tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post9162242122061165193..comments2024-03-28T09:50:13.187-04:00Comments on Group Blog: Blasted Rejections! ~ by Patricia TohtSue Heavenrichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00550259613381458435noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-41953970840936419202016-03-19T00:26:20.878-04:002016-03-19T00:26:20.878-04:00Great idea, Tina! Small steps add up to amazing ac...Great idea, Tina! Small steps add up to amazing accomplishments.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-63832286229041109892016-03-19T00:25:43.914-04:002016-03-19T00:25:43.914-04:00Way to go, Christy!Way to go, Christy!Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-89527327955375073072016-03-18T07:32:54.171-04:002016-03-18T07:32:54.171-04:00Yes, great words of encouragement. Years ago I sta...Yes, great words of encouragement. Years ago I started a writing scrapbook that holds things I've published in various venues. When I'm feeling blue, I can look at it and remind myself that I'm still a writer.Tina Chohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02808651865125809841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-13367946096327658462016-03-15T11:05:43.869-04:002016-03-15T11:05:43.869-04:00This is a terrific post, Patty. Thank you for your...This is a terrific post, Patty. Thank you for your encouraging words. As I keep sending my babies out there, I find I have gained confidence in my own work and that makes it easier to shrug off rejections. It's usually not about me, or my writing -- it's usually about timing and fit. Write on, all!Christy Mihalyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07944814793031197203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-25888279793412219832016-03-14T21:49:54.927-04:002016-03-14T21:49:54.927-04:00Courage, sweet Charlotte! You can do it. One tiny ...Courage, sweet Charlotte! You can do it. One tiny step at a time. :)Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-21069120395638302382016-03-14T21:08:08.972-04:002016-03-14T21:08:08.972-04:00Nice techniques, Jan. I love the reflections on an...Nice techniques, Jan. I love the reflections on an editor's delay. :)Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-90636324589788075602016-03-14T21:06:55.565-04:002016-03-14T21:06:55.565-04:00So true, Jilanne. Hard to move forward sometimes.So true, Jilanne. Hard to move forward sometimes.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-55557404951656905332016-03-14T13:25:11.166-04:002016-03-14T13:25:11.166-04:00"An old buddy of a book..."
That's ..."An old buddy of a book..." <br />That's a mighty apt description for Bird by Bird & illustrates how fine a writer you are, Pat.<br /><br />I feel your rejections will turn into contracts with a preferred publisher. <br /><br />Since you can think about the forthcoming picture book, I would allow a minute or two of joy over that. <br /><br />Techniques I employ with every manuscript rejection-<br /><br />one*<br />Guesstimate, were it to be traditionally pubbed. how much $ will be invested in my manuscript - halve the amount & consider what I would buy for that $. Likely, nothing.<br />I'd just keep banking/investing it. It's a huge amount of $. They HAVE to be cautious & know it is the real true gen. for them. We know that but turning the tables & picking something that we would spend the money on, helps me understand it to the core.<br />two*<br />Remember the last time I shopped. Such as this lunchtime today, for literary themed items as a gift for our book-loving gal. I looked all over a wonderful site where I immediately zeroed in on about 50 items that are super. But, prudent purseholder that I am, I narrowed it to 3 cuties. And still, I didn't buy. I will go back & consider later. After looking elsewhere. This helps me understand an editor's delay. I am such a tough sell on anything I buy. They've got to be even tuffer, me thinks.<br /><br />This is a nourishing & helpful post that we can all nest in.<br /><br /> jan godown anninohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00091996699597066230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-64770656629123567282016-03-14T13:20:04.909-04:002016-03-14T13:20:04.909-04:00Yes, not knowing is always worse than knowing &quo...Yes, not knowing is always worse than knowing "no." I do, however, always want to find out "why." Otherwise, it's kind of like trying to steer a ship without navigational tools. Thanks for your perspective and some great suggestions on how to deal with rejection!Jilanne Hoffmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00866006633425949522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-30556288486964314402016-03-14T13:00:20.095-04:002016-03-14T13:00:20.095-04:00Thank you for this post, Pat. It's a timely on...Thank you for this post, Pat. It's a timely one for me. Those doldrums creep inside and make quite a nest.Charlotte Dixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907242751556735710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-26609655440218838392016-03-14T10:30:59.037-04:002016-03-14T10:30:59.037-04:00I've been there, Jamie. I had one rejection th...I've been there, Jamie. I had one rejection that stung because the editor basically said she was hopeful by my description of the book, but then it really let her down. But then I went to my critique group and discovered that several of us had gotten the SAME rejection! That was the editor's version of a form rejection! Ouch!Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-49337752894134757412016-03-14T10:28:40.778-04:002016-03-14T10:28:40.778-04:00Those rejections are real heart wounds, yes, and w...Those rejections are real heart wounds, yes, and we have to work at healing those wounds effectively. I love, love, love your idea of Rejection Bingo, Kirsten!! Such a fun way to thump our noses at rejections while keeping company with others. Laughter is indeed a great medicine. :)Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-40268092326511269092016-03-14T10:25:48.170-04:002016-03-14T10:25:48.170-04:00Sue, the same thing happened to me! A text that ha...Sue, the same thing happened to me! A text that had been rejected (at least I assume it had been rejected because I never heard a word about it), was bought several years later by the same editor. That's my reminder about that timing makes a difference.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-77645210283728059152016-03-14T10:23:30.546-04:002016-03-14T10:23:30.546-04:00Great idea, Pat. I remember being at an author pre...Great idea, Pat. I remember being at an author presentation where the author unrolled a scroll of rejections that had been laminated together. The sheet stretched from one end of the gym to the other. A powerful visual for the audience!Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-57516483301209118162016-03-14T10:21:19.498-04:002016-03-14T10:21:19.498-04:00Kid lit people are the best! So encouraging and un...Kid lit people are the best! So encouraging and understanding. Just what we need after a rejection. Oh, that AND chocolate.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-74756570900193539422016-03-14T10:20:18.485-04:002016-03-14T10:20:18.485-04:00I agree, Kathy. It helps to have some feedback, so...I agree, Kathy. It helps to have some feedback, so we know how to work on making things better.Patricia Tohthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06878871084215411303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-57293104624956934482016-03-14T09:47:55.091-04:002016-03-14T09:47:55.091-04:00Patrica, I agree. Sometimes you just have to laugh...Patrica, I agree. Sometimes you just have to laugh. The wording does make a difference. I had two rejections in one week. One was nice and the other rejection came off as mean. We must go on��Janiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05348838681557893522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-13617478018078753412016-03-14T09:30:18.504-04:002016-03-14T09:30:18.504-04:00Wonderful words of encouragement, Patricia. When w...Wonderful words of encouragement, Patricia. When we've put our heart out there with our manuscript, it's hard not to feel it's been broken when we get rejections. Thanks for helping us keep it in perspective.Kirsten Larsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12911346353293324939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-40060679705526066322016-03-14T08:55:09.215-04:002016-03-14T08:55:09.215-04:00I like Stephen King's idea (from his book On W...I like Stephen King's idea (from his book On Writing): pile 'em up on a spike and when it gets full, toss them in the recycling bin and start again with an empty spike. or file. Unless the editor/agent has something to say about it, I generally don't pay much attention. Had a query rejected and then accepted by same editor - so I know it's totally subjective.Sue Heavenrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00550259613381458435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-13424102008472353142016-03-14T08:38:48.409-04:002016-03-14T08:38:48.409-04:00Great post! To answer your question: I keep physic...Great post! To answer your question: I keep physical track of the rejections--save the letters, note the black hole expiration dates, etc.--and keep them in my "No Thank You" binder to show future school visit audiences. Once you are published, it's a sweet "revenge".Pat Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15552106382183979177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-70911701252940118792016-03-14T08:12:23.532-04:002016-03-14T08:12:23.532-04:00Patty, I have that book and it is a good read. Tha...Patty, I have that book and it is a good read. Thank goodness for the kid lit community who pick us up and dust us off after a discouraging editor/agent response. Great post.Sherri Jones Rivershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13905027216129696355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1295379888006925064.post-32799416971452029272016-03-14T07:44:52.252-04:002016-03-14T07:44:52.252-04:00Patty, having the right attitude about it makes it...Patty, having the right attitude about it makes it sting less. Sometimes after a bit of time, I only crave some real info about an ms, not the platitudes. Great, helpful post!Kathy Halseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11600954824509054774noreply@blogger.com