Rejection is Part of the Game
By VS Grenier
© 2007,
VS Grenier
It’s been four months; you know there
should be a call coming any moment from the editor of the magazine (or
book publisher) where you sent your manuscript. How could he turn down
your story about the shy kid finding the lost ticket booth money? You
studied the magazine and spent months writing and revising your story,
and your critique group loved it. But the phone isn’t ringing.
You’re afraid to get your mail. It’s
been three days and you wonder how much more mail the postman could
stuff into the little box. You take a deep breath and open your
mailbox.
There it is….a big fat 9x12 envelope
with your name on it. No, it couldn’t be…but it is. Your manuscript
has been rejected. Well at least you still have two more manuscripts in
submission—no, wait, there's another envelope…one more—no, there's
another one…You know have no manuscripts in circulation.
That’s it! Time to throw the towel
in. Three rejections in one day. How many other writers has this
happened to, you wonder. Well the fact is…Lots!
Yes, I had three rejections in one
day. I really had my hopes up on Highlights for Children. After
all, I’ve been reading their magazine my whole life, first as a young
reader and later to my children, but that didn't mean I sent them the
right story.
James Giblin once said, “I’d worked as
a children’s book editor for more than 15 years, but still I felt
uncertain. Did I have what it took to be a writer, or would I just make
a fool of myself?”
I felt like a fool after three
rejections in one day. However, I didn’t throw in the towel. I kept at
it, writing until my hands bled. Ok, maybe not until they bled, but
close enough to it. I sent out more manuscripts, and as each rejection
came back, I made notes. They helped me prepare for the big day when I
was able to say, “I’m published!”
Here’s what I have learned:
Besides having a great manuscript,
you’ll also need to make sure it’s something editors want to buy. What
good is your story if it’s not what editors are looking for? If you
can’t find a place to send it, hold on to the story. It doesn’t mean
the plot isn’t any good. You just need the right place at the right
time to submit. That’s when editors will pick it up and say, “Hey, this
is what I was looking for.”
Next you’ll want to target your market
before your manuscript is polished. This means read their
publications. I mean really read them. By reading multiple books or
magazine issues, you’ll know what trends the magazine or book publisher
is following. And it helps.
Once you’ve written a marketable
manuscript and found the right magazine or publisher, it’s time to
submit. Make sure you study each magazine's or publisher's guidelines.
You’ll be surprised how many ask for different things. Some want a
query letter and writing samples before they even see your manuscript.
Above all, don’t over submit. If you’ve already sent a manuscript to an
editor two to four months ago, hold off. Editors are busy and don’t
need an over zealous writer on their hands.
In the end you’ll have to deal with the
rejection letter if it comes. There are so many kinds that it’s hard
knowing what they mean, but take notes and keep track of any
suggestions. Remember to keep writing. One day you’ll get that email
or phone call saying, “We would like to publish your story or article.” |
