What Do You Do When You’re Rejected by Literary Agents?
When I last left you I had just left the James River Writing Conference with a full head of steam.
I sent out an email to all seven agents who had my novel. I updated them on my wonderful Pitchapalooza news, commitment of a blurb from a New York Times Best Selling author, all the while not asking for an update.
What was the response? Silence. Yep, nothing. My insecurities rose and I began to stress.
Two days later I received an email from the agent at the conference who requested my manuscript—rejection. Crap! I told myself this wasn’t her type of book anyway, but my confidence was beginning to dwindle.
A day later I received this email from agent Jeff XXXXXX:
“So I’ve given this a look and was disappointed to find that the first 150 pages on my e-reader was devoted to back-story before the characters get into war time. This won’t work! You need to leap right into the story and just develop the back-story in the occasional flashback. If you do revise it you can come back to me.”
Great advice and I really appreciated Jeff taking the time to let me know this, unlike some agents who apparently just threw my submission into the trash because I never heard from them. But I still thought some agent would take a chance with me.
A couple days later I received a thin envelope from agent Susan XXXXXX. I knew it wasn’t good news. It wasn’t.
“Thank you for sending me Paws on the Ground. I enjoyed your detail description of the circumstances that lead to the protagonists to enlist and inner conflict the protagonists feel after graduating high school. However I feel this manuscript is not ready for representation. There are places in the beginning of the novel where the writing is not fluid and the pacing feels slow. Paws on the Ground would benefit from a couple more rounds of revision, but unfortunately this project is not for us.”
A few weeks ago I was sailing on top of the world full of confidence and now my sail was sliced and diced! I still held out in hopes of one agent–Scott XXXXXX.
Four days later I received an email from agent Scott XXXXX. Heart pounding and head spinning I opened the email from my initial dream agent. Rejection. It appeared to be a form letter rejection.
O my….now my world went spinning downwards, but I needed to get it under control. So I did the unthinkable and emailed him back two days later. I asked him a simple question:
“If you could give you one or two pointers on what would have made a difference, I would really appreciate it.”
His response:
“I felt that the narrative was not fast paced enough and that it took too long until we got to the heart of the story.”
Damn it….. I knew this was going to be a problem. I knew if I could get the agents into the book that they would love it. But guess what? This is not a good strategy! You need to grab your reader and agent right away. Teach them something new or excite them immediately.
Scott was kind enough to agree to re-read my novel if I edited the book. He recommended I hire an experienced commercial fiction editor to guide me through the novel. He also gave me two recommendations of commercial editors that he works with frequently.
I’m new to this business, but I’m not senseless. I had three agents tell me the same thing and a host of high-level agents reject my submission. I came to terms with the fact that there was something wrong with my submission. I didn’t dwell on the rejection. I realized I needed to fix it. In my world failure is not an option.
But with a new baby coming and money already invested in the first edit I agonized over the next step. I discussed this dilemma with my wife. Since we moved to Virginia Megan had left behind her job in North Carolina. We weren’t hurting for money, but our bank account was basically drained.
“If I don’t try, then I will regret this the rest of life. The only failure in life is not trying,” I told her.
She hugged me and said, “Kevin, I support whatever you decide. I don’t want you to regret this for the rest of your life.”
I knew I had her blessing so I took the next logical step. I consulted with my trusted mentor Ginger Moran who encouraged me to find an editor that was deeply intertwined in the New York publishing world.
I still hadn’t heard from the Book Doctor, David Sterry, and wanted to before hiring an editor. But I commenced my search for a new editor. I also began a new list of agents who had requested a re-submission. I began with two.
I was down, but I wasn’t defeated. They hadn’t seen the last of me.
Note: Originally I had actual agent names in my posts. I received some advice to remove them. It is probably for the best so I decided to remove them.
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56 comments on “What Do You Do When You’re Rejected by Literary Agents?”
Leave a Reply
Wanda517 says: Kevin,
You have the right attitude! I hope you find the right editor to tweak the novel, so that you can get it published soon.
You have some fans waiting for word of availability of “Paws on the Ground”!
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Kevin Hanrahan says:
Hi Wanda. Thank you. I did find the right editor. I will describe my editor search in a future post. I learned a bunch of stuff about editors that I will share with everyone.
Kevin,
You received some great feedback. So many rejections are form letters. I know you won’t give up and I’ll be first in line to buy your book.
