Writing is not for sissies

Rejections are inevitable. Critique groups will never think your writing is perfect.

You can take a page to a critique session, get feedback, modify the page, and then take it back to the next critique only to be told that there are still several things “wrong”.

That sounds extremely harsh, but it is not meant to be. The fact of the matter is, when you get a group of people to read your work everyone will have a difference of opinion. Every editor or agent will have a difference of opinion.

For those of you who are published authors, you can attest to the title of this blog post. Writing and the processing of getting published, whether your first or fifth novel can be a daunting task. The publishing industry is not for sissies!

Aspiring authors may have or may not have had the pleasure of receiving your first rejection yet. Just remember this: A rejection is a right of passage. It means you have finished a novel and taken that step of putting your heart out there and submitted your work for someone to read. It also means that an editor or agent has taken the time to read your work. That is a huge feat. (not huge feet)

In recent weeks, a couple of fellow writers have received rejection letters either from an agent or from an editor. Does it really matter as to which? No. What matters is that these writers put themselves out there and were told, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Is this a bad thing?

Sounds like a ridiculous question, especially if you are asking the author of the denied novel. BUT, it is not.

Both of the writers I mentioned actually received responses to their work that gave specific reasons as to the rejection.

Hallelujah! That is a tremendous help. These authors should and I know one did already take the offered critique, ponder it, and decide to modify, or move on elsewhere.

Unfortunately, not every agent or editor will take the time to offer advice or give you their opinion. I, myself, have received very nice one-liners that said, “This story is not right for me.” Or “I am not taking on new clients at this time.” Or any number of various reasons for rejection. Heck, there are those that you don’t hear from for months even after the story has already been accepted for publication by someone else. The worst is when your submission ends up in a black hole and you never even know if your work was received.

Now that you have received a rejection or several, a decision has to be made.

Do you give up, throw in the towel, turn tail and run away? Or do you straighten that spine, get a stiff upper lift, maybe buy a suit of armor to cover your chest and protect your heart?

This is when you decide whether you want to get published bad enough. This is when you decide whether you are a sissy or not. The publishing business is not for the weak at heart and the spineless. Pardon the expression, but this juncture is when you grow a set of balls or let them shrivel up and away.

Me, people will tell you that I have no patience. SHRUG! So, and your point would be?

BUT, I have the persistence of a pitbull who wants those pants attached to the man’s ass. (Okay, maybe not the best image, but you get the picture.) In the publishing industry, it takes persistence to get what you, the writer, want. Nothing will ever be handed to you on a silver platter. It never is in anything that is of huge importance to you. If you do not have to work hard for what you want in life or writing then it is not worth it in the end.

So what you receive a rejection. Have a good cry, eat a pint or gallon of ice cream, even feel free to give your pillow several hard punches. Got that out of your system?

Now, do you want to get published? How badly? How important is it to you to see your name on the cover of a book?

Know this. From here on, it only gets harder. Writing a story is hard work, creating it so it meets guidelines that you are not completely aware of is daunting, but tossing your story out there and getting your heart stomped on is the toughest thing you will ever have to go through in this business.

Is it worth it? This is the question that you and only you can answer.

If you answer yes then take the critiques offered by the editors or agents, the various critiques groups you may write with, and decide what is valid to your story. If you listen to the opinions of others, will it help you in achieving that “author” goal?

Take a step back and look at the advice the editor or agent, or critter offered. Now that you have gotten past the “rejection” word, gotten over your mad, does the suggestion make sense? Will cutting 8000 words make it a better and faster paced story? Will deleting most taglines or almost all “ly” adverbs make your story more readable?

Did you submit your manuscript to the right editor or agent? Publishing is not a one-size fits all kind of thing. If that were the case then we would not need so many agencies and writers. Do not send your children’s story to a non-fiction agent. Do not send your contemporary romance to a historical editor. Do not send your very dark thriller to a publisher who produces romantic comedies.

What you write may come from your heart, but the editor or agent is not hooked into that process because your “feelings” are not what they sell. It is the work, the words, the story, that makes a difference.

A rejection is not personal. It is professional. Suck it up! Do the right thing, go back to your story, and fix it.

We want to see your name in the “author” column! And if you need help along the way, you will find that most writers/authors are always willing to offer a tip, a pat on the back, or a box of tissues. Just ask.

Good luck!! Other writers, feel free to share your rejection and success stroies to help boost those who are on the verge of giving up.