I often get asked questions about writing, especially what it takes to write a book. Usually, the answers surprise people.
Here are some of the questions I get from those who haven’t written, or even tried to write a book:
1. What’s taking you so long to finish the book?
2. I thought you finished writing the book. Why isn’t it published yet?
3. Why do you even need an agent?
4. Is writing a book even worth it with all the other books out there?
5. Do you really think you’ll become famous like? (insert their favorite author here)
And here’s what I say in reply:
1. It isn’t unreasonable to take a year to write, revise, edit and proofread a book.
2. It isn’t published yet because I’m querying agents and independent presses as I want to
be traditionally published, rather than self-published. It can take three years before the
book will come out.
3. If I want to have a shot with the big publishers, I need an agent to represent me.
4. Yes, there are lots of books out there, but there are also lots of readers who are always
looking for the next great story.
5. Who said my primary goal was to become famous? It would be nice, but let’s get the
book out there first.
I’m sure all the writers out there can relate on some level, especially those of us who are navigating our way through the publishing trenches.
The reality of how long it can take can be frustrating and discouraging.
So to keep myself, and you other wonderful writers motivated, here are some of my favorite quotes from other authors.
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” Stephen King
“The first draft of anything is shit.” Ernest Hemmingway
“A good book isn’t written, it’s rewritten.” Phyllis A. Whitney
“I love my rejection slips. They show me I try.” Sylvia Plath
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” Robert Frost
“Work like hell! I had 122 rejection slips before I sold a story.” F. Scott Fitzgerald
“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” Margaret Atwood
“Writers live twice.” Natalie Goldberg “Writing is its own reward.” Henry Miller
So many “famous” authors have horror stories for how many rejections they got and how long it took to find representation.
Stephen King’s book, Carrie, was turned down 80 times.
Dr. Seuss’s first book was rejected by 27 publishers.
The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, had 800 rejections.
Agatha Christie spend 5 years getting rejections.
Louisa May Alcott, who wrote Little Women, was once told that she should stick to teaching because she couldn’t write.
Beatrix Potter was rejected so many times she decided to self-publish 250 copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
A Time to Kill, by John Grisham, was rejected by 16 literary agents and 12 publishers.
Chicken Soup for the Soul, by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 134 rejections.
Kathryn Stockett, author of the help, waited through 60 rejections before finally getting signed.
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova (made into a movie starring Julianne Moore) had 100 rejections (or no replies).
James Patterson’s first book, The Thomas Berryman Number, was rejected by 31 publishers.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle was turned down by 26 publishers.
Audrey Niffenegger wrote The Time Traveler’s Wife and after 25 rejections from agents, sent it to a small San Francisco publisher where it not only became a book, but also a movie.
Rejected 111 times over a span of nine years, The Lost Get-Back Boogie, by James Lee Burke, was finally published and even nominated for a Pulitzer prize.
So…save this post and revisit it whenever you feel discouraged. All these writers toughed it out against all the rejections and didn’t give up.