A writing friend recently confided to me: “I know that the submission
process is subjective, but I really feel disheartened. (You've been there, you
know the feeling!) It's as though you just REALLY want someone to give (your
novel) approval after all the hours you’ve sat tapping away.”
I have been submitting my novels to agents and publishers
for over 5 years now, I daren’t think how many rejections I’ve had so far. I
have actually stopped counting to save my sanity! But the love of writing and
the belief in my stories has kept me going. And finally, I have just been
offered not one but two publishing deals – I have accepted with Harper Impulse,
part of Harper Collins! This is such fantastic news and I’m still riding high.
I had already been working on this piece about rejections for my blog, and I
feel it’s even more important to share it with you now. The writing I found the easy part, but submitting - aaarrgh!
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My experiences along the way helped me to learn, focus
and develop. So here’s some hints and tips which I hope might help other
aspiring authors who are feeling the knocks out there:
1.) FOCUS
YOUR SUBMISSIONS: Find out who’s looking for clients. I must have wasted so
many early submissions on picking some big agency I fancied out of the Writers’
and Artists’ year book, sending a general submission, and getting a standard
slush pile reply. Try and submit to
publishers/agents who are openly seeking writers to represent, and check they
are interested in your genre. A good tip is to see which publishers and agents
are giving 1:1’s at writing conferences. (Check out the Winchester Writers’
Festival, the Festival of Writing at York, the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference
if you write romance, and there are now many literary festivals and events around
the country). Your local library may have more information. If you can’t get
along in person, at least have a look at what’s going on, and who’s there! Up
and coming agents are usually keen on debut
writers - keep an eye out on the Bookseller “Rising Stars”, or agents who have
left a bigger agency to set up on their own. Also, keep an eye on who’s judging
writing competitions (and enter some, appearing on a competition shortlist is a great thing to
mention in a covering letter), and look out for articles on agents and
publishers in the writing magazines. (Check out Writing Magazine and Writers’
Forum.) If they are being proactive in seeking out and supporting writers, then
they are bound to be more open to reading your submission. And don’t be afraid
to go ahead and submit direct to publishers who state they will look at
non-agented submissions, for example Carina UK, Harper Impulse for romantic
fiction, Choc Lit, Bookouture, obviously check if it’s your genre they publish.
These are mostly digital first; as a
debut author it’s a great way to get out there, get a platform, and
professional publishing and marketing for your work.
2.) BE
PROFESSIONAL/RESEARCH: Research publisher/agent guidelines for each submission, check exactly what
they are, and tailor your
submissions. Try and get an individual’s name and have a good reason why you are
submitting to them ie do they represent someone you feel you write similarly
to, or the genre you write in? Have you heard them speaking, followed them on
Twitter or Facebook, listened to their advice, met them at a conference. Think
through your pitch, your covering letter, work on your synopsis. Don’t rush it,
and equally don’t make your submission too long-winded (for a covering letter or
e-mail no more than one page of A4) or gimmicky, just make it enthusiastic,
describe your book with passion and a little about yourself, try and think of a
single sentence that would inspire a reader to pick up your novel and read it,
and consider briefly what’s unique about your work. Test out your
letter/synopsis/first chapters on someone you trust, a writer friend or avid
reader whose opinion you respect might be ideal. Blowing your own trumpet is
sometimes hard, us writers are often shy types, spending hours at home with our
heads in our laptops, but we have to sell
our stories and market ourselves as
a writer.
3.) FIND
A FRIEND (OR A FEW!) Writers are a supportive and friendly bunch. Try and seek
out other writers/writing groups in your local area/genre. Again literary
events/book signings/conferences are ideal places to make new friends and get
some support. Writing can be quite an isolating activity, and much as our friends
and families try and support us, it’s quite a unique activity. Another writer
can really understand what you are going through. I’m not sure if I could have
kept going through all the rejections without the support of my lovely RNA
Northumberland group.
4.) DEVELOP
A THICK SKIN: Easier said than done, I know! A rejection will always hurt and
give you that horrid sinking feeling. And the self-doubts creep back in. Am I
any good at this? Will I ever get published? Am I delusional? Yes, learn from any critical comments,
especially if the same things are being said from various parties, but remember
it’s often a matter of personal taste.
It’s like getting someone to fall in love with you – an agent or publisher needs
to fall in love with your story. (I have had that response so many times – you
write really well, but I just didn’t fall in love/feel passionate enough about
it .) Take the positives, learn from any critical comments, pick yourself up, brush
yourself down, have a cup of tea, piece of chocolate cake, glass of wine, hug,
and carry on.
5.) KEEP
WRITING - DON’T GIVE UP! WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING. Perseverance
is everything. The only sure thing you’ll know if you stop trying is that you won’t get published. If it’s worth it
to you, you will find the energy/time/effort/bloody-mindedness to keep going. Remember why you started writing in the
first place. Also give yourself a bit of TLC if you need it - I sometimes used
to leave off the submissions for a few weeks, when I was feeling particularly sore
after rejections and just get back to the writing. Then, I was soon re-inspired
and ready to go again. And, KEEP WRITING! Book One might not be the one that
gets you published ( I was on my fourth by the time I got a book deal), so keep
going, even when you are submitting one book, get busy writing the next. You’ll
be learning your craft, developing as a writer. And agents and publisher like
to know you aren’t a One Trick Pony, that you have more novels in you, more
stories to tell.
Let me know if you have any tips for handling rejections, or experiences too.
I'd love to hear from you.
AND, GOOD LUCK!
