Accepting Rejection

     Authors by the hundreds can tell you stories by the thousands of those rejection slips before they found a publisher...
​                                                  - Zig Ziglar

     If you've been at this game for any amount of time, you know as well as the next that rejection is a common scenario. I've faced it, our clients have faced it, and nearly every published and unpublished author has faced it as well. It can be discouraging, overwhelming even when you receive that notification that your work has been rejected. It threatens everything you've done, steals the joy and the drive from future projects too. So, if it's such a common occurrence, then how are we supposed to keep moving on with damaged emotions and a pessimistic outlook?  Well, before we decide how to deal with rejection, let's take a look at the reasons why we are rejected in the first place. 
     Most agents, publishers, and even end-consumers won't give a full explanation of why you have been turned away and your work disliked.  At QuickFire, we make an effort to detail those reasons to our submissions, but that's one of the distinguishing factors of our agency. Not all companies will take the time to do the same, so you need to be prepared to face unexplained rejection. But here, we can offer a few of the more prevalent reasons for you. 

1. ​General Quality - This is likely the largest reason for rejection in the literary world today. It's a broad category, but essentially encompasses how well-written and entertaining your work is.  I often send potential clients back to the drawing board on this very point. Having a dedicated editor comb through your writing and a group of trusted individuals read and approve it is a necessary step before pitching to any agent or publisher.  If this is you, and feel that rejection has been made on this point, don't let it put the brakes on your struggle towards perfection. Let it fuel you and educate you to be a better writer. And remember: this is not a solo career. You need other people, a community even. Submit to others and let them help you refine your writing.  See "Avoiding Conceit" blog below for some more pointers and encouragement on this point.
2. Disinterest - A less frequent, but altogether possible reason is an agent or publisher's disinterest in your work. This isn't a negative, per say. Oftentimes, this is just an honest reaction from the reader. We all have our preferences, the things we like and the things we don't. I couldn't count the times that we've had incredible stories turned back to us with a simple "No, it's not my style." And as an agent, I understand that response on a very clear and respected level. Literature can be as varied as the colors on two artists' paint palettes. You may be more interested in the lighter fare, yellows and sky blues, while I enjoy the darker counterparts of violet and deep green. You may prefer first-person, thought-driven narratives, while I enjoy reading third-person stories that encompass a wide cast. When we are rejected on the basis of disinterest, we have but simply to pick up our story and carry it to another in hopes that interests may collide. 
3. Relevance - In the rapidly changing market today, publishers are having a difficult time keeping up with the game and making profits. Bear in mind that this is not a hobby for these companies; it is a business, and businesses require revenue and gains. Sometimes, you may have a wonderful story that is worthy to be published and read by the masses, but you are rejected on the basis that there simply isn't a good market for it. Fads shift, interests change, and the pendulum of what the masses are buying continues to swing. Before you decide to pitch, do the research and determine whether it is a good market for you. 
4. Constraints - This is a reason that has plagued the publishing world since it was formed in capitalistic society. It's only more prevalent in our instant-access world today. All too often, agents and publishers alike are inundated with material. Reading a manuscript is not a quick task, either. It takes time, and time is a valuable commodity.  If you failed to capture your audience with the synopsis and the first section of your story, you are likely to receive rejection for this very reason. You could have a wonderful, well-crafted book, but the agent or the publisher simply doesn't have the time to commit and find that out. Or sometimes, the agent or the publisher already has too many clients on his/her plate. It's full, and adding more would be a detriment to the ones already accrued. In either of these scenarios, you are best served by refining the beginning of your story to catch their attentions and crafting a fully-immersive synopsis that says it all. 

     Though there are many more reasons for rejection, these are the most common and the ones with which we may adapt. Take the time to invest and improve when you are turned away. Find a community that can offer unbiased insight to your work. And when you aren't given details for why you were rejected, take heart and press on and realize that your work is never done. Real authors are a rare and obstinate breed; giving up isn't in the blood.  Until next time...