“MY HEART WILL GO ON”

 

                                          Overcoming Manuscript Rejections

 

When I look at today’s title, I can’t help thinking about Celine Dion and the movie Titanic. No matter how many times I’ve watched what has become a classic, I wish for a different conclusion.

I want Rose and Jack to reach dry land and a happy ending. Alas, only one of them reaches the shore.

 So, even if that was their story. That doesn’t mean your story has to end after rejection.

I know you feel heartbroken, and what’s the point of trying if no one sees how brilliant your writing skills are. You’ve written an amazing story, but no one will ever get to read it because some mean publisher rejected it.

Once authors understand that publishing is a very competitive industry, they will approach it with achievable expectations.

So don’t despair, but do come equipped with you’re A-game.

Although publishers are persnickety, they have many reasons why they reject manuscripts that have nothing to do with how it’s written.

One is, it may be too trendy. Perhaps that particular publisher isn’t searching for a story like that, or it’s not a good fit for their brand.

Another reason is they only publish specific genres. For instance, they list Romance and give a detailed description of the subgenre. I.e., Historical, Inspirational, and YA.

 However, you feel that the Speculative subgenre is still worthy of recognition regardless of its listing.

That’s not how it works, and so you shouldn’t be disappointed when it’s rejected.

One primary reason for rejection is that your audience isn’t broad enough to reach readers across a broader spectrum. Or doesn’t add substantial value that would dictate taking a risk to publish your work.

Besides any of those reasons for refusal, many other reasons exist that are writer-related.

So now comes the painful truth. The first of these is not following submission guidelines. Attention to detail on the front end is significant to how well you follow directions. Publisher requests can be very detailed and followed as prescribed.   

Otherwise, it goes straight to the slushpile.

Another cause for rejection is unedited manuscripts. Yes, some publishers advise to submit the first few chapters and don’t worry about editing. Still, if your work is filled with numerous typos and misspelled words, it may be attributed to poor writing skills, subpar writing tools, or just plain laziness.

All of these are valid reasons so remember, always place your best foot forward from the beginning. It’s better to start on the right track than having to backtrack.

A further reason for rejection is your writing requires improvement. Now, this necessarily isn’t a negative outlook but a positive one. Yes, your manuscript was rejected, but you received feedback with notes detailing your strengths and weaknesses.  

But on the upside, a single no doesn’t stop the show. Thank goodness there are many paths to publication.

Yes, you want to go the traditional route because it means validation and, in some cases, vindication.

Still, there is no reason why you can’t become an independent author while you’re waiting for your break to come.  

As a test, you want to discover how your talent will be received before submitting more substantial work to industry professionals. If it shows promise from a smaller perspective, imagine what can happen on a broader scale.

The bottom line is rejection isn’t the end of the world as you know it. Rejection is something everyone experiences at some point in their life. The point is to take it in stride. Learn from the mistakes and keep it moving.

Yesterday’s rejection is not a precedent for failure. Only accepting defeat as the final answer is.  

So submit, repeat, submit. There is no limit, and you can reach the stars or a happy ending when you overcome rejection.