The mathematics of rejection - litchick?

[ninah]

I am at the point of sending out my ms to agents. I have been through the process before and am uncomfortably familiar with rejection letters. My question is, how many agents should you approach before you give up? I have finished this project to the best of my ability and begun the next one. I can understand you need a certain persistence, but when do you accept the project in question is actually dead - 10 rejections? 20? In the past I have given up after about 5.
The book I am starting on now is my fifth. The first three were unpublishable. I think the fourth is OK. I am getting better all the time, but I don't want to delude myself.
Getting published is important to me, I need the validation. I don't want to kid myself, there is nothing more embarrassing than a bad story that the author believes is the dog's.

There's a little of all of us in one of the animals. I'm quite like the horse (sensible most of the time but have an occasional silly moment ). I have written them so that a child can recognise other people in the animals; the duck worries too much, the chickens bossy, the horse is fairly sensible; the small pig is insecure about himself and what he can do, the sheep are so laid back they may as well be asleep. There's a method in my madness!

It's more perserverance then anything. I really do wish you well. Get yourself onto Twitter!!

I like that idea v much, like a children's Animal Farm ...
I don't dare twitter. I already have a mn habit that threatens productivity!

Twitter takes up way too much time. It's just like animal farm, I should make is more gory for todays 'edgy' market though

it certainly could have a moral element ...
here I am you see procrastinating on here. Just don't need any more excuses. Off to write now. Hope your vision's sorted itself out.

It's all better thank you, I woke up yesterday and forgot that I'd been seeing double until I was on the bus. It's a little cloudy though.

Best of luck with the writing.

ooh i just saw your twitter news on other thread, hope your contact can push things for you, really exciting! wooeee!

Hmm, it's not looking any different to be honest. It's teaching me patience though which is always helpful

How are you?

OK still on nano, not on target but happy with what I'm doing
work is a vipers nest atm but you can't have it all ...
I think making these kind of contacts is a likely way in actually. And it's better for your biog to have struggled on the way ...

I can't work in environments like that. Rise above it!! You'll get there with the nano, all will be good.

I'll have to wait and see what life throws at me.

am bad at faking and syncophancy
love the actual job and the children, loathe the management
but nano is going well I am doing a much less sensational plot, the characters are coming to life and I hope to have first part finished by Xmas (is a two part project)
how's the phoenix story coming along? you were planning sequels, am I right?

I've decided it's not long enough, it's 11k in words so I'm going to add some more. I'm thinking about where to take it.

Management are normally a PITA. I'm so pleased the nano's going well for you though I joined one similar, it was come up with 30 picture book ideas in 30 days. I started it on Thursday and finished yesterday I'm sure some are dire though.

30 IDEAS??! total respect for you! I haven't had that many in the 4+ years I have been writing on a regular basis
had another email from the PGC provider saying they are still deciding and will let candidates know 'in due course'
It's probably generic, but it gives me a faint flicker of hope the 'unsuccessful' msg I got through the central system could be wrong?! clutches at straws
I can't speak to anyone as office shut for weekend ...

If it's meant to be then it'll happen for you.

34 plus the thirty something I've already come up with, I'd have a little library going on Shame I can't pay someone to write them.

na, you're the one to write them. Did you talk to your illustrator friend? or would you consider illustrating, too?
oh and thanks that's helped me stop stressing this weekend. 'Meant to be' ... helps with writing, too, doesn't it? hard to be patient though.

I didn't. I keep reading stuff that says don't find your own. I'll have a go though and see how it goes. It's very hard to be patient, I find that switching off from it helps though. I've written some stuff on my blog about self doubt, I do have this alot. Bullying lecturers and a crap school is to blame. I think everyone goes through this though.

here you go

this is mine!! You might want to stick some of yours on here, you never know what might happen

The blog hit home. I wonder about self delusion, too. But you have to believe in yourself, what's life about if not?
and great you went on the harper site! I forgot my password etc but I am logged on as something or other, Celia I think on there, I'll get on later and def bookshelf you! haven't put any writing up myself. Pretty focussed on finishing this one atm. Won't make the nano targets but hope to finish part one by Xmas still.

ooh yes I am really ninah used a name change when I was upset about pgce
feeling fine now but forgot to change back

aah, that's better!

An epublisher off twitter has asked to see some of my work (quivers).

ooooo! you're getting lots of interest belle! crossing everything for you.

I've been warned off by the author across the road, the epublisher will want alot of the profits for doing naff all he says. I read one of the Magic Tree House books today. Ds didn't like it, he prefered mine (he's a little biased).

How's yours going?

don't know magic tree house but I am sure your ds has impeccable taste!
don't you think it's fab for dc to know where books come from, though, ie, that you can actually do it yourself?
I'm plodding steadily on with me. Not fast enough for nano, but some every day. Last night was a bit of a wash out. But it is in my head properly iykwim. It's happening!
at author across the road. I have cows.

Go for it!!
Author across the road has a niche, detests publishers though as they take too much profit so he self publishes. He's a lovely bloke though, writes books for deaf children.

Magice Tree: she's sold millions! (54,000,000)

Keep at it, you'll get there.

I've revamped the great egg mystery, I need to do a little more on one of the characters I think though.