“It’s a no” – rejection can be swift

March 5, 2010 by Writers, Artists and Insiders
Filed under: Writing Advice 

JohnSimmonsThe hardest thing for a writer to cope with is rejection. We all pour so much of ourselves into our writing, we invest it with so many of our hopes, that it’s impossible not to take rejection as a personal blow.

So, what should you do? Partly it depends on the form of the rejection. If your work is returned to sender with the flimsiest of covering notes – ‘unfortunately we don’t believe we could publish your book successfully in the current market’ – you probably sigh, curse and move on without much pause for thought. Perhaps you console yourself with the belief that ‘they never even read it’. I’m sure many of you will have examples of that.

The shortest rejection I received was this week: “it’s a no”.

Sometimes the rejection is more reasoned and given with regret. Perhaps it’s even accompanied by some notes on what let the book down, at least in the eyes of that reader. This can be even more irritating – to have got close and still be rejected – but it’s valuable feedback. You should think hard about it, try to understand what’s being said, and ask yourself honestly if the reader has a valid point.

Having done that, the important process of editing (further editing) might begin again.

Your approach will depend on the nature of the comments and of your work. Is it a practical book or literary fiction? You might want to stick to your guns but reconcile yourself to the book not being published. Or you might want to put yourself in a publisher’s position and think about what will help your book sell better.

The important thing is not to give up. It takes persistence and the whole process can be dispiriting. You have to believe in yourself. If you don’t it’s unlikely that a publisher will. So try to use rejection as positively as you can.

Bounce back with a determination to prove them wrong. Or bounce back with a better version of the book – or with a completely different book that comes out of the rethinking process. Remember that you write for a reason – it satisfies a desire inside you, and that always makes writing worthwhile. So keep writing.

Have you had to deal with rejection?

26ways blackberryJohn Simmons is author of 26 ways of looking at a blackberry, published by A&C Black.

He blogs at Blogberry.

For more info visit his website 26 Fruits.

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Comments

12 Comments on “It’s a no” – rejection can be swift

  1. Julia Bohanna on Mar 5, 2010 at 14:09pm

    2. It took me a while to realise that personal rejections – i.e where editors say that they would like to see more of your work – should be followed up, not seen as politeness.

    I now look at every story that is rejected and think why? I try and look at it and improve. Rejection is a necessary evil – it toughens us up and makes us learn……

  2. elizabethjcurrie on Mar 6, 2010 at 14:49pm

    3. In response to ‘It’s a ‘no’
    I have a poignant and salutary experience to offer respecting rejections. I ‘gave up everything’ to devote myself to my lifelong ambition to be a creative writer (I had spent years working as an academic). I eventually produced a long historical adventure/romance, set in 16th century Spain and South America which, I felt, did ample justice to my literary ambitions and talents (and no, by the way, it didn’t read anything like a report or an academic article!). I then made a series of different submissions: to both agents and directly to publishers – all to no avail. Back came the rejections, one after the other; no feedback, no indication as why I had ‘failed’. I believe I write well; other people had read the manuscript and thought it very good. In the end, disheartened and discouraged I ‘withdrew’ the manuscript and (temporarily at least) shelved it. Just last year I travelled to India and upon my return settled down to write a completely different novel – a modern romance this time – inspired by my travels (rather as suggested by the writer of the comment ‘it’s a ‘no’ above). I am in the process of submitting it now, although the very first ‘trial’ submission made last November (to Darley Anderson) was rejected too. I tell you this is certainly a very hard business! A writer needs to be read; they also need to eat and have a roof over their heads, as well as means for gaining further creative inspiration. In the end I know I will carry on plodding along this weary pathway, but it is certainly discouraging at times!

  3. Fran on Mar 6, 2010 at 17:19pm

    4. I’ve had one shorter than yours. ‘No thanks.’ It was on an email, without even a ‘Dear’ or a ‘From’ . SO rude!

  4. Simon Kewin on Mar 6, 2010 at 19:46pm

    5. … and of course there are the rejections where they don’t even bother to send a single word. They just say nothing, leaving you in limbo. I think they may be the worst of all!

