Michael Kimball is visiting Planting Words next Tuesday, but I've just been reading his interview at Dogmatika and this fragment jumped out at me:From an Email between Susan Tomaselli and Michael Kimball
ST: I was astonished to read that your first novel was rejected something like 119 times; was there ever a point where you considered giving up?
MK: Back then, I never considered giving up. I had a lot of confidence in what I had done, but looking back I don’t really know how I did that, how I kept sending that manuscript out. I don’t know if I could do that now. It might be too much.
My first novel only got rejected by 19 publishers - Mr. Kimball beat me by a mile. Although I have had a fair bit of rejection over the years, like most (all?) writers. It's given me great practice at holding onto a kind of faith in myself and my work that doesn't depend on the external world.
Although if I'd said that to myself a year ago, after many years of looking for a publisher in vain, I would have told myself to shut up and stop being so bloody positive. Rejection hurts, and we need to pause and lick our wounds before we can send ourselves out into the world again.
I'm sending some faith-in-yourself out to anyone who needs some right now. Or you can save it for when you do.
PS that's another picture of my soon-to-be-car, Rosie - just wanted to show her off again.
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6 comments:
I need it badly. Thank you.
Hoping that's one record I won't break!
When I get a rejection I put the culprit on my list of publishers who will be kicking themselves - one day!
That gives us all hope. Thank you:-)
Bet you can't wait for Rosie!
In that case here's a 2nd dose Lori ~~~ :)
WIAR - I know, not really something to AIM for!
Lane - no I can't - I'm not the most patient of people. But it's nice to think of her being put together as we speak!
I have a great agent, but to date eight publishers have rejected my proposal before. This week was the first time I started feeling terrible. One can't be positive all the time. I think one has to accept the reality of rejection and then cry, and feel horrible and then get up and keep going.
Anon - hear hear. No point pretending...
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