60 rejections, now a worldwide bestseller – Katherine Stockett, The Help
“Get a day job” – JK Rowling, Harry Potter
14 rejections – Twilight, Stephanie Mayer
“You have no business being a writer and should give up” – Zane Gray who now has some 250 million copies in print
“It is so badly written” – Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
25 rejections, then sells 7 million copies – Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveller’s Wife
5 rejections before winning The Man Booker prize – Yann Martel, Life of Pi
There are many, many more examples. (info from: http://www.litrejections.com)
I KNOW it’s hard, I KNOW what a minuscule percentage of writers pick up an agent early on in their submissions (I wrote about the lengthy and difficult process of getting a book published here My book ~ the deadline is set ), but hey, you can’t help what you feel.
I have received my first rejection.
Eloise, wishing you the best for your book. You write a lovely blog, so for sure your book is special.
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Thank you, Ratnamurti. I appreciate your kindness
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How wonderful to have written a book and how interesting to see how many well known authors suffered rejection when they began their writing career. Rejection is always tough but, as Bless commented, when you are famous I’ll be able to say that I know you through blogging!!
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Should I ever become famous, rest assured, I shall not forget my friends!
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Onwards and upwards! Yes, believe in yourself and keep going, as Bless says!
Margaret P
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Absolutely, Margaret!
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Oh, I’m sorry, it must be so disheartening 😦 But nothing worth having comes easily so onwards and upwards x
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Totally expected, Alison, but one can’t help feeling a little downhearted.
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Someone will see the value in your book! Keep submitting! Go for 100 no’s….😜
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Eeek! Not sure that I could I sustain the momentum of submitting 100 times! But I know that my feedback has been good so I shall keep trying.
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I’m sorry Eloise. Rejection of any kind is difficult. Keep at it and one day it will happen for you. X
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It is, Jules, but fully expected. Imaging how Katharine Stockett must have felt – SIXTY rejections! And yet ‘The Help’ turned out to be a major bestseller.
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Oh, no, but to be expected, I suppose. I know you won’t give up, Eloise because look how far you’ve got – you have a book that you finished writing – just wow! Yes, believe in yourself and keep going – well done and good luck x
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I know, Penny. I can barely believe I actually finished it!
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To get a rejection, you had to complete a book.
How many people never manage to finish what they start???
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Thanks Linda. I must admit to feeling thrilled at actually completing it!
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Don’t give up x
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No chance of that, Marlene!
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I’m sorry. One day, when you are a published author with a million or more copies sold, you can look back on your first rejection and laugh. In the meantime, believe in yourself and keep going.
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Haha, thank you for you’re encouragement, Bless.
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