Rejection stinks

I'm sorry to hear that, Queen. Put your head on my shoulder for a minute and feel the warmth of royal heat pass between us.

Now, doesn't that feel better?

I know you won't give up, but don't let the thought even cross your mind. You are on the verge of success, and you will ascend.

I'm sorry you got another rejection and not a sale Queen of Swords. Is this your only novel? Or have you begun writing other works? The best advice I think anyone can give is to keep on writing and keep on sending out queries. Not easy to get the right letter written but definitely don't give up! I'm sure you'll find a publisher for your book, it just takes time.

Hang in there and keep writing in the meantime.

If people are requesting partials, then you are halfway there. Stick to it! And quote Galaxy Quest whenever you can, I can't seem to let a week go by on these boards when I don't: "Never give up! Never surrender!"

PS: This is my 400th post. Wow. I am impressed with myself.

Toothpaste said:

I am impressed with myself.

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I am impressed with you, too. And I never dreamed the word Toothpaste could ever make me smile as much as it has.

Hang tough, Queen...it will happen!

In her hour of darkest need, the Queen of Swords summoned the other members of the Absolute Write guild. "Who's with me, who will trek to Toronto and challenge the mighty TOR?" Then she uttered a mighty oath.

To arms, Absolute Write guild! To the arms of advice. Let the written words be posted in the courtyard! Let the elders of the guild advise the Queen of Words.....I mean of Swords!

Hi Queen of Swords,

I'm at about the same place you are, 20-plus rejections, some partial and full requests, all form rejects, no takers.

I decided something was wrong with my opening. The decision-maker for me? No personal rejections, even from fulls. I've shelved that work to focus on my second novel, because I think the hook is better and the opening gets moving faster. I learned so much from writing the first one. Maybe I can overhaul it at some point, or maybe it will rest forever under my bed. I don't know, but I decided not to keep banging my head against the wall querying with it for now.

This is a long-winded response to your question: should you start shipping out the query and opening pages for your second novel, even though it needs revisions to the middle and end? I wouldn't. You only get one shot with each agent, so make it perfect first. The revisions you make anywhere in your book could spark changes to your opening. Focus on the writing first, getting published later.

Good luck!

Sorry to hear about the rejection, but if you're getting requests for partials, and nice words from somebody at Ethan Ellenberg...

Keep submitting.

Remember, the only thing that's certain is if you give up you won't succeed.

Sorry Queen, for your rejection. If it makes you feel any better, I also got a form rejection from the same publisher.

TOR is a tough sell. I just looked at my Nebula Award ballet and they have at least 3 books on it. Keep hanging in there.

*edit for MAP...

Queen of Swords said:

Honestly, I don't think so. The two scenes that need to be deleted are from the p.o.v of a minor character who doesn't do a whole lot in the end, plus I need to rewrite a scene where several people get killed in one location and make them get killed in another location 50 feet away instead. That's why I'm pretty certain the opening is good as-is. I just feel that I need to have some queries out to give me a little hope, something I was in dire need of after that rejection from Tor. I could always work on the query letter and send it out to agents who don't want the first thirty or sixty pages, just a query and synopsis with maybe the first five pages.

By the way, this isn't my first or second novel. I just called them that to make it easier to refer to them. I've completed six novels now, though the first one was flawed (to say the least). Haven't managed to get anything published yet, though.

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OK, you know yourself the best, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that we all work in different ways. For me, querying while still working on the manuscript would be too hard emotionally. I'd want to focus on the writing and let it sit for a month or two, revisiting it with clearer vision, before sending it out. I'm drained by the querying process - the hoping and responding to rejection, which makes it harder for me to write. But if querying lifts you up, and you think it might motivate your revisions, then go for it.

Hang in there!!!

Hang in there because if you want it bad enough you'll get there. And like other posters have said, keep writing. It helped me enormously to give the impression that I was capable of producing more than one product.

Also, enthusiasm is infectious. Be enthusiastic and you WILL claim the prize. Personally I think it's far more difficult to get a good agent than to get your book published. And you need a good agent at the good agency, because if your book is stuck with the agent who's expert at selling books on ectoplasmic life then you have a regressive path ahead...

Chin up - if you're good, it will happen!!!

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, Queen. Still-- they requested the partial. This means you don't suck.

Now eat some chocolate and send out another query. And good luck!

wait until the manuscript is finished to your satisfaction, otherwise you may face more rejection before you've had a chance to polish the mss.

Aww, I sympathize Queen of Swords. Rejection is tough. Sometimes it makes you want to give up. Honestly though, I think you're farther than a lot of people. An agent gave you a positive personal rejection. Some people never get that far. Be satisfied with your accomplishments thus far and keep submitting, if not this book, the next.

Keep tryin', Queen. Perservance is the key to getting an acceptance. Much good luck!

Rejection sucks. It doesn't mean your work does, too. I had a few before I placed mine, albeit with a small house. What matters most is that you wrote a novel. Everyone dreams of doing it, even the people who reject you want to. Live, learn and move on. A better and bolder book two must be waiting in the wings.

Your future as a successful author won't happen unless you live the dream.