So much has been written about getting rejections from agents and publishers. All I can add it that it is all true. Last time I spoke to my writing-buddy Lizzie Gates (http://authorgym.wordpress.com) I told her that I was despondent. She still maintains that you can’t call yourself a writer and that you mustn’t allow yourself to be down-hearted until you’ve had at least thirty (yes, 30) rejections. My niece Katie Ward, whose lovely book Girl Reading was published by Virago this year, says thirty – and all the rest! To date, I have had four rejections and have not been short-listed for the two debut novel competitions I entered.
So now it’s back to the drawing board. I am looking at my journal and reminding myself of some of the basics:
· Research the agencies to be sure to approach the right ones
· Follow their guidelines – to the letter
· Know which authors/books you liken yourself/your book to (grammar!!)
· Welcome feedback and don’t be over-sensitive
· Persevere
· Use contacts shamelessly (I’ve never been able to do that for anything)
· Be professional (does that contradict the point above?)
I’m going back to Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook now to continue my quest.
