How Do You Handle Publishers Rejections?

In the past two weeks many of my children’s author friends have faced the gut-wrenching feeling of yet another rejection from not one but two publishers. I too, received a rejection and am preparing myself for the next inevitable one.

So how do we deal with this painful reality?

We can kick and scream, feel absolutely defeated, and give up.
Or drink our sorrows with a glass of champagne and celebrate the success of exposing our manuscript to someone else’s opinion.

Celebrate your successes no matter how big or small.

The world is full of examples where a story has been rejected time and time again, only to finally find a publisher willing to take a chance on an unknown.

Allow yourself time to be upset, wallow in a bit of self misery, even get angry, but don’t give up. Keep re-writing, keep submitting. Your story will find a home.

I am the perfect example of all of the above. Twenty years ago, I thought I had done it. Two of my manuscripts reached acquisitions by two different publishers. I was ecstatic. Twelve months later the rejections dropped like a bombshell. I did the unthinkable. I gave up. I look back now and wonder what I might have achieved had I continued to edit and resend to other publishers.

Twelve years later, I began my journey into publication again. A teaching friend self-published her own book. Until then, I had no idea that this was even possible. Full of naivety and bravado, I set forth to do it too. It was a huge step and one I’m glad I made. It was through this endeavour I found like-minded people who were grappling with the same issues. I learnt a lot and shared just as much. I also continued to write and dived deep into writing workshops and social media writers groups.

Me with fellow children’s authors from SCBWI ACT and The Duck Pond at the CBCA Conference 2019.

For the first book I published, I used a self-publishing company. You know the ones, they take your money, promise you the world but give you nothing. These are vanity publishers and you want to run a mile in the opposite direction. They pay for editing, formatting, graphic design, even an illustrator. Their packages are expensive as they promise you marketing, distribution, sales and even royalties. Beware, they never deliver. I persisted with this particular company for four books, I never saw a cent in return for my investment.

So why did I continue to return to them?

I had no idea what I was doing.
I perceived they were helping by at least making my print book become a reality.

My four self-published books that helped get me started.

However, any money I made was through my own endeavours. My marketing, my social networks, school visits market stalls and word of mouth. In fact, even after 5 years these books are still selling. Emma the Eager Emu is in her second print and I am about to reprint Frazzled Freya as I found another market for her.

I am a bit of a slow learner, but I finally came to the conclusion that I had better options. I started sending out submissions to publishers again. Naturally the rejections started flowing in again, or often ‘crickets,’ nada, nothing but silence. This time was different, I had learnt a lot and didn’t let the rejections get me down. We move on, we grow, rewrite, edit and resubmit.

I joined a critique group and had manuscript assessments. These are both essential in your journey to improving your writing and a chance for that holy grail - finding a publisher.

Finally in 2018, I had a manuscript accepted and the Adamson Adventures was born. Yes, my publisher was new and small, but they sent me an advance payment, (which was so much nicer than paying out for a change.) They also found a distributor and my series was sold all around Australia. Again, much better than I could do on my own. They promoted and marketed my books, even found me school visits I couldn’t book myself. I started to be known in the industry. I was recognised as a published author and even enjoyed receiving royalty payments. My publisher entered my books into competitions, which was another learning curve for me, and Secrets Hidden Below, the Adamson Adventures 1, was shortlisted in the Australian Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards 2019.

Sadly at the beginning of 2020, my independent publisher was forced to close. I entered the submission slush pile again. - More rejections. No publisher wanted to pick up a third book in a series. Then with book3, Fossil Frenzy, still in manuscript form, I won shortlisting in the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable - Book to Screen Competition 2020. After pitching to film producers, I was more determined than ever to see this book published.

So I did it myself. No self-publishing company to help this little duckie this time. I had the contacts. I had the editor, formatter and graphic designer all sorted myself. I learnt where to purchase my ISBN and contacted the printer. Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3 was released under my own imprint in November 2020 and is receiving amazing reviews and recognition from children and my peers. I am marketing myself and it is selling well, in three months since publishing I have already recovered my costs. Now, I just need that distributor to come on board too.

I’m still submitting to publishers, chasing the next contract. Finding an acceptance in my inbox would be wonderful, but I’m no longer getting hung up on disappointment. I celebrate the opportunities, and maintain a positive outlook on rejection. I have decided to become a hybrid. A little bit of both traditional and self-publishing can only be a good thing. I plan to publish another picture book soon under my own imprint. After all, you’ve got to be in it, to win it. Publishing is a long term game, nothing happens overnight, but it will happen.

All my books are available right here on my website. I am always happy to send signed copies. https://sandrabennettauthor.com/books

How do you handle those rejections?

Do you go it alone or seek help from others?

Please let me know in the comments below.