Dear Extra Squeeze Team, Should I Just Give Up?

March 31, 2019 by in category The Extra Squeeze by The Extra Squeeze Team tagged as , , , , with 0 and 0
Home > Columns > The Extra Squeeze by The Extra Squeeze Team > Dear Extra Squeeze Team, Should I Just Give Up?

Dear Extra Squeeze Team, I just got my 20th rejection. Should I just give up?

Rebecca Forster | Extra Squeeze
Rebecca Forster 
USA Today Bestselling author of 35 books, including the Witness series and the new Finn O’Brien series.


Don’t give up!

Learn!

Something isn’t striking a chord with editors so figure it out.

Perhaps your blurb is off-putting, the book is slow to start, pacing is awkward, or your characters aren’t defined.

Are you sending the right work to the wrong editor?

Have you truly defined your genre or are you waffling between two or even three?

I often ask people about their genre only to hear “well, it’s sort of a historical, coming of age, horror novel with aliens”. That’s not going to fly with editors.

Ask the most successful author you personally know to read your pitch and first chapters and give an honest opinion. If they cannot articulate their objections, then ask them to point out the areas where they got stuck or where they lost interest. Some of my best learning experiences have been through my rejection letters. I keep a file to remind me of my strengths and weakness. It is like having a tutorial at my fingertips

P.S. I had a friend who write 70 books and when she hit, there was no looking back. Be objective about your work, learn, and move forward. Good luck.

We're Taking Questions | A Slice of Orange

Do you have a publishing question for The Extra Squeeze Team?

Use this form to send them to us.

Jenny Jensen | A Slice of Orange
Jenny Jensen
Developmental  editor who has worked for twenty plus years with new and established authors of both fiction and non-fiction, traditional and
indie.


Rejection – the inescapable bane of a writer’s life.

JK Rowling in her own words received “loads” of rejections and now she posts them on Twitter to encourage aspiring writers. I think that’s wonderful and says it all. If writing and sharing your work (publishing) is
your driving passion then no, never give up.

It could, however, be time to ask yourself why. Publisher and agent rejections are based on a myriad of reasons. Sometimes you’ll get a form letter or you could receive a note with some details explaining the rejection. If you have, then study the reasons closely and consider revising your manuscript to accommodate the input. Hire an editor for a review from fresh eyes.

If you’re 100% confident your story is ready for publication, take another look at your submissions material. Could there be a better way to present the story? Be certain you’ve submitted to the right publisher. Harlequin is not interested in political thrillers and a romance editor would likely not read past the first line of your letter.

If you feel you have the perfect trifecta – manuscript, letter and synopsis – then keep on submitting until you land before the eyes of just that editor or agent who is looking for exactly what you’ve written. According to Ms. Rowling, that’s pretty much how it went for her: the right
editor with the right eye and the right curiosity. Go for the long haul.

Today’s huge Indie market allows a writer to bypass traditional publishing (which has always seemed to be somewhat arbitrary) without giving up the dream. Self-publishing is a lot of work on top of the time and effort invested in writing a novel. It’s not enough to simply post the book. You must publicize and tout and twitter and tweet, Facebook and Instagram and fish for reviews. Going that particular long haul gives the
author far greater control and ROI than any traditional publisher will provide—especially to a first-time author.

If you believe your work is the best it can be you have
choices. Never give up.


About The Extra Squeeze
About The Extra Squeeze
Ever wonder what industry professionals think about the issues that can really impact our careers? Each month The Extra Squeeze features a fresh topic related to books and publishing. Amazon mover and shaker Rebecca Forster and her handpicked team of book professionals offer frank responses from the POV of each of their specialties — Writing, Editing, PR/Biz Development, and Cover Design.

    • The Extra Squeeze Book Club

      The Extra Squeeze Team loves book. So, we’re going to hold a book club on A Slice of Orange, and we want to hear from YOU.

    • The Extra Squeeze Book Club

      The Extra Squeeze Team loves book. So, we’re going to hold a book club on A Slice of Orange, and we want to hear from YOU.

    • The Extra Squeeze Book Club

      The Extra Squeeze Team loves book. So, we’re going to hold a book club on A Slice of Orange, and we want to hear from YOU.

    • Book Club

      The Extra Squeeze Team loves book. So, we’re going to hold a book club on A Slice of Orange, and we want to hear from YOU.

    • The Extra Squeeze Book Club

      The Extra Squeeze Team loves book. So, we’re going to hold a book club on A Slice of Orange, and we want to hear from YOU.

    ×
    Ever wonder what industry professionals think about the issues that can really impact our careers? Each month The Extra Squeeze features a fresh topic related to books and publishing. Amazon mover and shaker Rebecca Forster and her handpicked team of book professionals offer frank responses from the POV of each of their specialties — Writing, Editing, PR/Biz Development, and Cover Design.
    Latest Posts

    Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

    >