Our biggest failure is giving up. How do you cope with rejection?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Rejected and Dejected?
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Our biggest failure is giving up. How do you cope with rejection?
Our biggest failure is giving up. How do you cope with rejection?
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Nice video clip, Elizabeth! I guess I've really lived!
ReplyDeleteI received a lovely "no thank-you" to a query this morning that praised my writing but said my book would be tough to sell in the current market. I rejoiced over the positive feed-back, then wrote a long blog post about how I believe there's a place in the world for quiet little books that don't make mega-bucks. And then I didn't post it. No public whining--I've got queries out!
Then I pulled out my WIP and got writing.
There definitely is a place for books that don't make mega-bucks, but it's also only fair to point out that agents need to make a living too. Hence they specialize in books that make money, and lots of it if possible. They only get 15% of what you make. This is purely a business decision. So it's always important to remember that those "no thank yous" are very positive responses. If they didn't have bills to pay, the agent would be interested in your artistry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clip. It's an eyeopener.
ReplyDeleteRejection is tough, especially in this business. Honestly, I tend to see it negatively at first. But when I sit back, reread and email or critique, I can find the good in something there. Finding the positive over the negative is the key. At least for me.
Great clip! Doesn't watching that make you want to see your name on there too as someone who failed then rose above it? Mmmmm wouldn't it be delicious if we could make a clip about all of us?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emily! I have an acquaintance (Sydney Salter) who wrote a beautiful manuscript that won awards but couldn't find a publishing home because it wasn't very "marketable." A few manuscripts later she hit upon something that WAS marketable, sold it, and it did well enough that after that she was able to have her first book published too.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, thanks for posting this inspiring clip. I liked the Harrison Ford one, too. It just goes to show that you need to have faith in yourself and keep on trying. Rejection isn't the end, just an opinion.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I know how you feel. It does sting because we put our selves into every word and when it's rejected, we feel rejected. *hugs*
ReplyDeleteEmily, I've heard that authors earn %10? I don't know how true is that. I wonder, if profit is only earned when the book hits NYT's bestsellers list.
Salarsen, I have a friend who's received over 700 rejections--even after they've requested a partial or a whole. To her, it's only routine now. She has such strong faith with her book. I really admire her stalwartness. ;)
Leisha, now there's an idea! We really should! But wait until we're published so our names could be there! ;)
Rebecca, how wonderful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing that.
Jonene, you're so right. Rejection isn't the end, just an opinion. *Hugs* :D
Great video! And wow--someone has over 700 rejections? I thought my pushing-400 was high! (gak, and even after partials and fulls??) Definitely a trooper. I'm trying to be, and I can honestly say my first 10 novels were practice!
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth, not sure who gave you that number, but authors make between 8-15% of cover (8% for the first 10,000 copies then more for the next 10,000, or something along those lines). Sometimes it's more for hardback, and it's way more if you can sell a lot of books (Stephenie Meyer doesn't make 8%, for example). When you make a "profit" (I assume you mean royalties) is whenever you earn out your advance, which depends on what your advance was. I made royalties on my first book without hitting the NYT bestseller list. In fact, most of my friends who make their livings as writers aren't on the NYT bestseller list or even close. The ones that are do more than make a living. Sooo, I think whoever gave you that information was smoking something...
ReplyDeleteMy point was that *agents* make 15% of what the author makes, but they can nearly always increase your earnings by more than 15%, so they pay for themselves. But it means that when they say they love it but don't feel they can sell it, they aren't kidding about loving it. They don't have the time to say that to all 300 people who queried them that week, and don't want to encourage all those people to query again. So take it as a huge compliment!
*hugs* to you too, Elizabeth! It wasn't too bad, especially considering what agency it was and that they had actually discussed my ms before deciding to reject it. Progress!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite cures for rejection woes--write something new!
This video is so true. You definitely need rejection/failure to grow and become better. Thanks for sharing! I'm just to the point where I can start querying so I'm gearing up to deal with rejecting and hope, at the same time, that there will be some success in there! :)
ReplyDeleteauthors who self-publish on ebook platforms usually make 70%. Granted, you have some higher costs in that you have to do the marketing for your book as well.
ReplyDeleteSelf publishing is a whole different gig, and to be entirely blunt, you won't make the NYT bestseller list that way. You have to be careful with self publishing - mentioning it in agent queries can actually hurt you. It's very much looked down upon in the business, with a few specific exceptions. Do your research and tread carefully.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I've only had about 5 rejections so far, lol. I'm in for a wild ride, though! ;)
ReplyDeleteEmily, thank you for sharing that information with me. :D I think it was 10% she told me. What if it is from a small publisher without an agent?
Rebecca, writing new things is so uplifting, I agree with you :)
Kevin, good luck! :D
Erin, I'm thinking that going that route is much harder because it's more than a full-time job. Kudos to those who find much success in that and how brave the waters of entrepreneurity! ;)
My novel was from a small publisher, no agent, and that was my payout table - which pretty much exactly matched that of my friends with national market contracts. The contracts differed in other ways, though. I wouldn't have called it a great contract, or even a good one.
ReplyDeleteTrue, so true, and uplifting.
ReplyDeleteThe bit about Michael Jordan made me wonder: after he finishes crying in his room, I'll bet he went back to practicing and working hard.