How to Survive the Rejection of Your Children’s Book
Rejection from publishers may be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be painful every time. Author Mary Hertz Scarbrough demystifies the process and provides ideas to help you cope with the different types of rejections you may encounter while writing children’s books.
Hang on while I convince you that rejections can be good as well as bad, like Jekyll and Hyde and a few other types in between. Or, since this article is about writing books for children, let me use some examples from children’s literature.
There’s the obviously terrible, horrible, no good, very bad rejection.[i] It sucks. Time will lessen the sting, but sting it will. End of story (but not necessarily the end of that particular manuscript).
At the other end of the spectrum you’ll hear Little Blue Engine, saying, “I think I can – I think I can.”[ii] You don’t have an acceptance, but you are probably getting closer.
In the middle of this imaginary spectrum, you feel like you’re a member of the Robinson family.[iii] You think you might be stranded on this island forever. Actually, all the while, you’re learning new skills – important ones.
There are further gradations of each of these categories. Moreover, you can bounce between categories at any point in your career. I’ve previously talked about the fact that rejection is inevitable, so my goal today is to demystify it and make it bearable – help you bring out your hidden Pollyanna[iv].
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Rejection
You’ve sent off your magnum opus. Then…silence.
Talk about depressing. Alas, such silence isn’t uncommon. You can lay some blame at the feet of your fellow writers, because some of them (dare I say many) value quantity over quality. They submit manuscripts that aren’t anywhere near ready to see the light of day.
Once you start accumulating rejections, reward yourself. Why? Every rejection could be bringing you closer to an acceptance.
These days, many publishing houses let you know upfront that you’ll only hear from them if they are interested in your manuscript. Since it can take an editor an eon or three to work through the slush pile to get to your submission, you are left wondering (aka, obsessing) whether you have actually been rejected or whether your just-perfect manuscript still awaits discovery. Or maybe your manuscript is lost. These questions will probably dog you at 3 am.
Back in the mid-90s, I proposed a timely topic to a big-time parenting magazine. I had a writing background but not a single freelance clip. I was sure that was about to change, however, once an editor read my idea. Some days I would actually call my home answering machine (remember those?) to check for the editor’s call. I blush at this naïveté.
Gak. This waiting game is stressful, stressful, stressful. Here’s how to minimize it:
- Make sure your manuscript is as good as it can possibly be (I can’t stress this enough).
- Only submit your manuscripts to well-chosen publishers or agents (choosing where to submit is a huge topic, to be addressed another day).
- Research where you can send the rejected manuscript next.
- Simultaneously submit the manuscript to several publishers/agents, if permitted in their guidelines.
- Immerse yourself in a new project while you wait to hear.
I waited at least 6 months for my form rejection – a half-sheet that had been photocopied many times. Ouch.
And I had no clue whether anyone thought it was a good idea, or whether they had laughed about it. (I still think that particular idea was good one, but I’m also well aware I’ve submitted some horrendous clunkers.) As Jia Jiang said in this TED talk, a rejection like this can feel incredibly impersonal and yet personal at the same time.
Once you start accumulating rejections, reward yourself. Why? The only way you can get an acceptance is if you are submitting. Every rejection could be bringing you closer to an acceptance. So acknowledge your progress. Caroline Hatton’s method is to give herself a small treat – a latte – after 7 rejections.
If your form rejection includes a checklist, you might be able to discern some ways to improve your manuscript before you submit elsewhere. It depends on how specific the checklist is, as well as the reason that’s checked. “Doesn’t fit our needs” can be code for “this manuscript is poorly written,” or it can mean that you have a promising manuscript, but the wrong publisher.
Okay, so now what?
Moving on Up
Sometimes an editor might write a line or two with a compliment and/or advice. (Cue The Jeffersons theme song now.)
Take heart. Be encouraged by this. Carefully consider the advice or hint you’ve been given, even if your first inclination is that the editor is so wrong, or possibly completely bonkers. After reflection, you’ll likely recognize some merit in the suggestions. Implement these and/or tweak accordingly before you submit again.
Keep your sense of humor around and employ as needed. Linda Wirkner, author of 14 books, submitted a magazine article which contained the fact that only female mosquitoes bite people. An editor responded that this information might offend some women’s groups. Like I said, humor is key to survival.
Another way to maintain perspective is to keep a hope journal, as Caroline Hatton does for each project. In it she tracks her daily progress in writing or research, and jots notes about where to submit her manuscript.
May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor
Keep working at your craft. The day will come – hopefully sooner rather than later – when you get a good rejection. Variations abound, but here are some possibilities to look for:
- Try this approach and resubmit.
- We have to pass on this, but we like your writing. What else have you got?
- Your proposal/manuscript is fabulous, but we don’t think there’s enough of a market.
- It’s not right for us, but it should find a home at … [if you are really lucky, some ideas for improvement will be included].
To paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, you’ll recognize a good rejection when you see it. (Stewart actually said he could recognize pornography when he saw it, but that it was hard to define[v]. You get the idea.)
Get a good rejection and you might shed some tears and feel despair at first. It’s painful to get so close to an acceptance, but not quite make it.
But give it time. After that initial disappointment, you might find yourself beaming with pride and/or dancing around the house/office/coffee shop. Expect stupefied looks and comments from non-writers when you tell them this “good” news. They just won’t get it. That’s one reason it’s important to network with other writers. Your peers will get it. They will be ready to cheer you on in your next attempt.
My latest rejection (a few days ago) was a good rejection. A publisher had called for nonfiction book proposals for middle graders. Historical fiction was okay, but it wasn’t clear in the call for submissions how far they were willing to go down that road. My proposal could be classified as “inspired by real events,” rather than “based on a true story.” I thought that my proposal might be going beyond what they had in mind, so I wasn’t terribly surprised by the rejection.
I was happy to receive a timely response. They had said they would reply within 3 months, and they did. That is awesome and not necessarily de rigueur in the business.
After that initial disappointment, you might find yourself beaming with pride and/or dancing around the house/office/coffee shop. Expect stupefied looks and comments from non-writers when you tell them this “good” news.
An assistant editor wrote: “Although we loved the concept, after a discussion with the editors, we determined that your submission has too many fictional elements for what we’re looking for.” They also said the project has “great merit” and that I should keep them in mind as I develop future projects.
This wasn’t gushy; some of it could well be boilerplate, but it reinforced my belief that I do have a great idea. I think this project will find a home. The rejection did not ruin my day in the least.
However, I’ve currently got another proposal out there that’s near and dear to my heart. If I hear a no, I will definitely grieve and rail against the injustice. But I won’t let it stop me. That would ultimately hurt worse than the rejection itself.
As a fellow children’s author Lori Mortensen told me, “Let’s face it: rejection is rejection. Alas. However, I keep going, and a single acceptance instantly outshines a bevy of rejections.”
Or to quote a well-known fish: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”
Do you have any good, bad, or ugly rejection stories? Please share them below in comments. I’d love to hear from you!
Mary Hertz Scarbrough is the author of two dozen children’s books. Her book, Heroes of the American Revolution, was a top pick of the Junior Library Guild in September 2012. Her freelance experience includes books for English language learners, curriculum writing, encyclopedia articles, corporate communications, and much more. Mary taught children’s writing through the Institute of Children’s Literature and served as an assistant regional advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Mary teaches writing for the University of South Dakota; she has degrees in English and German, as well as a law degree.
Rejection and children images courtesy of Shutterstock.
[i] Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst.
[ii] The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper.
[iii] Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann Wyss.
[iv] Pollyanna, by Eleanor H. Porter.
[v] Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964).