Rejection is Not the End

Here’s a little anecdote for you if you’ve had a bad day, gotten a rejection letter and feel like you’ll never get published.

On May 12th 2008, I sent a query letter out to an agent along with a few sample chapters.  In the time since that happened I had a different agent agree to represent me, signed a two-book deal with Tor and got busy writing book number two.  Then, out of the blue, this email arrived in my inbox (on Nov 18th 2009):

“Dear Anthony -

Please accept my apologies for taking so very long to respond to your requested manuscript. It really was incredibly unprofessional of me, and I am so sorry!”

Well, I accept the apology!  After all, this agent, despite politely declining to represent me still wished me the best.

And the best certainly happened!

The manuscript didn’t change much at all, I think, between what this agent and my current agent read.  That proves what you always hear: that you have to find the right person to represent your writing.

Take this rejection letter (which I’ve committed to memory as my personal favorite):

“Seeing as how I find fantasy to be ridiculous and genre writing wholly without merit, I don’t think I’d be the right person to represent you.”

While it’s not exactly nice, it is honest.  Granted it does relegate a vast pile of hugely successful books to the dumpster but he has a right to his opinion.

Moral of the story is: don’t despair!  Chin up, press forward, face the wind and all that.  One day it could be you!