Remember, it’s the stubborn/ persistent writers that publish. We don’t wilt in the face of feedback, rejection, or exhaustion.
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Thank you Leila. I have faith in myself so I know you are correct. I was lucky there was interest in the book. I actually received submission requests, talked with agents and had some that wanted to see the revision. So I was down but not defeated.
Next week I will describe what I did to right this ship!
Jack says: And then, the rest of the story.
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Hi Jack. I was certainly flying high for a spell there. I was quickly grounded. But nothing comes easy in life. So I knew this was only the beginning of this journey.
Carrie Daws says: Great attitude!! It’s authors with the ability that it truly might be their manuscript that will end up making it in the end. Keep working, Kevin!!
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Thank you Carrie. One thing I ‘be learned through this process is that just because you and maybe your friends think that your manuscript is ready for publication doesn’t mean that it is.
Another thing I learned…. Your product has to be near perfect for an agent to take a chance on you. Almost is not good enough.
Kevin, the hard knock lessons you are learning are what we all go through. Are you familiar with the term “inciting incident?” Think of it like you’re walking along the road of life, and everything is on track. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you get hit by something that turns your life around 180 degrees! It’s the inciting incident where the story begins. Weave backstory in a few lines here, a revealing dialogue there. Identify goal, motivation and conflict for your character right up front: What does he want. Why does he want it, and what prevents him (internal and external) from reaching his goal.
Remember: The average length of time for a writer to go from that first novel to publication is TEN years.
Remember: There are no unpublished writers. There are only writers who quit.
Remember: First novels being published are a rarity. It’s generally the 2nd or 3rd where you hit your stride, find your voice and have honed your craft to the degree necessary.
AND, a critique group comprised of other writers in your genre will help you learn and grow as a writer. They’re free, while editors are not. You can find writing organizations locally, or writing communities online. I highly recommend joining a critique group you can trust and connect with. Also, check around for Beta readers. These are non-related, non-writer people willing to read your stuff and give you honest feedback.
FINALLY: Don’t give up.
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Thanks for the great advice Barbara. I had to learn the hard way! As I outline my second novel there is a lot more thought put into the structure. Last time I just wrote.
I am hoping to beet that 10 year mark! My first novel will be published even if I have to do it myself. Don’t worry ……I am not quitting….. I just needed to formulate a new plan!
I’m really interested in that Beta reader thing. I will keep on the look out for a critique group. Thanks again!
sally lowen says: Hang in there. Anyone who has worked. with MWDogs can certainly handle a few agents, editors, and publishers. Those who have worked with “maligators” can handle anything! Good luck and I will certainly buy the book.
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Thank you very much Sally. Don’t worry….my book will be published! It is just a matetr of time.
Steve Shaffer says: Sounds like you got good advice. I remember reading a book on the making of the Star Trek series (the original one, which is the one I grew up on) and one of the writers guidelines was to catch the audience attention in the first 30 seconds. Why? Because that was how long until the first commercial break. Think the same in writing, catch their attention before the next (whatever) break. I also remember J. Michael Straczynski talking about the parts of a story in the Babylon 5 dvd extras. See this for the 5 parts of a story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure. Yeah, bit of an SF buff. (that’s Sci Fi NOT Special Forces!)
You WILL succeed!
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Hi Steve. Thanks for the advice. I think I’ve got it now. Well, at least I think I do. Grabbing the reader right away is critical. I’ve been practicing with my blog posts.
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You sure have, love the cliff hangers with Chuck and Noah. That’s definitely in the right direction. Waiting for the next part of Chuck and Noah for sure!
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Thanks Steve. Noah really did turn Chuck into a machine. Or maybe it was the other way around…..details to follow.
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Hi Kevin,
If you are still in search of an editor, I have a great one! Feel free to contact me. I’m happy to share her information.
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Thank you very much Claudia. I did find an editor. I will detail my search in the next post in this series!
Don’t be disheartened. The journey is truly worth it. I know you’re probably not writing a romance, but Romance Writers of America (rwa.org) has several chapters for writers in each state. They offer hundreds of online writing courses for authors at all different stages of skill and experience that are taught by multi-published authors–some NYT and USA Today bestselling. You can network with published authors at the meetings or conferences. They are usually low-cost, short duration online courses. Plus, they have an annual conference and many local conferences with agents and editors. Might be worth checking it out. And if, once you feel your book is truly ready–if you think NY is closed to it, you can always self-publish….
