Yay, I Got Rejected!

 

Good people of Ricochet, please celebrate with me – I just got my first literary rejection!

Last April, I fulfilled a life-long dream and self-published my first book (I wrote about it here). In the following months, I finished up another project, and I decided that this time I would like to try the traditional route.

In February, I bit the bullet and sent my first query letter off, and thankfully I sent it to an agent who replies very quickly, so I had my answer in about a week. I expected to be rejected, and honestly consider it kind of a “right of passage.” Now that I’ve sent one query letter and received one rejection, as Michael Scott said, “I am ready to get hurt again!” 

If you’re a believer in Christ, I would love to have your prayers – that I would persevere, respond correctly to criticism, and ultimately find the right agent and publisher if that is God’s will! I’m excited to continue my journey of being a writer.

Published in Literature
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 34 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    I will pray!

    I want to convey that this is something everyone fears but has never ended anyone’s career in publishing unless they internalize that fear. Keep going! Nothing about what happened to you is unusual. Don’t let anyone stop you. Don’t let yourself stop you. 

    I say this because I want to be encouraging but also because I think about myself working on a paper for about 3 years (I’m going to go through with submitting for publishing soon tbh) and also because I’ve never put up a formal post on Ricochet because I’m just really nervous about posting. 

    I will pray. You’ve done a lot already. Don’t be discouraged. It isn’t unusual. It isn’t about you. Keep going and do make changes that are suggested to you. 

    • #1
  2. Retail Lawyer Member
    Retail Lawyer
    @RetailLawyer

    Congratulations!  Literary rejection is often a step to greatness.

    • #2
  3. JennaStocker Member
    JennaStocker
    @JennaStocker

    You’re in my prayers! And I’m so impressed by your boldness and courage to take a big step into the unknown. Many people don’t even think to try. And now you’re one rejection closer to that “acceptance”. Cross each one off your To-Do List.

    • #3
  4. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    Congrats, I suppose. Keep writing.

    • #4
  5. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    I will pray for you. 

    • #5
  6. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Keep pursuing your passions and your giftings. I once got a flippant, dismissive email from a book buyer. I kept it to someday rub it in her face as motivation. 

    • #6
  7. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Well done, and congratulations!

    • #7
  8. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Obviously Melissa has no interest in empowering women. This is a clear case of self misogyny. Have you contacted a lawyer?

    • #8
  9. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    I was a very nice rejection letter, however. She even said she read your work.

    • #9
  10. GLDIII Temporarily Essential Reagan
    GLDIII Temporarily Essential
    @GLDIII

    Elon Musk is on his tenth BFR.  Everyone of them is a new lesson learned. We learn more from our failures than our serendipitous quick wins.

    Keep plugging, and good luck.

    • #10
  11. Chris Hutchinson Coolidge
    Chris Hutchinson
    @chrishutch13

    Allie, I am praying your desires on this do indeed align with God’s will. Certainly, one rejection is no reason to not persevere some more. 

    • #11
  12. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Praying, Allie.

    • #12
  13. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    I have a file full of rejection letters.  Most of them say, “Not what we are looking for at this time.”  I recommend self-publishing.  A friend at work told me about Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon).  I went that route, and my science fiction series has sold over 4500 books, not to mention borrowing through their lending library.  My new women’s fiction series is off to a slow start, but hopefully sales will pick up.  I depend entirely on word-of-mouth advertising . . .

    Update:  I either heard or read somewhere with the advent of digital self-publishing, traditional publishers are relying more on agents instead of cold submissions.

    • #13
  14. Marjorie Reynolds Coolidge
    Marjorie Reynolds
    @MarjorieReynolds

    You’ve a great attitude.

    I worked for a publishing company years ago. Most of the time things were rejected not because they were bad but just because they didn’t fit with the rest of the catalogue.

    • #14
  15. Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai… Inactive
    Dennis A. Garcia (formerly Gai…
    @Gaius

    I’ve seen more than a hundred of those, probably, over the last couple years. Keep at it.

    • #15
  16. GFHandle Member
    GFHandle
    @GFHandle

    I hope you do not need to go through too many more of these rites of passage. The old saw was that you have to paper your room with rejections before success arrives. Good luck.

    • #16
  17. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Congratulations on having an experience that probably every writer has had.

