How I Handle Rejection

An old childhood friend recently posted on my Facebook wall that I shouldn't talk about rejection but be positive about publishing.  Yes, I agree that being positive is important (hence the title living in the upside) but rejection can be important as well.

All writers get rejected.  Let's face it -- there are far more of us than there are publishers.  That's is a fact.  Rejection letters are not really rejection.  They are replys that mean you are not a good fit for us today but perhaps in the future.

Basic sales philosophy.  Not today only means not today.  Perhaps next time or perhaps you need to look at your presentation or perhaps I am in a bad mood or perhaps I am too busy or . . . 

So sending queries and asking for the contract is selling.  Look professional, sound professional and someone, somewhere will pick you up.

And Again

So I was rejected twice in two days.  That makes a total four rejections in the past few months.  I know that seems so little but until you see those actual words "You are not for us," it really sends you.  Right back to the middle school feeling that you are just not good enough.  Ugh, like a punch in the stomach.

The punch felt so physical that I resorted to the turtle and hunkered down under the covers and hid.  For almost two weeks.  I just licked my wounds and felt sorry for myself.  I was almost convinced that I wasn't good enough.

Amazing how those adolescent wounds are so fresh more than 30 years later.

So I did what I always do - open up Google and research rejection.  Thank you www.onehundredrejections.com for the inspiration.  I am reminded to reach deep down like I did fighting cancer and autism.  Reach deep down and find the resources to keep going on!

I can do that!  Not can but will!

Hit Send

Friday, September 7, 2012 at 12:08 pm marks the time and date that I hit send on an email query for my memoir, Umm, God, How Do I Sit on the Toilet?  I am going to take the process slow and target first Christian publishers and literary agents who are open to this genre. 

If that fails, I will refocus the target list towards any publishers/literary agents open to memoir.  Paticularly those who are OK with multiple submissions.

As far as I can tell, it can three to six weeks for someone to respond.  Wow, it may take a long time to find someone.

But that's OK, because I finally feel that I have a little time!

Drafting a Query

Drafting a query is an exercise in brief.  Convey your idea minimally and quickly.  Hit them hard and fast and try to leave a positive impressions.

That is the advice from the book I just finished on query letters.  Good advice with a well thought out formula.  So why then the first initial rejections.

Not that I don't expect rejection.  I expect enough rejection to line the walls.  But what I found missing was my voice.  Following the outline was a good exercise in presenting my case quickly and concisely.  Yet there was me there.

So I reworked the query for the past three months.  Yes, that sounds like a long time but remember my fingers don't always and there are children involved.  Writing will always come second while they are home.

Today I am hopeful.  I woke up this morning with an idea in the front of mind.  I rolled it around and began to get excited.  I think it could really be a good hook.

Here goes:

The distance from the average toilet seat to the ground is sixteen inches. That is a long fall with tubes sewn into your leg. Yes, I fell often and talk about in my humorous and inspirational memoir, Umm, God, How Do I Sit On the Toilet?   . . . .

What do you think?  Maybe someone will sit up and take notice.  Here's hoping!