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Thanks Elaine. I felt a really good connection the folks at the James River Writers organization. Getting the time to participate more is my problem. I agree though….conferences are a great way to meet folks and make connections!
Kevin,
I love your tenacity of trial, error, accomplishments and not letting the world punch you down. I also respect your openess and sharing the support of your friends and family. There are two leadership stories I have been meaning to send you that I think you would appreciate. You wear the armor of success in the way you blog, write, family, and fight for a cause. You are right you don’t know unless you try to fulfill out your passion. You are exactly where your are supposed to be learning, turning, changing, experiencing. There will be a book for you are Kevin Hanrahan and failure is not an option:). It will come into being. Thank you for sharing this learning process on your blog and your downs and ups. We are all cheering for you.
Sincerely,
Adriana Johnson
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Thanks Adriana. I think writing and sharing my experiences is like therapy for me. When I first tried to break into this world there really wasn’t a lot of info (my opinion). If I can help one aspiring author follow in my footsteps and maybe learn from my mistake or something I did well then I will be happy!
I know my novel will be published. With awesome people like you supporting me Adriana….It is only a matter of time….
Julia Hugo Rachel says: If writing a book was easy, more people would do it. If creating a best seller was easy, then there would not be the “Best Sellers List”.
Is being a Soldier Easy? Nope. You’ve made a move, had a new baby and are in the midst of marketing your book. This is tough Stuff. Yet, your wife remains supportive and your readers beg you to continue by writing words of encouragement. You have the right stuff as a leader, a soldier and a writer. Rejection is just another word for a better door about to open. Can’t wait to hear about that open door.
BTW, I am not saying the rejection does not sting. I am in the same boat. I just lace my boots up tighter. Determination and quality and integrity travel far.
Best,
Julia
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That is exactly what my mom told me Julia! Though I was shocked to see just how many folks do write books. I have many people tell me it wasn’t until their 2nd or 3rd book that they were published. I plan to break that mold!
One door shuts and another opens!
You have a really good blog Kevin. It is much better than those of many published writers. So yes…you can write.
You just need to find the peg the agents need to get interested and from your comments you are already working on it.
Good luck – even though persistence does a better job than luck, and you seem to have plenty of that too.
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Hi Sheila. Thank you. You are right…I did have interest right away….I just needed to fix my novel! I hope to share my lessons learned with all aspiring authors.
I take some luck to go with my determination…..I”ll take any help I can get!
I don’t have time to read all the comments, Kevin, so excuse me if someone else already suggested this, but I think you should consider dividing your book into two books. The agents seem to like the stories of the dogs at war. Give them that story. After that book is published, your readers may want to know more about the dogs and handlers, which would be the time to mention that you are working on a book telling the story of their training. Just a thought.
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Great suggestion…thank you. I did take drastic action which I will describe in a future post. But the bottom line is I gave them what they wanted. Before Afghanistan began at page 221…now it begins by page 28. I learned how to intertwine the backstory into the book through the editing process.
I am impressed and enchanted with all 3 sides of you. What you’re doing here is more than blogging…if you ask me it’s teaching us a lesson about true values . Allow me to kiss you on the cheek.
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Thank you very much.
I’m amazed you got the one agent to give you that much time. It seems most are busier (or they pretend to be) than the President. Glad to hear you’re persistent! The one thing I have learned is the opening sentence & chapter have to capture the reader’s interest. Good luck!
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Hi Dennis. Thank you. I was told that them giving me time was based on the fact that they saw the potential in the book. I am not sure if it was true but I chose to believe it. Any piece of hope is helpful!
Your story is very inspiring to all of us writers! Persistence is definitely the key. I think you’re on the right track with an editor, but I have to say, a good critique group, either local or online, has proved to be the most cost-effective and easiest way to hone your craft. I wish you were in my area. We would welcome you into the group with open arms!
Good luck to you. Keep the faith!
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Hi Melissa. Thank you. My problem when I started all this I was in Afghanistan. When I returned and started querying for my book I was in the middle of a move from North Carolina to Virginia. Then I was advised by an agent to get experienced assistance with the edit. Now as I begin the second novel I am comfortable with my editor. As I’ll explain in a future post…..he makes me do much of the work. I saw the money spent on hiring an editor equal to any other investment. Now I just see it as a business expense. I’m still interested in a critique group and beta reads though.
Although the responses you received were not the ones you wanted, it seems they area ll telling you the same thing, so you’re lucky inthat regard. You know what to do, and you have the right attitude, so go for it. You have nothing to lose.
