"HIT THE ROAD JACK!"

            HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN PUBLISHERS REJECT YOUR BOOK

WHY IS IT WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH REJECTION, WE TEND TO WANT TO GIVE UP? LOCK OURSELVES AWAY, GO INTO HIDING, AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN SHOP FOR GOOD?” THE ANSWER IS WE’RE HUMAN AND REJECTION NO MATTER FROM WHO, WHAT OR WHERE, AFFECTS THE HUMAN PHYSIQUE.

WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU TODAY IS, LIFE GOES ON.

     REJECTION IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. NO NO, IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME PERSONAL ANALYZING AND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO CHANGE THE SITUATION. IF THE PUBLISHER IS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO TELL YOU WHERE THEY THINK YOU FAILED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, THEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN INSURING THE NEXT TIME WHEN YOU SUBMIT TO A DIFFERENT OR THE SAME PUBLISHER THAT YOU LISTENED TO WHAT THEY SAID. I KNOW WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS DEALING WITH REJECTION ON ANY LEVEL BUT AS A WRITER; WE TEND TO TAKE CRITICISM A BIT MORE PERSONAL THAN THE REST. FIRSTLY BECAUSE WE’VE SPENT, IN SOME CASES, YEARS PERFECTING OUR CRAFT AND KEEPING IT TOP SECRET UNTIL WE’RE READY TO INTRODUCE IT TO THE WORLD.

     BUT DON’T DESPAIR! IN MOST CASES IT ISN’T YOUR MANUSCRIPT THAT’S BEING REJECTED BUT THE PRESENTATION. FOR INSTANCE: MOST PUBLISHERS HAVE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES AS TO HOW THEY WANT YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK. SOME REQUIRE THAT YOU SUBMIT A QUERY LETTER FIRST. BASICALLY WHAT THAT IS, IS ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO SEND YOUR WORK TO AN EDITOR. A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY AND YOUR WRITING HISTORY. THEN YOU WAIT FOR A RESPONSE IF THEY ARE INTERESTED. IF THEY ARE INTERESTED YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT, USUALLY THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SPECIFIC DETAILS THEY REQUIRE SUCH AS FORMATTING, MOST REQUIRE WORD DOCUMENTS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. ALSO TYPED IN 12-POINT FONT, DOUBLE-SPACED PAGINATED, WHICH INCLUDES TITLE AND AUTHOR INFORMATION IN THE FILE NAME THAT YOU SEND THEM. 

     THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME WHEN AND IF YOU ACTUALLY GET THAT FAR. THIS MEANS THEY LIKE YOUR WORK AND WANT TO KNOW MORE. IT’S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THEM ON YOUR WRITING PROWESS. THE HARDEST PART IS WAITING FOR WEEKS ON END TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM AND PRAYING IT WILL BE A YES AND NOT A NEGATIVE RESPONSE. BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AND MUST DO IS PREPARE YOURSELF FOR REJECTION. UNLESS YOU ARE AN EXTREMELY BLESSED INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE, THEN THIS SHOW ISN’T FOR YOU. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED REJECTION LISTEN UP. REJECTION IN SOME WAYS IS A GOOD THING. IT’S SORT OF LIKE CREATIVE CRITICISM. WHAT I MEAN BY THIS TERM IS MOST OF OUR STRENGTH IS IN CREATING THE STORY. WE DO THAT QUITE WELL, BUT THE PROBLEM IS EXPLAINING TO THE WORLD WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT IN THE SHORTEST FORM. THEREFORE, WHEN THE EDITOR OPENS OUR EMAIL AND READS THE EXTENDED SYNOPSIS THEY DON’T GET THE OVERALL VIEW OF WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO SAY. BASED ON THIS THEY USUALLY GO NO FURTHER AND THUS COMES THE CREATIVE CRITICISM OR DENIAL.

     THIS IS A GREAT THING FOLKS, BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY MEANS THEY ACTUALLY READ WHAT YOU SENT THEM, BUT WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TELL YOU SO BY RESPONDING. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER HEAR BACK FROM PUBLISHERS AT ALL?

   OKAY I’M AN OPTIMIST AS WELL A REALIST. I SEE THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. IN MY MIND REJECTION DOESN’T MEAN “NO” BUT SIMPLY NOT YET. IT IS PREPARING YOU FOR THAT MAJOR “YES!” WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. NEVERTHELESS, IN ORDER TO REACH THAT GOAL YOU HAVE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND THINKING PROGRESSIVELY AS WELL. REJECTION IS A LIFE LESSON, IT TEACHES AND PREPARES US FOR JUST THAT, REAL LIFE. JUST HOW WE TAUGHT OUR CHILDREN, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THEM, WHAT TO EXPECT IN LIFE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TOUGH SKIN TO WRITE AND TO SUBMIT TO PUBLISHERS. I KNOW THIS ISN’T ALWAYS AN EASY THING TO ACCEPT, BUT IT IS THE TRUTH.   

     REJECTION IS A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE AND TEACHES US HOW TO REMAIN THAT WAY AND NOT GET THE BIG HEAD WHEN WE THINK WE ARE THE BEST THING SINCE SWEET POTATO PIE. (HEY IT’S THANKSGIVING HAD TO THROW THAT ONE IN.)

