I haven’t been here in a few weeks because I’ve been suffering a writing block lately, and can’t even face putting up my excerpts. I’ve long since worked out that these bouts of writing blocks beset me at times when I receive the rejection letters.
You see, like every other struggling writer, I go to the library, spend hours doing research about the best agents to whom I should send my manuscript. I then do further research about what these individual agents require then set out to do just that.
After weeks of preparation and writing, I send out several copies of my ms to the agents I chose. I do this regularly and send out in blocks as I find it easier to prepare them in this way. (I suppose that sending out more than one at a time means that one rejection would leave me hope for other yeses to follow.)
I then go to the post office and send out the ms, making sure to include SASEs in each pack. I come out with a much lighter purse, but with new hope that maybe this time would be the clincher and that this would be my last manuscript sending saga.
Last week, after three days of one such posting, one of my packages was sent back to me. Three days! The letter said, “…It is very difficult with new fiction…”
Now you see my predicament. At the top of this page, I’ve posted my blurb, and as you can see, ‘fiction’ is NOT what ‘Sunday’s Child’ is. Of course I won’t say which agent this is - that would be improper, but I ask, what chance has anyone got, if we won’t even be given the benefit of having our manuscripts read.
I’ve had tonnes of rejection slips and letters, even ones that said ‘we don’t do fiction’. But for the first time, after receiving this letter, I thought that maybe I should just quit. I mean, if no one would even read my synopsis or cover letter (which both stated in the first couple of lines that this was non-fiction) what chance have I got in all honesty.
Today I am writing a letter to my TV agents to suggest a meeting to talk about doing television on a more regular basis. Maybe this is too hasty and maybe I’ll change my mind later on. Nothing gives me more pleasure than writing, but hey, one has to also be practical right.
Right now I’m thinking that I haven’t got a chance…
14 comments:
Please!! Tell me about it!
It's so depressing. I have them too. Tons of rejection slips. Do I give up? Absolutely not. Nor should you.
My mother always said (in Dutch) De aanhouder wint. Loosely translated: He who keeps going will win.
I know that I have found an outlet in Middle Ditch but my ambition is still to get something on TV.
Keep sending (I will resume sending my TV scripts again this year) and for goodness sake keep writing!!
Monique, I've left a comment on your blog.
Dear Anne
... and on top of this You are the sweetest person to take Your precious time to post a blog and uplifting comments on our posts! Thank You!
I am not in the position of coming with any creative suggestions for Your problems. But, my immediate reaction was, Should I want to receive this in any other way than by e-mail?
I know when students sent their thesis work to me, I always make a *sigh* when I don't get it in digital form. Why? The correcting /editing procedure gets very difficult. When I receive it by the mail, I can work on it fast on my laptop and my mobile internet-connection, no matter of where I am. On the train to a meeting a lot of work is done. The poor students that sent me tons of manuscript in paper forms are always always the last one's to get feed-back from me.
Don't know if this rather concrete visualisation of "the Other Side" of the coin is of any help to You. But, if not *lol* it doesn't cost You anything to send by e-mail!
Happy New Year n' Good Luck my Friend!!!
HI Anna-lys, thanks for your comments and wishes.
I often wonder about this myself, but I do my reasearch thoroughly and the agents in question specify that they want manuscripts POSTED in on paper, NOT e-mailed.
I went to a workshop a couple of months ago and they said that this was because paper submissions are easier for them to handle and read and even take home. Emailed entries clog up their system and annoy them.
I send e-mail submissions to the few agents who say they are willing to accept them.
'See' you soon...
Anne! Do you have today's The Times Newspaper?
A heartening article about a novelist who had rejection after rejection and is now hailed as The Novelist. Please have a look. Miracles still happen!
Anne, rejection letters are not a good reason to give up, because some of the worlds greatest writers had a huge collection of them. Write for your own satisfaction, and let the receiving of rejection letters just be a sideline. You could compile a book of the most outlandish and/or interesting ones. Who knows, they might end up being a blessing in disguise. Your book is good, or at least I think so. I find it riveting, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Hi Monique and Dabrah, Thank you both for your encouragement.
I did see the article Monique, Dabrah sent me the link after she saw your post. You are both right!
I was very encouraged by Catherine's story and now I'm off to prepare my new excerpt for next Friday and to start a short story I've had in my head for months.
Anne
Anne, I have created another blog. Come and have a look.
MD
Hi Anne.
Don't give up hope. If your book is good enough, one day it will reach the eyes of someone in a position to do something about it.
Hi UTMG,
Thanks for that, I want to beleive so too, but in the current situation where the retailers seem to direct what books even get read by the publishers, writers are left struggling to find someone to read their work.
No matter how good, if the work or author can't be pigeon-holed, it becomes a very long road indeed.
Having said that, I still live in hope.
Thank you so much for voting. It was a lot of fun. For a while it was a close run between Fathers and Daughters and Grindhirst. Grindhirst won by one vote.
I have posted the first seven scenes.
Thank you so much for that huge compliment!
I try and post several scenes once or twice a week. My problem is that all my scripts are written on a very old computer (not connected to the internet) which doesn't allow me to transfer my work to this hyper- new-up-to date-with garage band computer of my husband. This means that I have to type everything anew on his before I can post it. It's tedious and boring but it does allow me to rewrite the script as it was written about seven years ago and is at times dated.
Hi Anne,
Although this post is old, it is timeless! LOL. But take heart, at least they send you rejection letters. Many times, silence is my only response.
After reading some of your comments, I see that paper is not the best route. Typically, I do not have time to do a paper query anyway, just email. Maybe that is why it does not hurt as much when the tell me no. Less effort involved.
I just read this letter on booksellers regarding how agents are suffering. Amazing! If you would like to read it, please go to...
http://www.thebookseller.com/blogs/84214-dead-men-walking.html
His post shocked me. I guess that the grass is not always greener on the other side.
Thanks, La Fleur. I'll have a look at that link.
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