50 Ways to Reject a Writer

3 Dec

Writers are used to rejection, or they should be. But that doesn’t mean it gets easier with time. Sometimes I understood why I was getting rejected. Most times, I had no clue.

After 10 years I got tired of hearing the same stupid rejection lines, so I went solo with my writing career. But I saved every one of my rejection letters and emails, because I earned every one, and they are my badges of honor on the unpublished author’s battlefield.

I believe I’ve heard every rejection line there is, but maybe not.

The following video is the story of Starving Author (me) at a writer’s workshop meeting with an Editor (a composite of all the editors I’ve met). Every line she says is one I’ve heard.

50 Ways to Reject a Writer

Have you got a rejection line that I haven’t included in this video? I’d love to hear a new one!

Tags: publishing, rejection, writing

Comments 13 Comments
Categories Blogs About Writing

13 Responses to “50 Ways to Reject a Writer”

Writer Jobs December 3, 2011 at 1:54 am #

Great post thanks. I really enjoyed it very much.

Love writing? We would love for you to join us!

Writers Wanted

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- nancyelizabethlauzon December 3, 2011 at 4:17 pm #
  
  Thanks for stopping by!
  
  Reply
Courtney K December 3, 2011 at 9:20 am #

Hey! Love your blog. This post was really interesting. I also found you on Twitter I’m @CourtneyKoschel. Look forward to following your tweets and your blog!

Reply
- nancyelizabethlauzon December 3, 2011 at 4:18 pm #
  
  Thanks for your comment, Courtney!
  
  Reply
Selena Robins Musings December 3, 2011 at 9:49 am #

LOL! That little video is hysterical.

Reply
- nancyelizabethlauzon December 3, 2011 at 4:18 pm #
  
  Thanks, Selena!
  
  Reply
Mary Ellen Hughes December 4, 2011 at 1:55 pm #

Those rejection lines sounded so familiar! One I happily never got but which made me laugh when I saw it in a cartoon is, “Love it, but sadly it’s just too similar to a book we recently rejected.”

Reply
- nancyelizabethlauzon December 4, 2011 at 2:11 pm #
  
  That’s a good one! That happened to a writer friend of mine
  
  Thanks for stopping by!
  
  Nancy
  
  Reply
Angela Scott December 5, 2011 at 10:16 am #

LOVE the video! I’m going to share the link. I just had a friend today email me and tell me that all the leads and interest she got at a writers convention (she had been so exited and she is an amazing writer, so I really thought this was it for her) came back rejected. She is now on a writer’s low. Darn those agents. I’m glad I’ve chosen to go with a smaller publisher. I wanted the big New York dream, but it just seems SO insane and impossible right now.

Hey, thanks for stopping by my blog. If I find any interesting promotional ideas, I’ll pass them on, At this point, all I have is crossing my fingers and toes

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- nancyelizabethlauzon December 5, 2011 at 8:43 pm #
  
  Yeah, often at writer conventions editors and agents will automatically ask for your stuff. They figure you’ve made the effort to come all that way and meet them. Then they send out the form letter. Do I sound jaded? LOL.
  
  I’m looking for guest bloggers on my site, so anytime you’re interested in guest blogging to promote your book, let me know.
  
  Thanks for stopping by!
  
  Nancy
  
  Reply
buddhafulkat December 6, 2011 at 10:02 am #

this video along with the others you posted are hilarious!

Reply
- nancyelizabethlauzon December 6, 2011 at 11:27 am #
  
  Thanks, glad you enjoyed them!
  
  Reply

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Jill of all Trades « The Chick Dick Mysteries - December 6, 2011
[...] is I don’t have to suffer rejection by publishing houses anymore. For more on rejection, read 50 Ways to Reject a Writer. I actually don’t need publishers to reject me, because I’m very good at [...]