I finally got my answer back from Grimmack the Goblin, that I had sent into a publisher whom I thought the story would work for. This was my response.
Thank you for submitting your manuscript entitled Grimmack The Goblin to Unnamed publisher for our review.
We are always pleased to see new ideas, and we have now completed our review of this material. It is obvious that you have invested a considerable amount of time and energy into this project. Our publishing schedule is quite competitive, however, and as we look carefully at all the issues involved in publication, we are forced to be extremely selective in our publishing decisions. I am sorry to inform you that we are not in a position to pursue this project with you. Unfortunately, the demands of our editorial workload prevent us from sending detailed comments about your work.
We appreciate your thinking of us and giving us the opportunity to review your work.
To be honest, this is about what I expected. Years ago when I looked at Tor's website they mention right up front that less than 5% of the books submitted directly to them get published. Submitting anywhere directly I figured I would have a similar chance. Publishers have to be very careful about what they publish because they are making an investment when thy choose an author. One might ask, if I knew the numbers where so low, why did I bother submitting anyway? I will answer.
If I hadn't submitted, then I would have 0% chance. I love my story. I love my characters. I find myself daydreaming and thinking about situations and stories I can put them in. I have several plot ideas for dear Grimmack to walk through, and even being 75% finished with his second books first draft, I can see the growth the character has gone through. I think this book, his first book is good, salable, and that many people would enjoy it. So yea, I did my editing and took my chance. I am not sorry I did either. As a matter of fact my other book I'm editing (the dragon's apprentice) I plan on submitting as well to the same publisher. For the same reason, even though that book is a lot more work than Grimmack to get nailed down and edited well.
So what did I do when I got rejected you ask? I didn't grab a pint of ice cream and chain watch Game of Thrones (I can do that without being rejected.) I didn't go through my computer deleting Grimmack's notes and stories in a rage that they weren't good enough. I did not go online to let everyone know I was a hack and will never be a good author. I didn't even drive to the mountain top and scream and wail at God because I did not achieve success on my first try with this story. I did what I feel everyone should do.
I let myself feel disappointed and a little angry with myself. Those feeling are natural and I'm not going to go blame some editor I have never met because they didn't like my story well enough. I'm not going to blame my family, God, or anyone else, this was my rejection. After I let those emotions run through me for a moment, I straightened my back, and got on the internet. I then found a couple more agents and sent out more queries for Grimmack.
One rejection is the last reason to stop trying. five is not, Even one-hundred is not. I will keep trying with Grimmack until I graduate DATC next year, which will be about June. At that point if I can't find traditional publication I will look at self-publishing. At this moment I don't feel I have the proper time or energy to market myself. When I graduate though, we will see.
This is the attitude we have all been told we need to have to be successful. When you get knocked down, stand up. Take responsibility for your own actions, etc. They hold true. The problem is not that we don't know we need to keep getting up to stay in the fight. The problem is that it is hard sometimes to spit in the eye of rejection and keep going. That is why I think it's okay to let yourself feel angry and disappointed. Just make sure you focus those emotions on where they need to be. Use them to help yourself be more constructive so you can say, "What can I do better next time?"
That is my plan. What is yours. What do you do to help yourself handle rejection. I don't know if there is a wrong answer here as long as you stand up and get going again. The taking a moment to down some frozen milk product while watching a show is just as good as turning around and returning a punch by looking for more avenues. What matters is that you keep going. There may be miles and miles of road before you make it. Or it might be over the next hill.
You never know unless you keep moving on.
Ben Marble
If you would like to support the bundle of burning twigs that comprise Ben Marble, think about buying one of his short stories on Amazon.com.
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