Publication Quest
This week the mail brought a form rejection. The boilerplate communication is the lowest of the low. There’s no positive spin.
Of course, I still love the story. So I’m thinking about how to revise it. Maybe it should have more suspense,or more depth, or more emotion, or all of the above. Could it be told better? No doubt, but still it is a damn fine story and there should have been at least a top of the head reason for the rejection. However, the lovely editors are savvy – they know that if they gave me reasons then I would take those as encouragement, pestering them with more submissions.
Current year's goals updated
1) Forget craft – back to telling a good story
2) Three submissions
3) In roads into the TBR shelves
Progress report
One more unread book on writing craft unearthed. I’m sure I’ll read it someday. .
Three submissions sent!
Working on number four (see word meter number four)
Status: One rejection – two still waiting to hear from the publishers
Timeline:
Number Two: Two months – estimated response time from publisher 1 month
Number three: One month and two weeks - estimated response time from publisher none*
*Publisher did acknowledge the submission, but included a warning not to contact them about this submission. I’ve decided three months is long enough for them to have an exclusive.
TBR stack is smaller
Of course, I still love the story. So I’m thinking about how to revise it. Maybe it should have more suspense,or more depth, or more emotion, or all of the above. Could it be told better? No doubt, but still it is a damn fine story and there should have been at least a top of the head reason for the rejection. However, the lovely editors are savvy – they know that if they gave me reasons then I would take those as encouragement, pestering them with more submissions.
Current year's goals updated
1) Forget craft – back to telling a good story
2) Three submissions
3) In roads into the TBR shelves
Progress report
One more unread book on writing craft unearthed. I’m sure I’ll read it someday. .
Three submissions sent!
Working on number four (see word meter number four)
Status: One rejection – two still waiting to hear from the publishers
Timeline:
Number Two: Two months – estimated response time from publisher 1 month
Number three: One month and two weeks - estimated response time from publisher none*
*Publisher did acknowledge the submission, but included a warning not to contact them about this submission. I’ve decided three months is long enough for them to have an exclusive.
TBR stack is smaller
posted by Evanne Lorraine at 7:38 AM
3 Comments:
Hugs Evanne!! I hate Rs. Which story/line was this?
Thanks for hugs Avery, this is my Blackmailed By The Billionaire story targeted to my favorite, the Presents line. The lovely editors there produce lots of stories I adore, pity they didn't like mine. Sniff, sniff.
Oh, Evanne, I'm so sorry. If it's any consolation, Presents and Desire are the two most difficult lines to break into. Even established Harlequin authors try to get there because they pay better than most other lines. So I hope you realize it's not so much the quality of your submission as the mountain you're trying to scale there.
Also remember that before I sold, I never got a personalized rejection from anyone. So don't let the form rejection leave you feeling like you've got a long ways to go. It doesn't mean a thing.
But hugs all around. It most definitely sucks. Why not treat yourself to something! Ever have a pedicure? It's my favorite guilty pleasure. I love being pampered!
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