Rejections

Rejections

the goose girl, was rejected (unread) by dozens of agents, then after I found an agent (the "Amy" mentioned in the letters below), it was again rejected nine times by the who's who of children's publishers. 

the goose girl wasn't the right book for those editors, but it was the right book for another editor (eventually--I love you, Victoria!). Once published, it received a number of honors including the Josette Frank Award, was voted into the ALA Teen Top Ten by teen readers in the US, and continues to stay in print since its publication in 2003, besides spawning three sequels. I don't say this to brag, but to illustrate that just because your book or you or anything you do is rejected by some, doesn't mean it's no good trash for everybody. Stick with it, writers! I wouldn't recommended trying to publish your first draft, or perhaps even your first book. Once you get that really great final draft done, the rejection that follows doesn't mean you or the book is good for nothing. It will come. Be patient, keep writing. You are a warrior.

Below, see four of the rejection letters I got. I cropped out the publishers' names. Where personal names were used within the letters, we inserted random names to preserve the identity of these well-meaning (but obviously misguided!) editors. I'm sure many of you can empathize. Oh, the days when you looked for the positive in a rejection--at least they bothered to send a letter! At least they seemed to read it at all! At least they said something sort of nice! (Oh, the pain, the pain!)