Rejected countless times now - give up?

[Shaffron]

My children's novel has been rejected by a significant number of agents now. I've lost count.

Yet I was invited by my local librarian to read it to her after school reading group and they seem to love it.

I'm torn between giving up and focusing on my next novel I'm currently writing or keep going. Surely if it was any good then it wouldn't have been rejected this many times?

Kathy, I'm really interested in what you said about submitting it to a digital publisher. You probably know that on Amazon you get 70% (once VAT has been taken off.) How does that compare with a digital publisher? You don't have to give exact figures! I just wondered what they do to publicise you - have you found you've reached a bigger market than you could have on Amazon?

I get 40% of what my publishers get from Amazon/Kobo/Nook/iTunes etc. I'm not sure really whether I've reached more readers or not! My husband is very keen on me self-publishing on Amazon, but I've got a full-time job, and two children, and I simply can't do everything that's needed.

My publishers do very little publicity-wise, I must be honest. I've spent most of the morning writing my own press release! But I'm still pleased I've got a publisher rather than doing everything myself.

I would think that being with a 'real' publisher, even if only electronic, is a help with being taken seriously for publicity purposes. I have found it very hard to get publicity for my book because so many bloggers, literary events, local papers etc don't want to know if you're self-published. It's been a frustrating experience and in some ways the 'rejections' are harder to deal with than the publishers not wanting to publish the book, because with publishers you know that it is a rational commercial decision rather than 'it's self-published therefore it must be crap and I'm not even going to bother replying'.

It's also that the market is so flooded, isn't it. The sheer amount of people on Twitter promoting their self published books - I have a number in my feed and I have to say I never really click on the books advertised in this way - I tend to buy books I hear about or like the look of from Amazon, or similar. There is just so much competition out there - how on earth do you do all this self promotion? It sounds exhausting! And then just for people to say that it must be rubbish as it's self published - I've actually been very impressed at some of the self published stuff I've read, some of it has been a whole lot better than some published books. Some of it has been very bad, as well.

Just got my fourth generic rejection, they said they are hardly taking anyone on at all at the moment. Sob. I still feel it's like a punch in the guts, even though I know, rationally, that it's likely.

Some writing blogs say if you get more than two or three rejections it must mean something is wrong with your novel/submission package, and some say keep trying and trying again, and it's all to do with individuals/the market. So many mixed messages.

Still, I've started writing again the past couple of days, so will carry on with that, at least. I've just received the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook which looks helpful, it's huge!

Get stuck in madhairday! I always feel really inspired after reading the Writers and Artists Yearbook, as if the world is my oyster!

Everyone should read this, it is so true.
nymag.com/thecut/2015/09/ask-polly-should-i-just-give-up-on-my-writing.html

I have had a gazillion rejections (well, more than a hundred). Now I have three children's books published, two under contract and have recently got an agent. The thing is, even when you get an agent you still get rejected by publishers, so you do need a thick skin and to just keep writing something else.

I love that article :)

I just got a nice reply from Curtis Brown, although a rejection. They said 'your work stands out ftom the many and we really enjoyed reading it' - goes on to say it just wasn't for them etc. Is this their generic to everyone letter to be nice or were they really saying mine was ok? If they were, that gives me some encouragement in this sea of nothingness! That version was also sent a couple of months ago and I've tightened it a lot since so I might just try another submission round now, been circling agents in the yearbook.

How is everyone else getting on?

That is a really nice rejection, madhairday, if there is such a thing! I submitted to Jonny Geller and didn't hear another word, but then submitted something else to Felicity Blunt and got a really nice rejection. It does make such a huge difference, doesn't it?

Have you seen this database of agencies?

Thanks for this interesting thread.

It's very odd to dedicate time to something that might get nowhere: that's the hardest hurdle I am forcing myself to overcome. It's made even more challenging as time is so precious.

I am writing because I am a writer. I have fought with this for so long, but now I realise that whether or not I get published, I need to do this for myself. It is not a waste of time because it matters to me.

One thing is certain: my family WILL read it. It could end up being a few battered pieces of paper foisted on future generations as great-granny's attempt at a novel...

I really like the idea that I must do this ten times to be good at it. My need for instant gratification is telling me I am good enough now, but life experience suggests everything I feel good at has taken a lot of time to cultivate.

Again, and good luck to all submitting to agents and publishers.

Interesting link, thanks Imperial.