Rejections? I’ve had a few…

Just a little moment to discuss rejection and how to cope with it.

We’ve all been there as writers (those of us that have finally screwed up the courage to send our work into the world — those that haven’t done that yet — DO IT!)

I’m not going to say it isn’t a blow to find a template rejection in your inbox. Or worse, radio silence. Please bare (bear?)in mind that I have had responses sometimes 6 months after querying. One 9 months later. These things can take a long time. However, you do need to tell yourself a better story than ‘maybe I’m not good enough’ or ‘they hate me,’ or ‘no one will ever get my work, what’ s the point?’.

No one is saying these things but you (unless that email did specifically say those things, in which case, woah — time for a large glass of wine, before sticking up two fingers and carrying on with writing just to spite them).

There are many better stories to try out in your head: It hasn’t found its right home yet, it hasn’t found the agent that connects with it yet, it could just be bad timing and those agents are just too busy or stressed.

Should you be lucky enough to actually get feedback — in which case — thank them, because they are busy people). You will likely see comments like these:

1. I admire it but it isn’t for me — this is genuinely encouraging. They liked it. But they must represent those books that are to their taste, in order to be an effective agent. SOLUTION: QUERY MORE AGENTS (and do your research to make sure they are agents who have a taste for writing like yours).
2. I thought it was great but I am representing something too similar right now — Again — encouraging. They liked it. They genuinely don’t feel they can represent you because it would conflict with their duty to an existing writer on their books (and wouldn’t you want that kind of agent?) SOLUTION: QUERY MORE AGENTS (and do your research to make sure they are agents who have a taste for writing like yours). Also — you could cheekily ask if they know an agent who would like it also.
3. I admired it but I just didn’t connect with it enough — so agents are humans (I know!). They will feel more of connection with something that chimes with their own experiences / wishes / character, etc. They want to represent something that speaks to them and drives them on to read more, whatever that it. And, here’s the thing, that will be different for all agents.
   There are two possibilities going on here: A) Your book just didn’t chime with the agent because — well it just doesn’t sing to them. B) Your book didn’t connect with them because you need to work on ensuring your MC’s motivations are driving the reader to care (and driving the plot). SOLUTION A: TRY QUERYING MORE AGENTS. DITTO ON RESEARCH.
   SOLUTION B: Read or better, have a writing group or beta reader feedback to you on whether they feel involved in your book, if they care about your MC, etc. They need to be honest, and you need to take it on board. you may feel invested in your MC’s journey but do others? If you are hearing something like comment 3) a lot, I suggest solution B stat.
4. I admire the writing but I cannot see a market for it — or words along those lines. They may not put it like this but agents / publishers are in the business of selling books. SOLUTION: Your query letter and synopsis need to firmly ground your work in a marketable genre. Find books to compare it to (don’t go mad or overstate connections — ‘my book is the next ‘Girl on a Train’. Instead choose bit of books to mash up ‘It has the surprise twists of Girl on a Train with the slow build up of suspense of ‘blah, blah’). If you can’t place it in a genre, neither can they.

If you only ever receive radio silence or form rejections (I have to point out, you can have been rejected more than 50 times and still be a beginner at this — and you can still go on to get accepted by someone , even after 180 ‘nopes’ — it only takes one).

However, if you are getting a lot of this, I would urge you to take a long, hard, honest look at your query letter and synopsis. There are plenty of blogs and lots of advice out there on these. Listen well. Those documents have to get your agent / publishers attention amongst a massive, growing pile of submissions in their inbox. You have to stand out. Then you have to dangle the carrot (cake) of intrigue, excitement, the hook that gets them to want to read the first 3 chapters. And those 3 chapters have to tickle their fancy even further to request a full MS.
If you are struggling, and you can see it isn’t working, or you can’t see why it isn’t working but it just isn’t, then I would say it is wholly worth enlisting a professional here — yes pay for a professional editor to look over and comment on your query package. I have no connections with such services and have no recommendations. Perhaps on a writers’ forum, ask for recommendations.

Anyhoo — that is my tuppenny’s worth.

Receiving feedback with your rejections? Tell yourself better stories and be positive. KEEP GOING.

Getting radio silence and/or form rejections: Be honest with yourself. Do you need to do some work on your query package?

Do your research and seek help from others.

REMEMBER: IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO SAY YES!