the next 8 years.
The first article I wrote after coming back to writing got published. I then reread that awful 12 page letter and realised it actually had significant errors.
Don't listen to rejections... Hand-pick your own readers and listen to them. And even then, do what you want. Gatekeepers (like sentries) are there to be run roughshod over...
best regards
Jennie
This has probably been linked to before, but for what it's worth: 30 famous authors whose works were rejected (repeatedly, and sometimes rudely) by publishers - National Book | Examiner.com
Don't let anyone get you down. Publishing readers really do make mistakes, and they sometimes forget writers are human.
Incidentally, I once got a 12 page (single spaced) rejection letter. It was a newbie reader and clearly she thought she had to substantiate every point so the publishers would think she was doing a good job. A simple 'yes' or 'no' would have been enough. Because of that one letter, I burned the manuscript, deleted all copies, and stopped writing for the next 8 years.
The first article I wrote after coming back to writing got published. I then reread that awful 12 page letter and realised it actually had significant errors.
Don't listen to rejections... Hand-pick your own readers and listen to them. And even then, do what you want. Gatekeepers (like sentries) are there to be run roughshod over...
best regards
Jennie
Sparkie
Auror
If you ain't getting rejected, you ain't trying hard enough.
I ought to paint these two sentences on my wall.
Feo Takahari
Auror
I sent my stories to big-name magazines, and waited as long as a YEAR just to get back a rejection letter. So I sent a story to a startup magazine that hadn't even put out an issue yet, and I guess I didn't have much competition, because they accepted it immediately. Now I can put on my resume that I've previously published in a magazine.
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for all the stories and support. I'm not down about rejection, I just like to share and encourage everyone else to do it too. I think the first rejection hurts if you're not prepared, but subsequent ones don't sting as much. The most painful one was after sending a query, I got a request for a partial. I felt GREAT. But then I got a "no". That one hurt a bit more than a flat-out query rejection, but that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, right?
Feel free to keep posting your own rejection stories, maybe one day this thread will cheer up someone who needs some encouragement after receiving their first rejection. Alright, gotta go. Gonna go find another agent I'd like to query. Hey, does anyone have any thoughts on querying the same agent gain after a rejection? I'd really like to resend an edited copy of this book to the lady who requested the partial. I might have been rejected because I was a poor editor a year ago.
Feel free to keep posting your own rejection stories, maybe one day this thread will cheer up someone who needs some encouragement after receiving their first rejection. Alright, gotta go. Gonna go find another agent I'd like to query. Hey, does anyone have any thoughts on querying the same agent gain after a rejection? I'd really like to resend an edited copy of this book to the lady who requested the partial. I might have been rejected because I was a poor editor a year ago.
Butterfly
Auror
Just think... you're actually at the stage where you are submitting. That in itself is an achievement to celebrate.
Harry Potter was rejected eight times and look at how successful that became.
As for second submissions... I read somewhere to wait at least six months before resubmitting the altered version or querying again and to tell them that you have reworked it.
Harry Potter was rejected eight times and look at how successful that became.
As for second submissions... I read somewhere to wait at least six months before resubmitting the altered version or querying again and to tell them that you have reworked it.
SeverinR
Vala
Rejections means your in the game.
Waiting for your first hit, but at least you're playing.
Waiting for your first hit, but at least you're playing.
Guru Coyote
Archmage
I think the waiting part would/will be worst for me.
Fae
Dreamer
agreed, tho ive not written anything presentable myself. good luck maiden