Rising Above the Rejection Pile
Stories of writers, authors, agents and others who are reframing rejection and creating new ways to get their words out into the world.
by Jodi Cowles
If you zoom in real close, or put on your old lady glasses like I had to do, you’ll see that this comic was printed in 1999. That’s when I cut it out, and doing a rough estimate just now, I think I’ve kept it with me through 15 moves in four countries across three continents. You may also be interested in counting the 20 or so states it traveled taped to the wall of my beater RV Bertha on my first (but hopefully not last) national book tour — I think you can still see remnants of the tape along the top edge.
If only my writer’s naïveté lasted as well as a 20+ year old newsprint!
Alas, I’ve discovered that becoming a prizewinning novelist is a tad more difficult than I had at first envisioned. How about you? Are your dreams of being published still alive and kicking, despite repeated rejection and inadequate platform and utility bills that insist on being paid by a job that doesn’t involve sitting around all day dreaming up stories?
"This manuscript of yours that has just come back from another editor is a precious package. Don’t consider it rejected. Consider that you’ve addressed it ‘to the editor who can appreciate my work’ and it has simply come back stamped ‘Not at this address’. Just keep looking for the right address.” — Barbara Kingsolver
If you follow us on social media, you will have seen this quote already. We posted it a couple weeks ago, and we’ve been chewing on it amongst ourselves ever since. How do we hang onto a dream well past the point of good judgment? How do we keep going after yet another rejection letter? How do we continue pouring our souls out onto paper for a half dozen people to read, if we’re lucky?
It’s all about reframing the rejection, recasting the story, rebooting the passion.
So keep your walls full of ancient comic strips or encouraging quotes, or even a nail upon which you can stab your rejection letters. Keep going, Unknown Author Friend, keep going!
Hello! My Name Is _____
Each month we introduce you to some of the best unknown authors you haven’t yet read. We can’t wait for you to meet them...and, better yet, read them!
by Rachael Mitchell
One of the highlights of The Unknown Authors Club is meeting new authors. We love featuring new authors, and we have a few to introduce you to this month. We hope you check out their writing, and give them a follow on Instagram.
Samantha Stewart (@revealthewonders) is a newer author, writing for a specific purpose. She walks her readers through her own uncomfortable and difficult grief journey on her blog (www.revealthewonders.com). She hopes her honest words resonate, comfort, and challenge her readers. Though not yet a book, her memoir-like stories could be published in the future.
Never caught without a notebook, her laptop and water bottle, Cheryl Gilbert (@cherylgilbertwriter) has always written, but didn’t call herself a writer until recently. She skillfully writes articles for a number of online publications, and has launched her own copy editing business, welcoming manuscripts and editing projects of all kinds. Give her a high five with a follow and peek at her lovely website (www.cherylgilbertwriter.com).
Karen deBlieck (@deblieckkaren) is a published poet and non-fiction writer currently working on a YA novel with a punchy title: “The Taming of the Zoo”. Her deep, heartfelt writing draws from her own tension of identity and belonging, and she’s regularly inspired by @lawrencehillwriter. To discover Karen’s writing follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and her own blog at www.karendeblieck.com.
Do you know an unknown author who deserves a shoutout? Tell us about them and we will feature them on social media and an upcoming newsletters!
The Write Stuff
From what we’re reading to tips for life as an unknown author, we’re opening the book on what inspires us.
by Leslee Stewart
We know many of you are on a publishing journey, and that goes for us as well here at The Unknown Authors Club. We’re busy working on publishing our very first anthology - a book of stories from writers just like you!
Our anthology will be physically published later this year. But for now, we’re busy collecting stories from writers who would like to be part of our inaugural publication.
Sound interesting? Here’s how to apply:
Fill out a simple form letting us know you’re interested. Applications are due June 1.
Follow us on Instagram @theunknownauthorsclub to stay apprised of upcoming writing opportunities.
Know a fellow writer who might want to write for us? Please share the application with them.
Together, we are making room for fellow unknown authors at the publishing table. We can’t wait for you to pull up a chair and join us!