Rejected…again….and again…….oh, and again…..

Hmmm……

I guess it never occurred to me that there really are thousands of people out there who have written a book.


Hmmmm…..

Well, 15 rejections later, I'm still waiting on someone to say yes.  It's cool to get a rejection letter, it means they actually considered me.  Some agencies don't even give you that much.  But it makes me sad as well, because they never even got to read what I wrote, they told me no based on a letter of inquiry.  It makes sense, they can't possibly read every 300 page novel out there.

I did get one offer though…..from an agency that claims to be the best out there.  Before I knew what it was, I sent them a letter and a sample chapter.  Then my trusty gmail sent their auto-response to Spam, and I was interested in why.  I did some research and found out they are a self-publishing scam company.  They say they aren't, but what they do is charge you the complete publishing cost up front, and then leave it up to you to get your book out there.  But because it is considered self-publishing in the real world, no self respecting bookstore would ever put you on the shelf, just on internet sales.  So that wouldn't work, plus I don't have $4000 to shell out.  They called me yesterday and told me how impressed they were with my work, that I had great character development and a wonderful plot.  Strange how they could tell that all from one chapter.  Then without and further questions, they told me they wanted to publish it and were sending me a contract.  Didn't want to hear anymore, didn't want to help get it revised, just wanted me to sign sign sign on the dotted line!

Well, I know this much.  Any company that charges you up front is not legit, and you'd better run the other direction as fast as you can.  So, I'm going to send them an email back politely declining their generous offer.  I still have hope that another agency out there will give me a chance.  One agency is actually reading my whole manuscript, but they can decline it still.  Maybe they will, maybe they won't.  I still am hopeful.  I mean, everyone has to start somewhere.  Even J.K. Rowling had  to make her start, and she was rejected by a few companies as well before she made it.

I'm not comparing my book to Harry Potter, haha, I don't think I'm that brilliant.  But, I do love writing, and I do want to publish my work some day.  Many people go through this life never thinking past their front door.  I don't want that to be me.  What does it take to get somewhere in this world?  A lot of those prices I am certainly not willing to pay.  But if you've ever seen "Coal Miner's Daughter', you know that even those from the most humble circumstances can rise above their situation and make something of themselves.  It just takes hard work, diligence and patience.  But I think most of all, passion.  You need to want it bad enough, and you need to be passionate enough about it to make it happen.

I'll keep working at it, but hey, if any of you want to take a sample read, let me know.  I'd be happy to give you the blog address where I have it posted.