Kathy Ide

Hi! I’m Kathy Ide. In addition to being a published author, I’m a full-time professional freelance editor. For CAN, I’m blogging about tips for writers based on the manuscripts I edit.

HOW TO HANDLE REJECTIONS

Rejections are part of the process for every writer who wants to get published. Louis L’Amour received 350 rejections before he made his first sale. James Joyce’s first book of short stories was rejected by 22 publishers. C. S. Lewis wrote more than 800 things before he made his first sale. Gone with the Wind was rejected by more than 20 publishers. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle was turned down 29 times.

John Grisham was rejected by about 15 publishers and the same number of literary agents. When he finally found an agent willing to shop the book around, it took the agent a full year to secure a publisher. The initial press run was 5,000. And Grisham bought 1,000 of those himself.

I don’t know a single successful author who does not have a folder full of rejection letters. Here are some keys to overcoming rejections:

1. Show your manuscript to readers in your target audience. Solicit their honest feedback on the content. Make revisions based on their comments. If you get positive responses, ask permission to use their statements as endorsements in your book proposal.
2. Buy, read, and study as many books as you can find about writing, particularly the type of writing you are doing. Also study books on writing query letters and book proposals.
3. Proofread your manuscript carefully, looking up in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11^thedition) any words you aren’t absolutely certain are spelled correctly. Brush up on your grammar skills.
4. Send your manuscript to a professional editor. (If you need help finding one, e-mail me or go to www.ChristianEditor.com.) Make every correction noted, and take very seriously all suggestions and recommendations for improvement.
5. Study the market. What else is out there similar to what you’re writing? How does your book fill a needed niche? Make note of your findings in your book proposal.
6. Attend writers’ conferences. This is one of the best venues for new writers to market their manuscripts. Find a conference where staff includes editors from publishing houses that produce the type of book you’ve written. Pitch your idea. If an editor asks you to send a proposal, you can send it as “requested material,” which will put you above the unsolicited “slush pile.”
7. If you plan to write more than one book, seek an agent.
8. If you have a way to sell lots of copies yourself, consider subsidy publishing.
9. No matter what, be persistent. Don’t give up. If God has called you to write, He will prepare the path to publication. You must simply follow that “yellow brick road” one step at a time. God knows who He wants to reach and speak to with the words He has called you to put to paper. He also knows how long it takes to get a manuscript accepted and then published and then made available to the general public. He called you to write at the exact right time for His plan and purpose. Trust Him, and trust your calling. Missionaries don’t quit when the going gets tough. Neither should you.

Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors by Kathy Ide

If you’re interested in working with a freelance editor (or know someone who is), e-mail me through the contact page of my website. Or go to the Christian Editor Connection to get referrals to other established, professional editorial freelancers. If you’re a freelance editor yourself, or think you might be interested in that field, check out The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network.

And when you’re ready to proofread your manuscript, consider getting a copy of my book Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors. It reveals how multi-published authors proofread their manuscripts to avoid typos, inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and errors in punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you read or write fiction, check out my new Fiction Lover’s Devotional series! The first book, 21 Days of Grace, released June 1. The second book, 21 Days of Christmas, released September 1. Both books are available in bookstores and online. For more details, visit www.FictionDevo.com.