Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Preparing to Submit: Part Two

If you've ever sent a query letter to an agent or editor, you know how exciting and stressful the act is. If you haven't, I want to help you mentally prepare for the submission process.

On Monday, we talked about the basic preparations writers take when preparing to submit their work. If you've finished your book, polished it until it shines, researched agents and editors, studied their submission guidelines, and written your synopsis and query, you're ready to send that baby out.

You are...aren't you?

When I started seriously pursuing publication, I'd read many articles about how competitive the publishing business was, but it didn't really register. After all, no editor or agent had read my work. New authors' books hit store shelves all the time. Maybe my first one wouldn't sell, but surely the editor would see my potential?

Oh, those were the days. I'm still chuckling at that one.

Yeah, it didn't work out like that. I earned my college degree in science--not arts. Did I ever stop to think about that? Of course not! So I polished my book as much as my meager skills allowed, wrote a query, sent it off, and the publisher requested a partial. This was it!

Although the publisher's website clearly stated it would be six to twelve weeks before I would hear from them, I stalked the mailbox every day. A giddy expectation arose every time the postal truck chugged by.

Twelve weeks later... I opened the mailbox and it came--a form rejection. Huh? No problem. They'll love the next book.

Three books later... An entire twelve months passed between my submission of book number three and the day I received the lovely rejection on it. And the letter was lovely; I still get happy chills thinking about it. But in the meantime, a spirit of humility had spread through me. I realized my writing wasn't at a publishable level--far from it.

Why am I telling you all this? Certainly not to discourage you. I learned priceless lessons by submitting my work. Each rejection told me something, and my more recent rejections, while painful, were especially enlightening. If it's a form rejection, it might just mean it's not the right book for them, or it could mean your craft needs developing. I realized pretty quickly that my craft needed work!

Some of you are going to submit your work, and you are going to have a very short journey to publication. Some of you are going to submit and will have many rejections before an editor will take a chance on you.

Here's part two of preparing to submit:

Are you psychologically prepared to get rejected? If you get a rejection, will it destroy your confidence? Cause you to quit writing?

Rejection hurts.
But... Don't think you only have one shot at impressing an agent or an editor. That's not the case. They want talented writers, whether you submitted a less than stellar manuscript three years ago or not. In some ways, you're building a relationship with agents and editors while you're unpublished. If you continue to query each new project, they will recognize your name, so be professional. If you get rejected, don't bad-mouth the agent or editor in any form of media. Accept their decision and move on.

For all you writers who are seasoned at submitting, do you think it's important to consider the possibility of getting rejected before you submit? How do you handle rejections?

Join me on Friday when we'll discuss the nitty-gritty details of preparing to submit.

26 comments:

  1. Rejection does hurt. Bottom line, it's a necessary evil not something to be avoided. Submit anyway.

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  2. I haven't quit writing yet. I'm taking a hiatus from submissions, but venture onward in honing the craft.

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  3. Rejection hurts only if you allow it.

    I'd much rather hear a No Thanks than have woulda-shoulda-coulda regrets later on. Yes, age has its advantages. :)

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  4. It's possible to learn and improve from those rejections too. Sometimes there might be an insight into the manuscript, a critical line or some reasoning to the rejection, that can be considered and used in a revision. I'd also suggest that if it is an encouraging rejection, don't hesitate to revise and inquire about resubmitting.

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  5. I believe that authors should think of querying like applying for a job: sometimes they'll say no. Sometimes they won't even get back to you to let you know. Sometimes they'll show some interest, but it won't go anywhere. There are other jobs. And there is additional training you can do to improve your chance of getting hired.

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  6. I think it is imperative to toughen up in this industry. Jill, I love your willingness to learn and power through.

    Nathan Bransford had a great post about waiting yesterday. That man makes me laugh. It was an authentic piece. I think you'd enjoy it.
    ~ Wendy

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  7. Good morning!

    T.Anne: Necessary evil--oh yes!

    Eileen: Good for you! I wish I wasn't taking a hiatus from submitting, but I don't have anything ready right now. :)

    Angie: I agree. I submit every one of my projects. Some rejections have thrilled me; others have made me cry. I never let rejections stop me.

    Joanne: Great advice! I'm currently implementing some terrific advice from a rejection letter. Thanks for sharing!

    CKHB: Yes! Except, sometimes when I get rejections it feels more like "You're Fired!" than "Sorry, you're not right for us." Silly, huh?