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Hi Virginia. I was told the same thing and it took me a bit to realize that the responses weren’t all bad. The constructive ones gave me hope and the will to push on! I am sure glad I did.
Getting rejection letters means you are on the path. Soon, you will come to think of them as little road markers, and when you become published, almost immediately you will speak of them warmly, and tell stories about how many of them you received before an editor or agent recognized your brilliance!
Anyone who appreciates soldiers and dogs as much as you do must write with a lot of heart. Looking forward to reading your book…someday soon!
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Hi Jillian. I laugh about that really nasty one now. I’m a pretty resilient guy….. I also believe in the message of the book. It is powerful, pure and real. I only received that on nasty rejection…the others were all pleasant to me. I believe that being an active duty Soldier helps….I mean how can you be rude to a Soldier right? But you are so right….. now that I recently signed with an agent….I know that the others missed an opportunity. Now we have to sell the book!
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You both gave me an “idea”. Put all the nice rejection, nasty rejection letters/emails, notes of the nasty telephone calls (I actually wrote “notes” as I was being berated) and place them in a binder. Put the binder AWAY; in the attick, in the barn, out of sight, etc
Years later after the book hits the best seller list, take that binder out and BURN IT. We can have a burning binder party. Between all of us in this process, it might be cathartic! I am going to do this.
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Hi Julie. At least they called you! LOL….. a lot of mine I just never heard from again. I’m not sure if I want to get rid of them to be honest with you. I thrive off challenge….. I may need them to remind me how far I’ve come! Of course maybe you are right…burn em and forget sounds fun!
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Kevin,
That totally sucks. I’m sorry. I completely feel your pain. I admire your attitude and wish I could be so positive after reading my gazillion rejections. I manage your kind of outlook about 5% of the time. I’m trying to up that percentage, one day at a time. Good luck to you!
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Hi Meredith. I am lucky so this whole writing thing for me isn’t how I pay the bills. So at least I don’t have that stress. I was lucky that folks were talking to me still…..those agents gave me hope and I really appreciated that. Hope is what gets us through those days that nothing is going right!
Great post Kevin.
Congratulations on have a never fail attitude… I could learn something from you… I often fall over in failure for a day before going again.
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Hi Michelle. Thank you. I can honestly say there were some dark days for me as well. Hope and my determination to succeed were the two things that kept me going. I was taught as a young Army staff officer not to take my work too personal. Sure I poured my heart into the first edition but I didn’t take the attitude—– Well this is the book…it is great…and you should love it….you don’t want to sign me…what is your problem? My attitude was more like….. you enjoyed it…it needs work….OK…. how can we realize the book’s full potential?
Kevin, rejection sucks, bottom line. But, to get that much feedback from agents is really a good thing. Typically, they don’t take the time. If an agent says revise and you can resend…that’s also a positive. So often, it’s a one-shot deal.
You’ll get there. Clearly, you have tenacity and a worthwhile story to tell.
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Hi Marney. When you receive rejections you can do a few things:
1. Burrow you head in the sand and never come out
2. Nothing and continue to query
3. Listen to what folks are telling you and tweak you productObvious for me #1 was not an option. I could have done #2 but I am not that egotistical to believe I know more than a host of literary agents. So I chose #3. I agree though…. I was lucky that several agents were kind enough to provide me feedback.
Getting information like that in a rejection is GOLDEN. I know it seems disheartening, but when I put together all the scraps of feedback I got in rejections — plus what I learned during TWO Revise & Resubmits that still ended in rejection — I ended up crafting a story that I KNEW was a lot stronger. And then it caught the eye of an agent who was perfect for me. If I hadn’t gone through all that rejection and revision BEFORE I queried her, I would’ve missed out on an amazing agent.
As the picture at the top of your post suggests, Full Steam Ahead!
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Hi Dianne. I completely agree with you. I would have never landed an agent if I didn’t learn from my initial round of submissions. That is a message I want to spread for aspiring authors like myself.
Working with an experienced fiction editor on the revision was amazing. I was blown away by the insight he provided on top of the insight I received from the agents. The novel was SO much better after the revision. The book was firing on all cylinders when I resubmitted.
Chelsea says: Just want to say that I can’t wait to read your story when it does come out! Of course it’s going to happen! I’m excited for you and as you know nothing worthwhile is ever easy to achieve.
