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Advice, Author, Book, children's book, Critique, Emotions, Manuscript, Publishing House, Rejection letter

My Awesome Rejection Letter

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What an awesome rejection letter, I thought as the email was read. Words I never thought I would utter in the same sentence: awesome rejection letter.

In February of this year I attended a free writers conference. There I came across a publisher from NC. Soon after I got home I submitted a query letter to him. Within two weeks he requested the first three chapters. Doing so he asked for the entire MS. I was told it would take 4-6 weeks. It took longer. My poor friend Lisa saw how the waiting was making me nuts. I finally sent him a nudge letter after conferring with some people if it was okay to do so. He recently wrote me back.

He wrote thanking me for submitting the MS to his staff. He continued by saying that declining to continue with this MS was a very difficult call for him.

Mike then said there were a number of excellent quality about the text that the staff found appealing. My characters were clearly drawn out and the action was very vivid. He said a few other nice things.  But he stated why they were turning me down at this point. He listed them.

After all was said and done the last paragraph I felt was really cool. He said if we have not completely offended you they hoped I would consider their publishing house in the future with other manuscripts I might have. Our judgment is that you have real potential as a children’s author.

Pretty freaken cool right?

I wrote him the email below.

First of all thank you for taking the time to read my MS. Instead of getting a regular rejection letter you gave me a well thought out letter. That means a lot to me. I am let down, yes, but am not offended. What I am is grateful for you gave me the points on where I can improve my MS. That is invaluable and again I thank you. I will go back to the drawing board and work on the points you laid out below and strengthen my story. Once I accomplish that will submit to publishers in hopes someone will take a chance on it.

It is nice to be encouraged to submit other projects to you. Can I be so bold and ask if it be possible for me to resubmit this MS once I work on it some more?

Thank you for the compliment at the end and the time and consideration you gave me.

He wrote they would be very glad to review Jasper again once I work on the suggestions.  Again pretty freaken cool right?

Out of the three points, two I feel I can incorporate into my story. The last one I am not to sure have to think on it.

This has been a process.

1-First the book was written

2-It was submitted to my writers groups, book reviewers, a day care and my editor

3-Worked on my synopsis and query letter

4-Started to submit to various publishers in Feb. of this year.

5- I have received a variety of letters. Some have been form letter while others were not accepting submissions at this time. Some were overwhelmed with manuscripts.

6-The next step was a publisher saying I had potential. It came from a major publishing house.

7-This rejection letter was next saying I had potential and points on how to fix my MS

8-The step I am at now, working on the points.

All projects are being pushed to the side as I work on this.

Even if it goes no further with this publisher I am still stoked.

Can you tell?

MS, Rejection letter, Submission, Writing

A Nice Rejection

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A Nice Rejection

Since February I have been submitting query letters to two of my books. Submitting one’s MS to publishers whether through email or smail is a long tedious process. There will be a rejection letter in your future. Odds are there will be many of these to show up on your doorstep. It is a fact we need to wrap our mind around. So long as we keep on submitting, this is just a stepping stone.

Recently one came in an email to me. There was one difference though, it was not a form letter. The publisher stated that due to a massive overflow of submissions they would be passing over my MS. But she continued to say that my MS was promising. She did not expand too much but to me this was a win. Not a win win but still something positive I could take from this. It’s a start on my path to getting my book in print.

Sharing this “good news” with others people agreed this was pretty cool news. Maybe I am doing something right was what filled my thoughts. Perhaps there is a publisher who is not overburdened with endless manuscripts.  Someone who would be willing to take a chance on an unknown like myself.

That is my hope as I continue to submit my various writings. My mantra is the same today as it has been since I started this journey. All I need is one person to say yes we love your MS. Just one.

Publishing, Writers, Writers Conference, Writing

Writing Conference

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This past Saturday I attended my first writers conference. It was free and not to far away.

“Getting Published: What Do Publishers Want?” was the first seminar I attended. While the information obtain was not earth shattering new I still enjoyed being in the presence of actual publishers. Copious notes were taken for me to share with fellow writers who had not attended the conference.

I got two things out of this . The first was that small independent presses are willing to work with the author up front without a literary agent. In fact most prefer you don’t have one. Second, I was introduced to five more firms I can send my query letter to. For me these two things were worth my attendance.

The next seminar that caught my eye was “How To Write for Children”. One of the presenters was a 12-year-old boy who has three books in print. Most of the information was not new to be but I did learn again two thing. What I gained from this was two more publishing house names that I had not come across through the Writer’s Market book.

The last seminar I attended was “Traditional Publishing vs Self Publishing”. This section reaffirms what I have been doing since last March which is creating an online presence through social media outlets.

One of the panelist stated that people who go the traditional route are taken more serious. Also, more doors are open to them through the contacts they meet apart from the publishing house they are with.

If you are an aggressive individual and can promote yourself well self- publishing would work for you. If that is not your style and you need the help of a publisher it was recommended to try to get your book in print.

At the moment I am trying to go the traditional route. My books deserve the chance to shine in this avenue. For the past three weeks I have steadily been submitting query letters, chapters, synopsis and cover letters to various publishing houses. The list I am working from is only half way crossed off. A deadline in my head has been given and when that time frame comes then will be looking at self publishing.

Whether I am aggressive enough to promote myself remains to be seen. At least in this day and age I’m fortunate to have the option of ebooks where years ago that was not the case.