Another submission, another rejection. By now, I’ve learned to recognize the rejection letters even before opening them. The text is formatted and almost always the same. For those of you wondering, a rejection formed letter goes a little something like this:
Dear [insert your name],
Thank you for your interest in [insert name of publisher or literary agency] and for allowing us the opportunity to read [title of your novel]. Unfortunately, we don’t feel the manuscript is a good fit for us.
We wish you the best of luck placing the manuscript elsewhere.
Sincerely,
[Name of person in charge of reviewing and rejecting your submission.]
I don’t know what an acceptance letter looks like for a novel, only for an essay. When I do, you best believe I’ll share that baby here! Three editors actually took the time to give me a personalized response. In the world of literature, editors who take the time to write something personal about your work are few and far between. So, appreciate them. Thank them for their time, and most importantly, take their suggestions under advisement. I did, and my manuscript was much improved.
No matter how many rejection letters you get, remember, many famous writers got their big break by sheer luck. When J.K. Rowling’s manuscript was sent to Bloomsbury, an editor’s daughter read the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. She insisted her father read it too. And that’s how J.K. Rowling got her big break. Of course, it helps that she’s a good writer. But there are a lot of good writers out there who are not that lucky.
So, keep submitting, don’t give up. Who knows? One day you too might catch a shooting star.
My Foolish Quest to Get Published 