    As a corporate patent attorney I have pointed out to countless inventors whose invention the company chose not to patent, that coming up with and submitting more ideas was the way to increase the chances that the company would choose to patent one or more of the inventor’s ideas.

    • #17
  18. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Goldgeller (View Comment):

    I will pray!

    I want to convey that this is something everyone fears but has never ended anyone’s career in publishing unless they internalize that fear. Keep going! Nothing about what happened to you is unusual. Don’t let anyone stop you. Don’t let yourself stop you.

    I say this because I want to be encouraging but also because I think about myself working on a paper for about 3 years (I’m going to go through with submitting for publishing soon tbh) and also because I’ve never put up a formal post on Ricochet because I’m just really nervous about posting.

    I will pray. You’ve done a lot already. Don’t be discouraged. It isn’t unusual. It isn’t about you. Keep going and do make changes that are suggested to you.

    Thank you so much for the encouragement!!! I just said a prayer for you about your paper, too. And I hope you will post something here on Ricochet! 

    • #18
  19. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    JennaStocker (View Comment):

    You’re in my prayers! And I’m so impressed by your boldness and courage to take a big step into the unknown. Many people don’t even think to try. And now you’re one rejection closer to that “acceptance”. Cross each one off your To-Do List.

    Thank you, Jenna! ☺️

    • #19
  20. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    E. Kent Golding (View Comment):

    I will pray for you.

    I appreciate that so much!

    • #20
  21. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Vince Guerra (View Comment):

    Keep pursuing your passions and your giftings. I once got a flippant, dismissive email from a book buyer. I kept it to someday rub it in her face as motivation.

    Haha, reminds me of the record company who wouldn’t sign the Beatles. 

    • #21
  22. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    EJHill (View Comment):

    Obviously Melissa has no interest in empowering women. This is a clear case of self misogyny. Have you contacted a lawyer?

    😂😂😂

    • #22
  23. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):

    I was a very nice rejection letter, however. She even said she read your work.

    It was! I’m glad I started with this agent in case future ones aren’t as kind. 😅

    • #23
  24. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    GLDIII Temporarily Essential (View Comment):

    Elon Musk is on his tenth BFR. Everyone of them is a new lesson learned. We learn more from our failures than our serendipitous quick wins.

    Keep plugging, and good luck.

    Good reminder, and thank you!

    • #24
  25. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Chris Hutchinson (View Comment):

    Allie, I am praying your desires on this do indeed align with God’s will. Certainly, one rejection is no reason to not persevere some more.

    Thank you so much!

    • #25
  26. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Percival (View Comment):

    Praying, Allie.

    Thank you!!!

    • #26
  27. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Stad (View Comment):

    I have a file full of rejection letters. Most of them say, “Not what we are looking for at this time.” I recommend self-publishing. A friend at work told me about Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon). I went that route, and my science fiction series has sold over 4500 books, not to mention borrowing through their lending library. My new women’s fiction series is off to a slow start, but hopefully sales will pick up. I depend entirely on word-of-mouth advertising . . .

    Update: I either heard or read somewhere with the advent of digital self-publishing, traditional publishers are relying more on agents instead of cold submissions.

    Thank you for all the advice – I did use KDP for my first book, and loved the experience!

    I’m glad your first book series is doing so well and hope the second series does, too – I’ll have to look your books up!

    • #27
  28. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Marjorie Reynolds (View Comment):

    You’ve a great attitude.

    I worked for a publishing company years ago. Most of the time things were rejected not because they were bad but just because they didn’t fit with the rest of the catalogue.

    That’s what I’m hoping, haha. And if there really is something major I need to fix, maybe one of the rejection letters will indicate what that is. 

    • #28
  29. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    GFHandle (View Comment):

    I hope you do not need to go through too many more of these rites of passage. The old saw was that you have to paper your room with rejections before success arrives. Good luck.

    That’s a fun idea! Maybe I’ll print it off and post it somewhere. 

    • #29
  30. Allie Hahn Coolidge
    Allie Hahn
    @AllieHahn

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Congratulations on having an experience that probably every writer has had.

    As a corporate patent attorney I have pointed out to countless inventors whose invention the company chose not to patent, that coming up with and submitting more ideas was the way to increase the chances that the company would choose to patent one or more of the inventor’s ideas.

    Great analogy – thank you!

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.