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Thank you Chelsea. If it were easy then………
Joseph says: For what it’s worth, the agents aren’t beling lazy when they insist that you grab the reader in the first few pages: they know THEIR market — book editors!
I worked in book publishing for 10 years. Started as an editorial assistant and moved through the ranks. Unless you’re an already established author with a prominent sales record (in which case, the quality of the manuscript itself doesn’t matter, because what’s being sold is the name on the front cover), you are lucky if an editor reads more than 10 pages of your manuscript.
Is it because THEY’RE lazy? No. It’s because the volume of submissions is so heavy. 95% of blind submissions are never even OPENED; those from agents will get the courtesy of being glanced at — but literally, just that. GLANCED. If I gave just 10 minutes to every manuscript that crossed my desk, I’d work a 50 hour week and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but read incoming submissions. The volume of manuscripts that come in to at any given publishing house is staggering.
Is it fair? Nope. But that’s the reality of the business. Editors simply don’t have time to see where a story is going. If you can;t grab their interest in the first few pages, the volume of work requires them to push you off to the side and pick up the next.
Now if you DO hold them in your first 5-10 pages, then you’ve at least bought yourself another 15 minutes of the editor’s attention….
Once you’re a “working author,” feel free to take all the time you want to build your story. But for that first book, when you’re just one among literally thousands of anonymous people with access to paper and a keyboard, you literally have to grab the reader from page one.
Kevin Hanrahan says: Hi Joseph. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.
I’ll take it a step further. From the eyes of an average reader……the American public has a short attention span….if you don’t grab them right away then you are in trouble. Then you also have to keep them.
I also think about wandering a bookstore and looking at the thousands of books….how do you grab my attention if I’ve never heard of you?
Agreed if you are a writer with name recognition then the readers come because they have faith that you will deliver…… so you can take a little time…..a reader will have patience with you.
Now if you are someone like me without name recognition….then you don’t get any of that from the reader. I have to assume that agents, editors and publishing houses know this.
Kevin Hanrahan says: Hi Martha. Thank you!
This is what I think every time I get a rejection letter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdd6_ZxX8c
Keep at it! Good luck on your journey!
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Nice Sara!
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My Tweets
Kevin,
You have the right attitude! I hope you find the right editor to tweak the novel, so that you can get it published soon.
You have some fans waiting for word of availability of “Paws on the Ground”!
Hi Wanda. Thank you. I did find the right editor. I will describe my editor search in a future post. I learned a bunch of stuff about editors that I will share with everyone.
Kevin,
You received some great feedback. So many rejections are form letters. I know you won’t give up and I’ll be first in line to buy your book.
Remember, it’s the stubborn/ persistent writers that publish. We don’t wilt in the face of feedback, rejection, or exhaustion.
Thank you Leila. I have faith in myself so I know you are correct. I was lucky there was interest in the book. I actually received submission requests, talked with agents and had some that wanted to see the revision. So I was down but not defeated.
Next week I will describe what I did to right this ship!
And then, the rest of the story.
Hi Jack. I was certainly flying high for a spell there. I was quickly grounded. But nothing comes easy in life. So I knew this was only the beginning of this journey.
Great attitude!! It’s authors with the ability that it truly might be their manuscript that will end up making it in the end. Keep working, Kevin!!
Thank you Carrie. One thing I ‘be learned through this process is that just because you and maybe your friends think that your manuscript is ready for publication doesn’t mean that it is.
Another thing I learned…. Your product has to be near perfect for an agent to take a chance on you. Almost is not good enough.
Kevin, the hard knock lessons you are learning are what we all go through. Are you familiar with the term “inciting incident?” Think of it like you’re walking along the road of life, and everything is on track. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you get hit by something that turns your life around 180 degrees! It’s the inciting incident where the story begins. Weave backstory in a few lines here, a revealing dialogue there. Identify goal, motivation and conflict for your character right up front: What does he want. Why does he want it, and what prevents him (internal and external) from reaching his goal.
Remember: The average length of time for a writer to go from that first novel to publication is TEN years.
Remember: There are no unpublished writers. There are only writers who quit.
Remember: First novels being published are a rarity. It’s generally the 2nd or 3rd where you hit your stride, find your voice and have honed your craft to the degree necessary.
AND, a critique group comprised of other writers in your genre will help you learn and grow as a writer. They’re free, while editors are not. You can find writing organizations locally, or writing communities online. I highly recommend joining a critique group you can trust and connect with. Also, check around for Beta readers. These are non-related, non-writer people willing to read your stuff and give you honest feedback.
