Encouragement for Writers

Keeping the Faith

For writers, the word rejection has the power to bring us to our knees. If you're like me, your book is your baby and you really really love your baby. You spend months laboring over your little beauty, writing, re-writing and polishing until it springs to life, shiny and new and ready to impress the publishing industry. After sending out queries by the dozens, rejection letters begin to appear in your mailbox followed by-oh joy-three requests for a partial. Much throwing of confetti! Happy dance around the living room, taking care not to stomp on the dog's tail. The months drag by and you wait. Two rejections arrive one after the other. Fingers crossed, you wait for the third. In an effort to temper hope with reality, you tell yourself the maker of your fate is an editorial assistant half your age. The envelope arrives. You rip it open and the words, "Unfortunately your submission does not meet our needs at the present time," jump off the page and stab you in the heart.

Most websites for writers insist it's a huge mistake to take rejection personally. Oh really? We're human. We have emotions and we've just been told our baby is ugly. How can you not take it personally? I say go ahead and kick the chair. Scream. Sob into your pillow. Tell your significant other the publishing industry sucks and they wouldn't recognize a best seller if it bit them in the butt. Then...get over it. What you don't do is quit. Look at it this way: every writer who quits makes room for another who pursues his/her dream with dogged determination. Rejection doesn't keep us from publication. Quitting does.

There was a time when the mere sight of a self-addressed envelope made me sick to my stomach. Then I received a rejection that changed the course of my writing life. I'd met Hillary Sares, a Kensington editor, at a conference and she'd requested the book that would become The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam (available October, 2009). Six months later, I received a rejection letter, but this one was different. Hillary took the time to write a personal message. In part, it said, "You have a natural voice for Young Adult fiction. Give it a try." Her encouragement sent me down a new path, one I'd never before considered. It resulted in Moonstone, the first in the Unbidden Magic series and a five-book contract with Bell Bridge.

I don't pretend to be an expert, but here's my advice:

Getting published is tough but not impossible. Read everything you can get your hands on. Study the market. Learn your craft. Seek honest criticism. If you have discipline, resilience and persistence... if you write what people want to read... you will be published. No matter how many times you're rejected, never stop believing in yourself and do not give up. Someone, somewhere will read your book and say, "I love it!"

Want more encouraging quotes?

Click the link to Read encouraging quotes for writers

Need more encouragement?

Visit Kacey Jones' Website...www.KaceyJones.com

Has your writing been rejected?

If you've received a rejection notice for your book, you're in good company! Click the link to read regrettable rejections for some very famous books.

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