  5. darcibm on Mar 7, 2010 at 19:04pm

    6. Perhaps even a short rejection is better than simply not responding at all? This seems to be the most common practice these days.

    While I can understand that agents and publishing houses get loads of submissions, would it really be so hard to send a short reply, even if it is a form response? If nothing else, it would recognise that you, as the author, have gone to the trouble of choosing the agent, carefully composing a cover letter and formatting your manuscript to their specifications (not to mention the hope/despair/manic checking of emails cycle that seems to accompany every submission- or is that just me?).

    Thank goodness for the agents that take time to respond, and kudos to the ones that give feedback!

  6. Renée on Mar 9, 2010 at 10:33am

    7. I have written a novel and have submitted it to various agencies. All of these agencies have either sent a quick ‘thanks but no thanks’ or not replied at all…

    & darcibm its not only you that checks your email every day to see if they’ve replied…i do it to. Still nothing…

    Its a pain because i have spent ages working on that story and everyone who has read it has given it a good review, but when it comes to the agencies they turn it down… am i doing something wrong?

  7. M T McGuire on Mar 9, 2010 at 21:30pm

    8. Booyacka! I can beat “it’s a no” and “no thanks”.

    A long time ago I sent a very bad satirical poem to Private Eye, a few days later I received an envelope containing a compliments slip with the word “no” written on it. I kept it but only, really, because at the time, there was an outside chance that the “no” in question was written by Peter Cook!

    I have to say to elisabethjcurrie, I sympathise, I, too, have written a novel that is clearly unsellable, to the very tiny, tiny section of UK agents who are prepared to represent writers in my genre before they are already famous. I’ve gone onto the next project, too, but I like my other book, so I’ve had it edited professionally and have decided to self publish it. Frankly, so long as they enjoy it, I’d rather 10 people bought paper copies and 100 downloaded it as an e-book than it sat on a shelf gathering dust. Since I can do all that for the price of an ISBN it seems silly not to.

    Cheers

    M T McGuire
    http://www.mtmcguire.co.uk
    http://bit.ly/HeavenIs

  8. ricky martin on Mar 9, 2010 at 21:42pm

    9. Well I have come to the conculsion. sod the lot of them you dont need them . writing is good for the sole. And so what if it dosent get published you have come on a long journey and created something thats timeless. if only to you its your creation so enjoy it .beating yourself up is only feeding the negativity within yourself. publishers are like busess their will be another along in a minute I for one think they are somewhere between a cock croach and a magget.and thats being kind..

  9. Cressida Downing (Editorial Consultant) on Mar 31, 2010 at 17:05pm

    10. Well occasionally I add a few words to a standard rejection letter. If you do get a rejection with a few words scrawled on – that say something like ‘good plot but style weak’ – take it as valuable and rare advice.

    Cressida

  10. DavidBlack on May 8, 2010 at 13:50pm

    11. I’ve had a lot of that same experience. Ive found that after a while, I don’t even get bothered by it at all.

  11. michaeldakin on May 8, 2010 at 21:22pm

    12. Cressida – you scrawled on my rejection note “I hope you didn’t give up the day job.” It was valuable and rare advice. I’ve gone back to road sweeping.

  12. Xean Puccio on May 13, 2010 at 21:44pm

    13. Like everything, rejection is relative; meaning our response to it depends on our individual personalities. However, as mentioned in other W&A blogs, there are things one can do to lessen the chances of rejection mainly,

    -Taking time to perfect one’s work.
    -Researching compatible agents/publishers.
    -Following submission guidelines
    -Avoiding egotistical impulses.
    -Being courteous and professional.

    Remember, the book is not final until it reaches the press (for some even after, there are possibilities for revision in later editions). So there is no need to be faithful to it’s contents, only it’s idea. Personally, though I’ve never had a submission nor rejection, I would regard more highly someone whose advice or analysis on a rejection form would give me insight to perfect. And I wouldn’t discriminate that advice as good or bad, just use it.

    Xean
    5/5/13/2010

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