FINALLY: Don’t give up.
Thanks for the great advice Barbara. I had to learn the hard way! As I outline my second novel there is a lot more thought put into the structure. Last time I just wrote.
I am hoping to beet that 10 year mark! My first novel will be published even if I have to do it myself. Don’t worry ……I am not quitting….. I just needed to formulate a new plan!
I’m really interested in that Beta reader thing. I will keep on the look out for a critique group. Thanks again!
Hang in there. Anyone who has worked. with MWDogs can certainly handle a few agents, editors, and publishers. Those who have worked with “maligators” can handle anything! Good luck and I will certainly buy the book.
Thank you very much Sally. Don’t worry….my book will be published! It is just a matetr of time.
Sounds like you got good advice. I remember reading a book on the making of the Star Trek series (the original one, which is the one I grew up on) and one of the writers guidelines was to catch the audience attention in the first 30 seconds. Why? Because that was how long until the first commercial break. Think the same in writing, catch their attention before the next (whatever) break. I also remember J. Michael Straczynski talking about the parts of a story in the Babylon 5 dvd extras. See this for the 5 parts of a story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure. Yeah, bit of an SF buff. (that’s Sci Fi NOT Special Forces!)
You WILL succeed!
Hi Steve. Thanks for the advice. I think I’ve got it now. Well, at least I think I do. Grabbing the reader right away is critical. I’ve been practicing with my blog posts.
You sure have, love the cliff hangers with Chuck and Noah. That’s definitely in the right direction. Waiting for the next part of Chuck and Noah for sure!
Thanks Steve. Noah really did turn Chuck into a machine. Or maybe it was the other way around…..details to follow.
Hi Kevin,
If you are still in search of an editor, I have a great one! Feel free to contact me. I’m happy to share her information.
Thank you very much Claudia. I did find an editor. I will detail my search in the next post in this series!
Don’t be disheartened. The journey is truly worth it. I know you’re probably not writing a romance, but Romance Writers of America (rwa.org) has several chapters for writers in each state. They offer hundreds of online writing courses for authors at all different stages of skill and experience that are taught by multi-published authors–some NYT and USA Today bestselling. You can network with published authors at the meetings or conferences. They are usually low-cost, short duration online courses. Plus, they have an annual conference and many local conferences with agents and editors. Might be worth checking it out. And if, once you feel your book is truly ready–if you think NY is closed to it, you can always self-publish….
Thanks Elaine. I felt a really good connection the folks at the James River Writers organization. Getting the time to participate more is my problem. I agree though….conferences are a great way to meet folks and make connections!
Kevin,
I love your tenacity of trial, error, accomplishments and not letting the world punch you down. I also respect your openess and sharing the support of your friends and family. There are two leadership stories I have been meaning to send you that I think you would appreciate. You wear the armor of success in the way you blog, write, family, and fight for a cause. You are right you don’t know unless you try to fulfill out your passion. You are exactly where your are supposed to be learning, turning, changing, experiencing. There will be a book for you are Kevin Hanrahan and failure is not an option:). It will come into being. Thank you for sharing this learning process on your blog and your downs and ups. We are all cheering for you.
Sincerely,
Adriana Johnson
Thanks Adriana. I think writing and sharing my experiences is like therapy for me. When I first tried to break into this world there really wasn’t a lot of info (my opinion). If I can help one aspiring author follow in my footsteps and maybe learn from my mistake or something I did well then I will be happy!
I know my novel will be published. With awesome people like you supporting me Adriana….It is only a matter of time….
If writing a book was easy, more people would do it. If creating a best seller was easy, then there would not be the “Best Sellers List”.
Is being a Soldier Easy? Nope. You’ve made a move, had a new baby and are in the midst of marketing your book. This is tough Stuff. Yet, your wife remains supportive and your readers beg you to continue by writing words of encouragement. You have the right stuff as a leader, a soldier and a writer. Rejection is just another word for a better door about to open. Can’t wait to hear about that open door.
BTW, I am not saying the rejection does not sting. I am in the same boat. I just lace my boots up tighter. Determination and quality and integrity travel far.
Best,
Julia
That is exactly what my mom told me Julia! Though I was shocked to see just how many folks do write books. I have many people tell me it wasn’t until their 2nd or 3rd book that they were published. I plan to break that mold!
One door shuts and another opens!
You have a really good blog Kevin. It is much better than those of many published writers. So yes…you can write.
