By sobasics - 06/05/2013 23:43 - United States

Today, I finally got a phone call from a publisher saying they would publish the book I'd written. I'd gotten loads of rejection letters, so I was so excited. Until I realized it was my dad, feeling sorry for me. FML
I agree, your life sucks 47 432
You deserved it 3 721

Same thing different taste

Top comments

DragonText 4

Many famous people got rejected in the beginning, J.K. Rowling, Eminem, you just gotta keep it at it!

dinosxxrawr 22

that's sweet of your dad. someone will want publish your book! some of the best authors get rejected at least once.

Comments

So many rejection letters and maybe we shouldn't be too sorry. Perhaps the book wasn't very good. Just saying.

Comet_Candy 23

Maybe the fact that there is always "that guy" shows there's a truth behind it. Maybe "that guy" is the only one without enough empathy to lie to people's faces.

JK Rowling was rejected by 12 different publishers before she was successful- don't give up.

Just keep trying I know you could do it

If you're sending your manuscript directly to publishers, you're wasting your time and postage. The big publishing houses and most of the smaller ones do not even glance at over-the-transom submissions. If you want to work with a traditional publisher you have to get a literary agent first. A great resource is the archives of the Miss Snark blog (an agent tells you the real scoop) -- no longer being updated but still very useful. Note that an agent will want to know that you've workshopped your ms in a writer's group, that you have some previous publishing credits, and that you have a platform (a newspaper column, a widely read blog) for promoting your book. If you don't have any of that, then yes, self-publishing is your best bet.

Don't give up twilight was rejected fifteen times..,

Aww, I know it sucked, but your father did a noble thing. Props to him for loving you.

John Green once said, "All writing is rewriting." You WILL get published eventually- ask for advice and feedback from the publishers, improve your story, and you'll get published.