Mmmmm yum! Rejection! I love it so much, I eat it for breakfast!
Actually, perhaps I should qualify what type of rejection I’m talking about here. I’m not a fan of all types…
I DON’T like the type of rejection where my kid isn’t invited to a school birthday that seemingly EVERY other kid is invited to.
I DON’T like sending a manuscript my publisher and hearing nothing… for what seems like an eternity… then a ‘no thanks.’
BUT I DO like querying an agent or publisher and getting a personalised rejection email/letter in response.
This last point might sound counter-intuitive but I assure you it is not. The fact that I have received a personal response means that someone has taken the time to read my work (so it has clambered through the moat, scaled the wall and ended up in the room of royalty somehow). It also means they feel inclined to provide some reason why they don’t want to partner on this piece. This means I have an opportunity to:
- Learn from the feedback
2. make my work/pitch/query better
There is always a silver lining when it comes to this type of rejection. So, I wish my fellow writers all the best in getting a good dose at some point and turning it into success! Nom Nom!
Esther Krogdahl 