My first rejection letter arrived this morning. I wasn't surprised. Since submitting the synopsis for my book, the title has changed, and so has much of the story. I sent in the first two chapters when I had only written 30,000 words. Now the book contains 85,000 words set out in 24 chapters. I suppose it is a matter of continuing to rework and resubmit. The book will be published, I just need to find the right agent to take it forward. Any encouragement gratefully received.

Dear Sandlewood,

Please don't be discouraged, as this is your first rejection you will come to realise that unless you are extremely lucky, this is all part of the process. I'm sure many members can tell you their experiences in this department - but hang in there. Sometimes when you go back to a piece after a period of time, you'll see quite clearly why it might have been rejected and you can use this as a positive opportunity to improve your work then send it again to someone else. Hope this is helpful, and good luck!

Jubbly

Sorry for mispelling your user name, I'm rubbish without a spell check.

Jubbly

I'm really not looking forward to the first time I have to face a rejection letter. Probably why I continue to hesitate and not submit my work to anyone...

You never know, there might never be a first time. Just go for it - nothing ventured.....and other predictable old cliches.

I suppose the trouble could be that if I rework it every time I get a rejection slip it will end up being nothing like the book I initially intended to write. Now that could be a good thing, but I suppose there needs to be a discipline about immediately revising everytime there is a thud on the doorstep. So perhaps I should leave it as it is and submit it again? I am also considering buying a thicker carpet in the hallway to reduce the sound of the thud. I knew the moment I heard it what it was.

Very funny about the carpet - I try out different handwriting on the SAE so I don't get such an immediate disappointment. I think at this point, you need to make your synopsis and first three chapters are as near to perfect as you can - then if that brings in the right results you can re-think your book.

Cheers

Jubbly

Also, have a look at Katie William's interview (agent) newly on site- she makes a very useful point about the letter you send out with your chapters/etc.

Will do, thanks Anna.

Hope it's of some help. In all honesty, I feel terrible every time I have to write one of those letters. But don't take it personally (easily said I know). It's a case of perservering until you find the right agent for you.
Good luck for next time!
Katie

Do I hold the record at 28 rejections? Despite this, I have the certainty that my book will be published - am I stubborn, egotistical or just plain mad.
I too am continuously revising and now feel that my MS is ready but I have used up 27 agents/publishers. Will they notice if I start at the beginning again?
Sue

Sandalwood,
You have to learn to live with rejection. It is a fact of life for the vast - and I mean vast - majority of us. I've lost count of the number of rejections I've had. Most of them have been along the lines of the agent not having the capacity to take on any more clients but some were more painful.
One of them - when the agent liked the first two chapters, asked to see the whole novel, and then rejected it - quite devastated me for days. But I got over it and the same agent is now reading another of my novels.

What I would advise is don't go off half-cocked. Make sure you are happy that your manuscript is fully polished before you send it off to an agent. They do seem to have long memories.

Good luck.
Dee.

Thanks Dee and Sue, very encouraging. I will keep working on it and I won't give up. It will be published one day. I didn't expect to have it published first time, but I guess I wasn't prepared for the feeling that comes with that first rejection. I suppose we all put a lot into the work we produce, and it is a very personal thing to have something that means so much rejected. It's probably a bit like someone coming up and saying 'your kid is ugly'.

Yes, but at least when someone insults you to your face you have the option of slapping them. Just kidding.

My fear of rejection has escalated into a kind of misguided megalomania. They're all mad! And all wrong! Don't they recognise the works of a genius when they see it!? When that fails, I find crying for days and setting fire to stray kittens usually helps assuage the pain.

Seriously though, I once heard it said that if you're not getting rejected you're doing something wrong. After applying these philisophical codes to my own fear/rage/disappointment of rejection, I found I became quite immune to it. More than that, it began spilling over into my personal life. If I didn't get the job, to hell with it. If I got dumped...well, that's life...

Soon, I was smiling at every rejection, and even applying an agent's trusted methods to my own situations:
Thank you for applying for the position of boyfriend. I regret on this occasion I cannot offer you the job, but thank you for thinking of us, and do continue with your efforts to find a placement' etc. etc.

If you want a good site to make you feel better about rejection, and be well on your way to becoming a professional rejectee like me, visit : www.rejectioncollection.com

You'll all feel a whole lot better, trust me

James x

At least you got that far! Two weeks ago I sent out my first letter/synopsis/sample chapters so am really expecting (so I tell myself) my first rejection through soon. Of course I tell everyone that but secretly hope that I will get a telephone call/letter/anything telling me how wonderful my work is! Is it better to be overly optimistic or just realistic? I don't know! Anyway, you should probably frame your first rejection and keep it to hand when you're writing. They (whoever they were) may not have wanted you - the fools!!! - but others will! Keep trying and the very best of luck.