You just need to find the peg the agents need to get interested and from your comments you are already working on it.
Good luck – even though persistence does a better job than luck, and you seem to have plenty of that too.
Hi Sheila. Thank you. You are right…I did have interest right away….I just needed to fix my novel! I hope to share my lessons learned with all aspiring authors.
I take some luck to go with my determination…..I”ll take any help I can get!
I don’t have time to read all the comments, Kevin, so excuse me if someone else already suggested this, but I think you should consider dividing your book into two books. The agents seem to like the stories of the dogs at war. Give them that story. After that book is published, your readers may want to know more about the dogs and handlers, which would be the time to mention that you are working on a book telling the story of their training. Just a thought.
Great suggestion…thank you. I did take drastic action which I will describe in a future post. But the bottom line is I gave them what they wanted. Before Afghanistan began at page 221…now it begins by page 28. I learned how to intertwine the backstory into the book through the editing process.
I am impressed and enchanted with all 3 sides of you. What you’re doing here is more than blogging…if you ask me it’s teaching us a lesson about true values
. Allow me to kiss you on the cheek.
Thank you very much.
I’m amazed you got the one agent to give you that much time. It seems most are busier (or they pretend to be) than the President. Glad to hear you’re persistent! The one thing I have learned is the opening sentence & chapter have to capture the reader’s interest. Good luck!
Hi Dennis. Thank you. I was told that them giving me time was based on the fact that they saw the potential in the book. I am not sure if it was true but I chose to believe it. Any piece of hope is helpful!
Your story is very inspiring to all of us writers! Persistence is definitely the key. I think you’re on the right track with an editor, but I have to say, a good critique group, either local or online, has proved to be the most cost-effective and easiest way to hone your craft. I wish you were in my area. We would welcome you into the group with open arms!
Good luck to you. Keep the faith!
Hi Melissa. Thank you. My problem when I started all this I was in Afghanistan. When I returned and started querying for my book I was in the middle of a move from North Carolina to Virginia. Then I was advised by an agent to get experienced assistance with the edit. Now as I begin the second novel I am comfortable with my editor. As I’ll explain in a future post…..he makes me do much of the work. I saw the money spent on hiring an editor equal to any other investment. Now I just see it as a business expense. I’m still interested in a critique group and beta reads though.
Although the responses you received were not the ones you wanted, it seems they area ll telling you the same thing, so you’re lucky inthat regard. You know what to do, and you have the right attitude, so go for it. You have nothing to lose.
Hi Virginia. I was told the same thing and it took me a bit to realize that the responses weren’t all bad. The constructive ones gave me hope and the will to push on! I am sure glad I did.
Getting rejection letters means you are on the path. Soon, you will come to think of them as little road markers, and when you become published, almost immediately you will speak of them warmly, and tell stories about how many of them you received before an editor or agent recognized your brilliance!
Anyone who appreciates soldiers and dogs as much as you do must write with a lot of heart. Looking forward to reading your book…someday soon!
Hi Jillian. I laugh about that really nasty one now. I’m a pretty resilient guy….. I also believe in the message of the book. It is powerful, pure and real. I only received that on nasty rejection…the others were all pleasant to me. I believe that being an active duty Soldier helps….I mean how can you be rude to a Soldier right? But you are so right….. now that I recently signed with an agent….I know that the others missed an opportunity. Now we have to sell the book!
You both gave me an “idea”. Put all the nice rejection, nasty rejection letters/emails, notes of the nasty telephone calls (I actually wrote “notes” as I was being berated) and place them in a binder. Put the binder AWAY; in the attick, in the barn, out of sight, etc
Years later after the book hits the best seller list, take that binder out and BURN IT. We can have a burning binder party. Between all of us in this process, it might be cathartic! I am going to do this.
Hi Julie. At least they called you! LOL….. a lot of mine I just never heard from again. I’m not sure if I want to get rid of them to be honest with you. I thrive off challenge….. I may need them to remind me how far I’ve come! Of course maybe you are right…burn em and forget sounds fun!
Kevin,
That totally sucks. I’m sorry. I completely feel your pain. I admire your attitude and wish I could be so positive after reading my gazillion rejections. I manage your kind of outlook about 5% of the time. I’m trying to up that percentage, one day at a time. Good luck to you!
Hi Meredith. I am lucky so this whole writing thing for me isn’t how I pay the bills. So at least I don’t have that stress. I was lucky that folks were talking to me still…..those agents gave me hope and I really appreciated that. Hope is what gets us through those days that nothing is going right!
