by Harriet Hodgson
“I’m not in a good mood today,” I told my husband. “After all the hours and hours I spent on this book I don’t know what I will do if it is rejected.”
“You’re experiencing anticipatory grief,” he relied. Thank goodness I married a brilliant man! Though I have written dozens of articles about anticipatory grief and co-authored a book about it, I did not connect the feeling to writing. Maybe you have just submitted a manuscript to a publisher. How can you prepare for rejection?
The Writers Conference Guidelines website has posted an article about reasons behind rejection, “Dealing with Rejection and Moving On.” The first reason — your manuscript is not a good fit for the publisher. Before you submit a manuscript you should learn more about the company and its speciality, if one exists.
Your timing may be off. The publisher may have already published a similar book and yours would be a duplicate. Then too, your topic may be too narrow or too broad. There may be spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors in your manuscript. All are red flags for an acquisitions editor.
“The takeaway value may be weak,” the article points out. In other words, a potential customer may not be willing to spend money on your book. “Do not use a rejection letter as a reason to whine, complain, or not to write,” the article advises. Instead, use it as motivation to improve your work.
Freelancer Moira K. Wiley’s article, “Dealing with Rejection,” which is on the Writers Research Groups website, contains more tips. Rejection is the hardest part of writing, according to Wiley, but it does not mean your career has ended. If you receive a printed letter with handwritten comments, she thinks you have received a “good rejection.” The editor has read your manuscript and taken the time to give you tips on improving it.
Vickie Britton shares her “Tips for Writers on Coping with Rejection Slips from Publishers,” on the Writing Novels blog. Many famous authors, including J. K. Rowling, have been rejected over and over again. So you have to hang in there. “If the editor recommends a rewrite,” Britton says, “this is a calling card to try again.”
Ellen Jackson, an award-winning children’s author, tells how to survive rejection in “Dealing with Rejection,” posted on her personal website. “You have to find a way to believe in yourself,” she advises, “even if others don’t.” During my 30+ years in the writing business I have been rejected many times and learned to prepare for them.
What do I do? First, I let myself grieve, but only for a short time. I put the manuscript away for several months and revisit it later. Research is the backbone of a non-fiction writer’s life and, in order not to waste this research, I use it in articles. Of course, I am always brainstorming on my next book. I just started a new self-help book and am excited about it. Rejections are less painful when you are prepared for them.
Copyright 2010 by Harriet Hodgson
About the author: Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for decades. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of Health Care Journlaists, and Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from Amazon.
Centering Corporation has published her 26th book, “Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life” and a companion journal with 100 writing jump-starts. Hodgson is a monthly columnist for the new “Caregiving in America” magazine, which resumes publication in August. She is also a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation website. Please visit Harriet’s website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.
Courtesy: www.ezinearticles.com
