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Post A Note > The Lounge > Life, The Universe, and Everything > even now.. today.. 2012.. you're still getting rejection slips??!!
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Author Topic: even now.. today.. 2012.. you're still getting rejection slips??!!  (Read 417 times)
David
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« on: May 14, 2012, 08:45:43 AM »
OK,

I've started looking through this week's newsletter and I got to one section about soliciting rejection slips and clicked on the link.  I haven't thoroughly read the article yet, but have started scanning.

Mary.. even today after all the novels you've sold, all those magazine articles, the teaching, and all your connections (you must have a bunch of connections by now!) you till get rejection slips from time to time?  I have a tough time getting my arms around that. I would think that by the time one gets to your level, editors are beating a path to your door!

  I guess we can say at least you get rejection slips. Generally, my "no thank you's" don't even result in rejection slips. I just get silence. No reply. They probably just through my submission away.

David
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Voca
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« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2012, 11:43:11 AM »
David,

You completed the BIP course. That in itself is quite an accomplishment! Please repeat that to yourself every day for this entire week. "I accomplished twelve difficult assignments!" Then next week, please create a new mantra for yourself. I understand the difference between good dialogue or poor, or anything you want to say about yourself. Or, "I can write a 500-word essay in 30 minutes." Or whatever you want to brag about. This is brag week for you, David! (Sorry, Mary, if I went off theme.)

Voca
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lizbeth
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« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2012, 12:02:01 PM »
Pretty sure everyone has been rejected.  Even the greats like James Patterson, Debbie Macomber, etc. Stephanie Meyer - not saying she's great, and say what you will about her writing (not crazy about her past the first book myself), she's laughing all the way to the bank. The key is persistence. And a great marketing plan. And a book, story or article people want to read. Or that the editor wants to read. Or the editor thinks people want to read.  Smiley  Did you query other markets? You can't just get one rejection and quit!
All my short stories have been published becasue if one place said no I continued till I got a yes!  Smiley
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Voca
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« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 12:13:38 PM »
Lizbeth, you are demonstrating the kind of persistence that feeds me. Thanks!

Voca
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spellbound
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« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2012, 03:08:26 PM »
lizbeth,

thanks for the continued encouragement to keep  on submittin'
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Dennise

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lizbeth
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« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2012, 03:16:20 PM »
Oh thanks you guys! Let's see if it works getting my novel published LOL  Wink
But really, it may be OCD of me, but I truly could not accept my stories getting published. A couple of places are no longer in business, but that's okay! 
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MaryR
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« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2012, 12:57:28 AM »
Everybody gets rejected, Lizbeth is right. David, of course I still get rejected, and yes, editors do beat a path to my door. I routinely get invites to contribute to anthologies. I'm finishing a 10.000 word novelette due June 1 right now. But I am not kidding about that apples and tomatoes analogy I often use. If I send an editor a tomato and he wants an orange, he says no thanks.  The story doesn't suit.  It was Orson Scot Card who told me that if you don't get rejection slips you're not pushing the envelope, you're just coasting. I agree with him!

Mary Rosenblum LR Web Editor
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spellbound
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« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2012, 09:17:14 AM »
Quote from: MaryR on May 16, 2012, 12:57:28 AM
It was Orson Scot Card who told me that if you don't get rejection slips you're not pushing the envelope, you're just coasting. I agree with him!

Mary Rosenblum LR Web Editor

Great quote.
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Dennise

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Brandon
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« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2012, 10:17:18 AM »
I think the author wants an apple, and I send them an apple (looks and smells like one), but when he bites in, it's grainy instead of sweet and juicy... Roll Eyes
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David
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« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2012, 01:46:44 PM »
Sometimes I think the editor is color blind!  It's an apple. I know it's an apple. Looks, feels, smells and tastes like an apple. Alas the editor just sees an orange!

David
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ann
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« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2012, 08:47:56 PM »
Or a nacho fruit. Could look like an apple at first sight. Crunch, damn not what I want.
Ann
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lizbeth
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« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2012, 08:51:51 PM »
Or...maybe the publisher/editor/agent wants an orange Wink
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dale_ivan
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« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2012, 11:14:43 AM »
I'll belatedly add my two cents to this thread--everyone gets rejected. It's hard to believe that Mary still gets rejected, but she does. I have one author friend who currently doesn't get rejected, but that's only because he's working on a contracted series of fantasy novels for a major publisher, and only writes short short fiction and essays on invitation--meaning to a market that has specifically requested he write something.

Earlier this year I had a very near miss with an historical fantasy novelette that I'd collaborated on with a very talented writer who has more professional credits than I, including having won an award. The editor essentially asked to see a rewrite on our original submission, and after due consideration, passed on it. I understand that that's rare, but it does happen. He also encouraged us to submit again  Wink

It helps me to think of rejections as "thanks, but no thanks." The editor simply said that they are passing on the piece. And, unless they tell you, you don't know why, and it's better to not waste time on "rejectomancy" and struggle to figure out why. Like my friend writing the fantasy series told me after I had a story I'd worked very hard on rejected last year, you never know what else they were looking at when you submitted. A very good point to keep in mind.
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somebeach
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« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2012, 01:10:19 PM »
 Smiley Hi, I'm a necomer, I would be totally, totally thrilled that I had compelted any thing that was good enough to submit. I'm sure down the road, that will change.
I don't have that confidence yet. For now, the goal is have something of interes to write, and to keep writting. I am in the BIP course, and just finished assignment #3. Yeah! When the editted lesson was returned, it didn't have quite as many corrections as #2 had. So, progress is in the baby steps.
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spellbound
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« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2012, 01:57:10 PM »
Welcome somebeach

Glad your writing career is going the way you want. Keep us updated and be sure to let us know when you BIP.
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Dennise

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