Embarrassing Publishing Moment!

Moved this one out of AW History, too.

February said:

This has to be my worst!

After a load of very pleasant knock-backs, someone suggested I sent in my first chapter and one with sex in, as sex sells - I was dubious, but thought, oh well, might as well try.

Having been through the phone book - as this was pre Google days, I found a publisher I'd not tried.

I sent in chapter 1 and chapter 7 - THE one!, with my very pleasant synopsis and everything to go with it, only to get the reply with returned manuscript etc etc a couple of weeks later ... We're so sorry, thank you so much in considering us, but we only publish Christian Hymn books D'oh!

I still see them crossing themselves! hahahaha!

Click to expand...

Wow...just wow. It's not like they could get offended if it was marital sex, right? I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have always wondered what my preacher and fellow church members are going to think of me if and when I do get published...I'll get back to you on that one lol.

The first time I ever submitted anything, I used the pen name Cliff Face. The reaction from the person I spoke to a month later was enough to make me realise that a joke name isn't suitable, even for a comedy book.

That's pretty much my most embarrassing publishing moment.

I just sent a bunch of query letters with an error in each one of them, fudge me. What else, ummm, I wrote a piece of crap and tried to get agents to take it, twice.

I sent out queries with an error, too. Instead of the word 'hoard,' I used 'horde.' And believe me, I know the difference. I just watch too many of those reality 'hoarding' shows. Terrible addiction but they remind me of people I used to know.

I also spelled wrack wrong, too. (hehe) I spelled it rack and my friend, the reading teacher caught it.

But I also found a major error in a short story written by a Pulitzer Prize author. (I don't know if later editions of the story fixed it.) In one place the narrator identifies herself as an only child. Later she mentions an older sister. No, the narrator wasn't mentally confused or trying to mislead the reader.

So it happens. Forgive yourself, forget about it and move on.

February, I bet you made their day. Can you imagine how boring publishing hymns must be? (Zzzzzzzz)

Bahahaha February that's great. Very embarrassing on short term, but I'm sure in a wee while you will be laughing your head off whenever you remember it!