Comments on: A few words on rejection

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Mon, 23 May 2016 23:24:57 +0000

In reply to Pamela Cummins. Could be. Thanks, Pamela. Sandy

By: Janice S. Garey

Janice S. Garey — Mon, 23 May 2016 21:58:13 +0000

I think rejection letters could make a good fleet of paper airplanes! Or perhaps they could be used to make a paper mache art object that makes people smile.

By: Pamela Cummins

Pamela Cummins — Thu, 19 May 2016 14:55:52 +0000

Rejection is God’s protection.

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Thu, 19 May 2016 02:43:24 +0000

In reply to Tina Gilbertson.

Thank you, Tina! I think this is exactly the case for my friend: [Rejection may simply be a sign that you haven’t gotten your work in front of enough eyes for the right people to find you. Think of rejection as part of the process and stay in constant motion towards your goal. ]

She is so tired of being rejected that she doesn’t want to put it in front of more people — and yet, I think that if she did, she’d find just the right home for the manuscript.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I love this story you’ve shared just as I love that your book has enjoyed so much success!

Sandy

By: Tina Gilbertson

Tina Gilbertson — Thu, 19 May 2016 02:03:17 +0000

When I set out to find a literary agent for my first book, I created a Word document that consisted of a table with 100 rows. I assumed I’d need to send at least that many queries before anyone took the bait. In other words, I planned for rejection.

I started querying agents about my book, filling up each row as I went with Agent Name, Date Sent, and Notes. When the silence and the rejections came in, they were just something to record in the table. They didn’t slow me down and I didn’t take them to heart, because I saw them as part of the process of getting published.

I’m happy to report that I didn’t have to send 100 queries before finding a wonderful agent. Once she was on board, it took another six months for her to place it with the right publisher, and she worked hard to do it.

Finding an agent and/or a publisher is a matter of getting your work in front of the right eyes at the right time. Assuming you’ve written a decent book, it’s nothing more than a numbers game.

The takeaway? Rejection may simply be a sign that you haven’t gotten your work in front of enough eyes for the right people to find you. Think of rejection as part of the process and stay in constant motion towards your goal.

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:16:33 +0000

In reply to Conda V. Douglas. Excellent feedback and advice, Conda. Thank you. Sandy

By: Conda V. Douglas

Conda V. Douglas — Wed, 18 May 2016 19:36:46 +0000

For four years I was part owner/editor of a micro-publishing company. What I learned from being one of the acquiring editors? That when we editors send a rejection to an author that says “just not for us” that’s what we mean. In other words, once you’re writing well, rejections are truly subjective and often mean very little. There were many novels that I rejected for the ONLY reason that they were not to my taste. They were well written and publishable, just not for me, personally. Remembering that and believing it when I get a rejection that says, “this is written well, just not quite a fit for us,” helps the sting, a bit.

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Wed, 18 May 2016 16:19:52 +0000

In reply to Art. So does wine, Art. Sandy

By: Art

Art — Wed, 18 May 2016 16:10:54 +0000

Bourbon helps.

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Wed, 18 May 2016 14:44:24 +0000

In reply to Jill Thomas.

I’m so glad this was so well timed for you, Jill — thanks for that validation. You are in excellent company!

Sandy