what did you do? And what is a sure way get published without an agent or self publishing?
2006-12-05 16:14:50 · 7 answers · asked by lovelyladypoet 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I've been rejected hundreds of times. Every time I get rejected, I take a walk. Then, I go back to writing. Some days, I open a reply envelope and find good news. Whatever the case, I keep track of it all in a folder and carry on.
Sometimes I get rejected because my story isn't right for a magazine or publisher, and it just needs to find the right place. When I think that might be the case, I research the market again, and sometimes I find a home for stories that were rejected five or ten times.
Once in awhile, a rejection really hurts. The book rejections hurt the most, or the short stories where I've told myself, "This is the right publisher. They HAVE to take it." Then, I get frustrated and become ambivalent for a few days and decide to procrastinate by answering Yahoo! questions instead of working!
As you can see, I don't know any sure way of getting published.
2006-12-05 16:46:51 · answer #1 · answered by Roald Ellsworth 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A friend of mine just got published after years of rejection. The thing she did different this time? She went back and rewrote her story the way she wanted to tell it. She finally figured that if she was going to get rejected at least they could be rejecting what she wanted to write not some pre-concieved idea of what she should write.
That's not to say that all the work she did making her story "marketable" was wasted, only that the best "pre-concieved" standard of writing is useless if the writing isn't true.
BTW: Her book comes out in March by a major publisher who is having her tour the national TV morning shows. When she made it, she made it big. Hope you have the same good fortune.
2006-12-06 00:53:45 · answer #2 · answered by Spooky Dragon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are a first time author, chances are you will get rejected. I learned that the hard way.
If you are going to self-publish, be sure that you don't just go buying your own books.
I self published my poetry book as a test-drive to self-publishing (Puddles and Stones, search for it on Amazon).
As soon as I get the lazy out of my bones to edit my actual 400 page book, I'm going to self-publish it and put all of my heart and publishing experience into my little baby (my book is my baby).
2006-12-06 00:59:15 · answer #3 · answered by Shalltell 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only sure way is to write such a great book that everyone will be at your door to publish it. If anyone had a "sure-fire" way, they'd be rich and more people would do it. There's not. Just have to keep honing your writing skills, revise your work and keep submitting until you are accepted somewhere.
2006-12-06 00:26:21 · answer #4 · answered by joannaserah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The thing I found so dishearting, the Editors who won't even send you a reply. Good or bad! Some never send your story back even if you enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope. Keep trying.
2006-12-06 05:23:30 · answer #5 · answered by Vicki R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep I couple of times. WHat I did was frame my last rejection letter and hung it over my computer. It reminds me to keep trying.
2006-12-06 01:01:45 · answer #6 · answered by costumeharpy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep. i froze for awhile after. we need to be thick-skinned as writers.
2006-12-06 00:35:07 · answer #7 · answered by theverygrouchyladybug 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