    Wendy: I agree. A tough skin is necessary. I do think it's normal to feel disappointed and sad when our dreams are delayed, though. I'll check out Nathan's post. Thanks for the tip!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  8. Ohhh...you are SO right. Rejection does hurt. Before I started submitting I thought I was immune to the sting, after all, my last job was going door-to-door and making sales calls. After being hung up on, doors slammed in my face, and worse, I thought writing rejections would be a breeze.

    Not so!

    Oh well, my skin grows thicker by the day.

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  9. Georgiana: I care so much about my writing, I think that's why it hurts more, don't you? When we're emotionally invested, how can it not?

    My skin is pretty thick!

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  10. Yet another lovely post to add to my pile. I'm going to get there someday! I'm still finishing my first draft, but this is great perspective for my future (as painful as it is to hear that it might be YEARS! Ugh!). Thanks for being so clear about it all - I'm honing away ;P

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  11. Jill, Over the years (and I do mean, years!), I've handled rejection differently. At first, I made sure I always had at least one query "out there." So, if I received a rejection, I knew another "yes" (or even "maybe") was a possibility. Now, after 48 rejections (some form letter style, some personalized, some with suggestions, some without!), I've put querying on "pause" and am editing my book with the help of a freelance book editor. Once I've gone through that process, I'm going to start up the querying again. Patrice

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  12. Such truth! Rejection DOES hurt. But one of my favorite quotes is from Mike Ditka:

    Success isn't permanent and failure isn't fatal.

    So we get up and try again.

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  13. Beth: The first time I started reading author journies, I cried. It seemed depressing that so many of my favorite authors took years to get published. Not everyone waits that long! For me, I've needed the time and my writing has needed the time, but I've only been submitting for two years.

    Patrice: Yes! I try to always have something out there, too. Right now I don't. It just worked out that I have nothing ready to submit! I think going the freelance editor route was a terrific decision on your part.

    Erica: Love the Ditka quote! Too true!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  14. Rejections definitely hurt, but so far the ones I've had from editors were personalized, which only motivated me to keep writing. When I submit and get rejected, I feel like I'm heading toward my goal, so it doesn't completely depress me. I guess I feel like I'm gaining ground. I also send the editors/agents thank you cards if the rejection was personal.
    I liked what you said about humbleness. I'm hoping that fruit will be nice and fat in me. :-)
    Great post, Jill!

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  15. Jessica: Personalized rejections are the best. Even when they're curt, they at least tell us something.

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  16. Rejection stings, but I loved every single one I got. I would not be where I am now without them. Some were form, but I had a couple with great feedback which has helped my writing a great deal. And, yes, I think anyone who submits needs to be prepared for rejection.

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  17. Susan: Well said! I'm glad you've had such a positive outlook on the process!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  18. I barely remember my first set of rejections. I realize now that the book I submitted probably deserved every rejection. The biggest problem I had then was "How do the agents know it's a bad book or that I can't write if they've only read one page of my writing?" I've studied enough queries and read enough agent blogs now to know they know when it's right for them, and it doesn't take much to know if the story and the writing is good enough.

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  19. Rejection does hurt--a lot! I try to use it to make me better.

    I definitely queried too early. And I think I learned how to write a query by actually submitting it. Hardfought lessons, but hopefully they will pay off one day.

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  20. Rejection hurts no matter how prepared you are for it. I think it helps in some ways to be prepared for rejection but I think time and energy is best put into making your manuscript and your query as polished as possible.

    My biggest problem is patience. I get excited, I want to share my work with the world. But I have learned that it will make more of an impact if it's polished, presentable and filled with every ounce of passion I have.

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  21. I can honestly say that we wouldn't know how to write if it weren't for rejections. Lots of them. They can be a great tool for an aspiring writer.

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  22. What a great post! I just wrote a very similar one that I'm super excited to post after Thanksgiving weekend. Sounds like we have some similarities in our journey!

    Thanks for sharing, Jill!

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  23. Heather: I think we all struggle with that very question. It's one of the reasons a tight query is so important.

    Kristen T.: Yep, it does!

    Cindy: Impatient. I know that feeling!

    Lisa and Laura: Rejections definitely spurred me to be a better writer too!

    Katie: I look forward to reading it!

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  24. Wow...I feel like I've learned something about the reality of the industry. I'm not pursuing publication at the moment, but I already have these posts saved so that when I am ready...I can read them again.

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  25. Brittany: The amazing thing about submitting is--there's always a chance. It's the best feeling in the world! But, on the flip side, it's important to know that if you get a rejection, you have plenty of friends in the same boat. I find that comforting.

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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