| Unless an author has a colossal ego, he feels | | | | you. Bat those eyes and work the hips. It's much |
| some measure of dejection after receiving a | | | | more desirable to be wooed than to woo in this |
| rejection letter from a literary agent or publisher. I | | | | business. Be patient and build a reputation for your |
| was no exception. In responding to or internalizing | | | | book and yourself as an author. Create a buzz |
| the rejection, the author needs to draw from | | | | and allow for the ripple effect. If you can |
| those same reserves of tenacity and resilience | | | | generate sufficient interest at a grassroots level |
| that enabled him to complete the book. | | | | for a book that has merit and commercial |
| I never approached publishers with the book, but | | | | potential, the larger publishers and agents will |
| did shop it out to approximately forty-five literary | | | | come to you. |
| agents. I received plenty of rejection letters. To | | | | Reviews are more of a wildcard. Even a |
| my pleasant surprise, I also received a letter of | | | | commercial hit can be panned by the critics. As an |
| interest from a prominent agent in Los Angeles. | | | | English Lit major, I had to work hard to set aside |
| Representation was contingent on my making the | | | | convention and write honestly and from the heart. |
| novel entirely non-fiction, something I was unwilling | | | | I'm not suggesting you forget the rules of |
| to do. It's highly unlikely a first time author will land | | | | grammar or three act construction. What I am |
| a literary agent. It seldom happens. If an agent | | | | suggesting is that traditional and narrow "literary |
| does take on a neophyte author, there is a good | | | | merit" can be distinguished from contemporary |
| chance concessions will be demanded of that | | | | and broader substantive merit. A book may not |
| author. Having an agent certainly helps open | | | | go down as a classic, but if it's a good story told |
| doors, but is not essential. More and more authors | | | | well, it will reach its desired audience and do more |
| are going it their own without an agent and are | | | | to establish your reputation as author than will |
| being met with a good deal of success. | | | | critical accolades. The critic that writes a negative |
| The literary agent's ultimatum made me even | | | | review often is focused on the literary merit of a |
| more determined to see that the book reached | | | | work, and not whether it is, simply, a well crafted |
| an audience on my terms. In order to retain | | | | and entertaining book. The focus is often on |
| creative control, I elected to use a print on | | | | whether the work ranks as a "great book" using |
| demand publisher. In addition to offering the book | | | | the classics as yardstick. This is not realistic, nor |
| on Amazon and through four other e-tailers, I | | | | particularly relevant to anyone other than |
| released the work as an audiobook. May 2009 it | | | | newspaper and magazine publishers that know |
| was the second most popular download on | | | | negative reviews sell more copy than do positive |
| Podiobooks.com, with 8000 downloads in 4 days, | | | | reviews. Regardless of how neutral or altruistic |
| and remained on their top ten list for six weeks, | | | | the reviewer believes himself to be, they are, like |
| so it appears the book is finding that audience. | | | | the rest of us, fatally flawed humans with biases. |
| The point in sharing this experience is to drive | | | | And those biases taint their reviews. At the end |
| home the fact that the best way to deal with | | | | of the day, the old adage, "any press is good |
| rejection is to minimize the risk of rejection. If | | | | press" holds true here, so long as there is some |
| you are a first time author and the first publishers | | | | positive chatter to offset the hatchet jobs. |
| you approach are the conglomerate publishing | | | | For me, personally, rejection or a critical review |
| houses, you are setting yourself up for rejection. | | | | strengthens my resolve to achieve my goals for |
| If you are a first time author and you send | | | | the book. It helps motivate me to get more |
| letters of inquiry to literary agents at CAA and | | | | creative in devising workaround alternatives to |
| William Morris, you are setting yourself up for | | | | mainstream distribution channels and marketing. If |
| rejection. If you are a first time author and you | | | | a particular agent, publisher or critic responded |
| send your galley to the New York Times or | | | | negatively to the work, how do I reach an agent, |
| Atlantic Weekly for a book review, you are | | | | publisher or critic that may be more receptive to |
| setting yourself up for rejection. It is good to be | | | | my story and its presentation? Always keep in |
| self-confident in your skill set as author and in | | | | mind that publishing is a business. A rejection is |
| your finished product, but when it's the first dance | | | | not necessarily a commentary on the quality of |
| at the cotillion, don't start with the Fortune 500 | | | | your story or the telling of it; it is often nothing |
| heirs. Demonstrate your grace and prowess on | | | | more than a commentary on its perceived |
| the ballroom floor with a lesser suitor, and allow | | | | commerciality. |
| the titans of industry to take notice and pursue | | | | |