Great post Kevin.
Congratulations on have a never fail attitude… I could learn something from you… I often fall over in failure for a day before going again.
Hi Michelle. Thank you. I can honestly say there were some dark days for me as well. Hope and my determination to succeed were the two things that kept me going. I was taught as a young Army staff officer not to take my work too personal. Sure I poured my heart into the first edition but I didn’t take the attitude—– Well this is the book…it is great…and you should love it….you don’t want to sign me…what is your problem? My attitude was more like….. you enjoyed it…it needs work….OK…. how can we realize the book’s full potential?
Kevin, rejection sucks, bottom line. But, to get that much feedback from agents is really a good thing. Typically, they don’t take the time. If an agent says revise and you can resend…that’s also a positive. So often, it’s a one-shot deal.
You’ll get there. Clearly, you have tenacity and a worthwhile story to tell.
Hi Marney. When you receive rejections you can do a few things:
1. Burrow you head in the sand and never come out
2. Nothing and continue to query
3. Listen to what folks are telling you and tweak you product
Obvious for me #1 was not an option. I could have done #2 but I am not that egotistical to believe I know more than a host of literary agents. So I chose #3. I agree though…. I was lucky that several agents were kind enough to provide me feedback.
Getting information like that in a rejection is GOLDEN. I know it seems disheartening, but when I put together all the scraps of feedback I got in rejections — plus what I learned during TWO Revise & Resubmits that still ended in rejection — I ended up crafting a story that I KNEW was a lot stronger. And then it caught the eye of an agent who was perfect for me. If I hadn’t gone through all that rejection and revision BEFORE I queried her, I would’ve missed out on an amazing agent.
As the picture at the top of your post suggests, Full Steam Ahead!
Hi Dianne. I completely agree with you. I would have never landed an agent if I didn’t learn from my initial round of submissions. That is a message I want to spread for aspiring authors like myself.
Working with an experienced fiction editor on the revision was amazing. I was blown away by the insight he provided on top of the insight I received from the agents. The novel was SO much better after the revision. The book was firing on all cylinders when I resubmitted.
Just want to say that I can’t wait to read your story when it does come out! Of course it’s going to happen! I’m excited for you and as you know nothing worthwhile is ever easy to achieve.
Thank you Chelsea. If it were easy then………
For what it’s worth, the agents aren’t beling lazy when they insist that you grab the reader in the first few pages: they know THEIR market — book editors!
I worked in book publishing for 10 years. Started as an editorial assistant and moved through the ranks. Unless you’re an already established author with a prominent sales record (in which case, the quality of the manuscript itself doesn’t matter, because what’s being sold is the name on the front cover), you are lucky if an editor reads more than 10 pages of your manuscript.
Is it because THEY’RE lazy? No. It’s because the volume of submissions is so heavy. 95% of blind submissions are never even OPENED; those from agents will get the courtesy of being glanced at — but literally, just that. GLANCED. If I gave just 10 minutes to every manuscript that crossed my desk, I’d work a 50 hour week and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but read incoming submissions. The volume of manuscripts that come in to at any given publishing house is staggering.
Is it fair? Nope. But that’s the reality of the business. Editors simply don’t have time to see where a story is going. If you can;t grab their interest in the first few pages, the volume of work requires them to push you off to the side and pick up the next.
Now if you DO hold them in your first 5-10 pages, then you’ve at least bought yourself another 15 minutes of the editor’s attention….
Once you’re a “working author,” feel free to take all the time you want to build your story. But for that first book, when you’re just one among literally thousands of anonymous people with access to paper and a keyboard, you literally have to grab the reader from page one.
Hi Joseph. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.
I’ll take it a step further. From the eyes of an average reader……the American public has a short attention span….if you don’t grab them right away then you are in trouble. Then you also have to keep them.
I also think about wandering a bookstore and looking at the thousands of books….how do you grab my attention if I’ve never heard of you?
Agreed if you are a writer with name recognition then the readers come because they have faith that you will deliver…… so you can take a little time…..a reader will have patience with you.
Now if you are someone like me without name recognition….then you don’t get any of that from the reader. I have to assume that agents, editors and publishing houses know this.
A good honest post. I send you my very best wishes.
Hi Martha. Thank you!
This is what I think every time I get a rejection letter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdd6_ZxX8c
Keep at it! Good luck on your journey!
Nice Sara!