     ON A SERIOUS TIP, WE ALL NEED TO POSSESS A LEVEL OF HUMILITY AND COME DOWN OFF OUR HIGH HORSES AS WRITERS. WHY BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING, AND THERE IS STILL MORE TO LEARN. REJECTION IS OUR REALITY CHECK. NOW IF YOU ALLOW IT TO HOBBLE YOU THEN CLEARLY YOU DON’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT IN THIS BUSINESS. WRITING BOOKS IS A COMPETITIVE BUSINESS, AND IF YOU WANT TO ASCEND TO THE TOP LEVEL THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOUR BEST OR COME WITH YOUR (A GAME), IN PLAY.

NOT ONLY IS THIS A REFLECTION OF WHO YOU ARE AS A WRITER, BUT THE PUBLISHER TOO. A LOT IS RIDING ON BOTH REPUTATIONS. YOU HAVE TO GIVE YOUR BEST IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THE BEST. 

     TELL ME, AND BE HONEST, DO YOU REALLY WANT YOUR WORK PROMOTED BY A PUBLISHER WHO WILL ACCEPT ANYTHING? SHOW OF HANDS, I DIDN’T THINK SO.

WHO WE ARE AS WRITERS IS REFLECTED IN OUR WORK. WE’VE PUT HOURS OF TIME AND THOUGHT INTO WHAT WE DO AS SUCH.

IF YOU REMEMBER IN A FEW EPISODES BACK I TALKED ABOUT BEING CRITIQUED, YES IT’S THE PART OF THE BUSINESS WE DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT OR FACE, BUT IT IS NECESSARY. IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART THAT COMES WITH BEING A WRITER AND HAVING YOUR WORK PUBLISHED.

     I COULD GIVE YOU A LONG LIST OF (NOW FAMOUS AUTHORS) WHO EXPERIENCED REJECTION. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID, THEY DIDN’T GIVE UP! THEY PERSEVERED BECAUSE OF THE DRIVE AND DETERMINATION TO DO WHAT THEY WERE DESTINED TO BECOME.

     THAT SAME DETERMINATION IS INSIDE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

TRUST ME, I’VE EXPERIENCED REJECTION AS WELL AND IS WHY I WANTED TO DISCUSS IT. IT’S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.

THINK BACK TO A TIME WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND JUST LEARNING HOW TO RIDE A BIKE. YOU PROBABLY FELL OFF A HUNDRED TIMES, BUT YOU DIDN’T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM GETTING BACK UP AND TRYING AGAIN. LISTEN I UNDERSTAND REJECTION IS LIKE A FOOT PRESSED AGAINST YOUR WINDPIPE BECAUSE IT TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY AND THREATENS TO SUFFOCATE YOU.           NEVERTHELESS, YOU CAN OVERCOME IT IF YOU DON’T VIEW IT AND ALLOW IT TO BECOME AN OBSTACLE. BECAUSE IT’S NOT, IT’S A STEPPING STONE TO ASSIST YOU TO SUCCESS.

SOME OF YOU MIGHT EVEN ARGUE THE FACT THAT YOU’RE A GOOD WRITER AND SO WHY WOULD THEY REJECT YOU? THIS MIGHT BE TRUE BUT WOULDN’T YOU RATHER BE GREAT THAN JUST GOOD? BELIEVE IT OR NOT, REJECTION IS AN EXERCISE OF FAITH, IF YOU BELIEVE IN WHO YOU ARE AS A WRITER AND IN YOUR ABILITY TO PRODUCE PAGES OF CREATIVITY, THEN DOESN’T IT JUST MAKE SENSE TO NOT GIVE UP AND KEEP GOING?

     I DON’T HAVE A LIST OF SPECIFICS COMPILED TO GIVE YOU A STEP BY STEP OVERVIEW OF HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION. BECAUSE EACH INDIVIDUAL HANDLES IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS HELP YOU TO STAY POSITIVE, STAY FOCUSED AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD WHEN AND IF THAT DAY COMES.  

     I REALIZE IT IS SCARY, AND MAKES YOUR HEART BEAT FASTER THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE. BUT YOU WON’T SUCCUMB TO IT UNLESS YOU GIVE UP. I WAS JUST LIKE MANY OF YOU, AFRAID TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE, AND OF THE UNKNOWN. BUT IMAGINE IF I NEVER VENTURED FURTHER, I CERTAINLY WOULDN’T HAVE BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. COME ON BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, I REPEAT REJECTION IS GOOD, YES IT HURTS, BUT IT SHOULD MAKE YOU ANGRY ENOUGH TO KEEP MOVING. KEEP STRIVING FOR WHAT YOU KNOW IS A REAL POSSIBILITY.

     I HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO SOMETIMES DON’T UNDERSTAND MY LEVEL OF POSITIVITY. THEY SAY NO WAY CAN YOU BE SO UPBEAT AND UNSCATHED BY NEGATIVITY. AND WONDER IF I POSSESS SOME SUPER HUMAN POWER THAT HELPS ME TO RISE ABOVE IT ALL. NO I DON’T HAVE ANY SUPER HUMAN POWERS BUT I DO HAVE SUPERNATURAL FAITH. I TRUST AND BELIEVE ALL THAT GOD SAYS I AM AND THE GIFTS HE HAS BESTOWED UPON ME. THE GIFT OF CREATIVITY IS ONE OF THEM, THAT MEANS I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS (WHO WAS REJECTED BY HIS OWN AND MANY STILL), WHO STRENGTHENS ME, AND SO CAN YOU.