Even Pro Authors Get the Blues
by Caitlin Kittredge
The rejection blues, that is. When I was working on my first YA novel, my book The Iron Thorn was far from the first thing I attempted. It went a little something like this:
ME: I will write a YA book about fairies set in Victorian England! It will be the Best Thing Ever!
MY LOVELY AGENT: Um, you do realize there are no actual Young Adults in this novel?
ME: DRAT. Okay, I will rework it so that a teenage girl TIME TRAVELS to Victorian England.
MLA: This partial book you have delivered me doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Also, your time travel science is totally inconsistent. I have gone cross-eyed.
ME: [Assorted swearing.] Okay, forget Victorian England. It is a silly place. I'm going to write about a teenage Grim Reaper, and she will be sarcastic and dark and bad-ass, and have an awesome Goth sidekick who reanimates dead Pomeranians!
MLA: This is not making me cross-eyed, but I feel you could do better. I get the distinct sense you pounded a case of Diet Coke and wrote this in a weekend.
ME: HOW DOES SHE ALWAYS KNOW. Okay, fine, I'm just going to give up, cry, eat a box of Hostess cupcakes, and then work on this silly half-formed idea about a steampunk world inhabited by evil faeries and Lovecraftian monsters.
MLA: I LOVE IT. Can you write me 50 pages and an outline?
ME: BWAH? But also, OKAY! [Writes frantically, pulling a plot and supporting cast out of thin air because thinking that far ahead is for writers who don't like going insane.]
BOOK: [Sells to Random House.]
ME: CRAZY TIMES.
All of this is to illustrate one simple point—don't give up. I still deal with rejection, and I've published nine books. It doesn't stop when you get published, it just reaches a different level—you can talk to your agent, hash things out, etc. But if you're struggling with being on submission, or just finishing a first novel, press forward. You can do it. It takes a lot of resilience and persistence to make it in this business, but if you know that going in, you're ahead of the game.
We have a copy of The Iron Thorn for a lucky winner. Enter by 5/4/2011 to win.
Want to read more from Caitlin Kittredge? Jump on her blog tour:
Cleverly Inked—Tuesday, April 26th
http://www.cleverlyinked.com/
Kiss the Book—Thursday, April 28th
http://www.kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Great post Caitlin. Thanks for encouraging us to stick with it. I've heard such good things about THE IRON THORN. Can't wait to read it. Thanks for offering a book for the contest.
ReplyDeleteI too have heard a lot of great things about The Iron Thorn, and since I'm in the middle of working on a steampunkish WIP, I am all about reading everyone else's steampunk worlds!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I love hearing that you can get the blues even after you've 'made it'. I'm currently querying agents, and those around me who are not into writing try to be helpful by reassuring me that once I finally get an agent, it'll all get easier. And I'm always like 'No, then it gets HARDER because you've got someone who pushes you to write even better, cooler things than you thought possible!' *laughs like a mad scientist*
Very nice to know the rejection never, ever stops! Haha! Great post...now I'm going to slam a case of Dr. Pepper and attempt to finish my own crazy manuscript. Looking forward to reading *The Iron Thorn*!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post - i've been dying to read this book. It's looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. It's great to see the draft to publishing process in the works. I've heard a lot of good things about The Iron Thorn and I look forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind and inspirational words of wisdom! I think I will keep them as a mantra ... this rejection thing sucks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Caitlin for letting us know that the craziness never really ends. ;) The book sounds fascinating and would love to read it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and just in time to stop me from pulling my hair out. Must. finish. writing. book...:)
ReplyDeleteHaha. Love the dialogue. ;D And I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a GORGEOUS cover, and a totally FUN way to present this! Humorous, easy to read, and with good info. Thanks so much. :o)
ReplyDeleteWell, I for one, can't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! As a writer just embarking on my first WIP, this kind of stuff keeps my fingers to the keyboard.
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring post! The dialogue was really funny. Iron Thorn sounds interesting and the cover looks great! :-) I always look forward to reading this blog. It has such cool stuff!
ReplyDeleteI have heard great things about this book, and I would love to read it. Thank you for the interview.
ReplyDeleteThis author's adult series has been fantastic! I cannot wait to read Iron Thorn. This interview reminded me about it. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLove this interview! Thanks for the chance to win The Iron Thorn. The cover is beautiful, and who doesn't love Lovecraftian monsters?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview, can't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I had never heard of The Iron Thorn. Sounds awesome-and I agree, beautiful cover :-)
ReplyDeleteI actually like the Grim Reaper idea. You should try and roll with that!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see how an author works with an agent like that. I can't wait to read this book.
ReplyDeleteI've been very intrigued by this novel for some time. It sounds like a clever twist.
ReplyDeleteYou are SO FUNNY! I'm reading your post, laughing along, and my dog is barking. What a real joy it is to learn more about you through this interview.
ReplyDeleteGreat post :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome post - thank you! It's so nice to hear these kinds of stories from successful writers!! :)
ReplyDeleteam I the only one who was laughing the entire time through this? I hope not because oh my god, LOLOLOL.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great dose of reality. Even published authors receive rejections. We're in good company!
ReplyDeleteGreat great story. Can't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds amazing and the cover the same. Despite the occasional "overnight success," the reality seems to be that most of us keep slogging on.
ReplyDeleteYour story is crazy and inspiring. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing book and beautiful cover.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the cover. And the story behind the story. :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks so good! A friend of mine read it and really liked it, so now I want to read it, too.
ReplyDelete