I am intimately acquainted with rejection. As I sometimes like to report, I received 114 rejections on various picture book manuscripts before I was given a contract for Sarah Gives Thanks. In the months since Sarah was published, I’ve gotten about a 100 more. Getting an agent earlier this year has also allowed me to get rejections from publishers that do not normally look at unrepresented manuscripts.
Long story short, I understand rejection quite well, thank you.
So, last year, when I learned that Cairn Press was seeking submissions for an anthology on rejection, I thought, “I need to get an essay in that book. I need to.”
And I did!
Blood on the Floor is a collection of fiction, poetry, and essays about writers trying (and often failing) to grab the brass ring. Sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, and always inspirational, Blood on the Floor is the perfect holiday gift for the scribe in your life. Get a copy now! Pair it with booze.
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
Good for you!
Bruce
Thans, Bruce. Here’s hoping your holidays are happy!
Congrats, Mike! So, I guess your number stays at 100. Pretty good! I’m sure my numbers are probably much (gulp) higher. I try not to keep track of the slaughter.
It’s not the number of rejections, it’s how you deal with ’em!
I hear it goes well with wine (or whine) and cheese. Congrats!!
I am a big fan of whining and dining.
This is wonderful news, Mike. I like your pairing: with booze. 😀
What better way to understand the pain of long-suffering, hardworking, and determined scribese of this world? Sounds educational.
It’s a fun book. I had a chance to take a glance at the uncorrected proof. it’s got something for everyone.
I’ll have to add to my TBR list. Sounds fun and informative reading. ❤
Awesome!
🙂
Well done! Silk purse from a sow’s ear, and that sort of thing.
Lemons/lemonade. Yada yada yada.
Celebrate! Pop a cork! You rock! Oh, wait. Are we really celebrating an acceptance of rejection? You betcha! Otherwise, the corks would b few and far between. But today we get to pop two corks, one for each end of the spectrum. You’ve made my day. Very nice Christmas present. Cheers!
Many thanks! Now which Dogpatcher are you?
Mike, dahlink. I hate “un” words. I think we should start a campaign: “Just say ‘mais non’ to un-words.” Nix unfortunately, unhappily, unable, or maybe we should also nix regrettably, sadly, not right for, and of course the responses that begin “give it up already you sorry excuse for a writer.” What do you think? Maybe we could start a movement?—oh, don’t go down that scatological road, my friend.
That’s an unbelievably good idea!
Um, I mean, your idea is believable. And, yes, I shall ignore the potential for poop jokes.
Congrats! Sending some virtual band-aids and daisies your way. Question–is it technically a rejection when you don’t here from the publisher\editor\agent after the prescribed six weeks? Is limbo considered rejection?
No need for either virtual band-aids or daisies, but I thank you.
In regard to your question, finding a publisher or an agent who can make up his mind in six weeks is as rare as a hen’s tooth. I would double the prescribed time before considering yourself “rejected.”
And yes, limbo is a rejection. A wussy, cowardly rejection. You don’t want to work with a wussy coward, do you? You are too good for that, Ms. Muse.
I am in limbo with an agent at present. Seven weeks and nada. I’m getting ready to audition for another agent. My mindscape engages to a scene where I get ready to hit send and the first agent calls me and says, “Wait, wait–I just found your manuscript. Pick me. Pick me.” Or some such delusional funundrum. And thanks for the vote of confidence😎
What? No multiple submissions?
Oh, I know I should but get caught up in that old dilemma of if I tell them it’s multiple then they will ignore it. My solution is to send lots of various projects all over.
Oh, so you feel you need to *tell* them it’s a multiple submission. Interesting.
🎈you don’t?!? All those shmancy workshops with editors and agents say it’s the nice, professional thing to do. No more nice muse?
No, no, of course not! That would be unfair!
Hey, Mike, how cool is that! And I’m betting your entry is a humorous one 🙂 If I drank, I might heed that suggestion, but I’m mostly a “water” kinda gal, though I’d imagine a stiff 7&7 would probably help the rejections at this point! 😉
A writer who doesn’t take an occasional nip? You, Donna, are one in a million!
lol, Mike 🙂 Aside from the fact that I’ve never really enjoyed the taste of liquor (though I used to enjoy a very rare sombrero or cream liqueur a bit, a zillion years ago), my brain is such that I’m pretty much the equivalent of “under the influence” all the time anyway! lol
Drunk on life is a wonderful mental state. Well done.
Oh, Mike, how I wish that were the explanation! LOL
Just go with it. 😉
Bravo!!
T’anks, Bangled!
Reblogged this on Beechdey’s Weblog.
When like hands you 100 lemonades…set up a lemonade stand! Thank you for sharing your experience with rejection so we can all make it through our own:)
You, Lauri, are within farting distance of the brass ring. I am certain of this.
You just sent my brain in a spiral. First, thank you! Second, do you measure farting distance in metric terms? Third, is it unfair to measure the distance after eating baked beans? And so many more questions!!
Let’s say within fart-smelling distance of a Thurston Howell-style WASP after said blue blood consumed a modestly portioned side dish of broccoli rabe. OK?
Those are the kind of descriptive sentences I hope to see a lot of in your MG novel.
I’m on it.
I’m putting this on my Christmas gift list, Mike!
You’re an amazing dude, dude. 🙂
Please be aware that the “you’re amazing” feeling is mutual. There is no way your novels won’t end up on store shelves. It is only a matter of time.
From your kind comment to the right agent’s ears, Mike!
Thanks. 🙂
Read this in my e-mail box, and forgot to stop by. I think you put into words how we all feel with our 100+ rejections — with on Mike Allegra humor. Put a smile on my face.
Thanks, Patricia! Sometimes the process feels like running headlong into a brick wall, but it’s all worth it.
Perfect simile! Now I know what the problem is. I need a CRASH HELMET! Thanks, Mike 🙂
Hi Mike, This is Shirley from Baltimore. I have a poem, “The Dark Side,” in the upcoming anthology. Looks like a gem from what I’ve read so far. Enjoyed your blog post!! Rejections are jam stains on the tablecloth of life but, oh, how great when even one acceptance arrives! Thanks for sharing your story, and I like the booze part!
Hey, Shirley! Congrats to you on your own rejection acceptance!
And, oh, how I love your jam stain metaphor!
Rejection is the stuff of life. I really liked your piece in the book. And I agree, it’s the perfect gift for the writer/artist everywhere.
Thanks, Senta. I also enjoyed your powerful and thoughtful take on rejection. A excellent piece.
As a writer, I feel dejected because I have not allowed myself to ramp up the rejections. Writers like you – who are not as thin-skinned as me – are the successful ones. You know your writing and your ideas and your stories are good, and you send them out for the pea-brained-ones to reject, hoping hoping hoping that someday a true original thoughtful intelligent person-called-agent will see the writing well of wonderful words and bring you into his/her fold. I, on the other hand, am a sensitive, nail-biting, procrastinating hide-my-head-in-my-own-well kind of writer. I have not yet had the strength to cover my writing wall with rejections. But you shall inspire me to try, I know that.
Congrats on getting your essay in the book – I think a lot of us will enjoy reading it!
Thanks for the kinds words, my friend. But you, of all people, should be sending stuff out like crazy. Thicken that skin and go go go!
Hey, Pam, no more being an “ostrich” writer 🙂
Haha, congrats! I will definitely look into that anthology after I tally up my Christmas cash next week. 😀
Lovely! And my you have a joyous holiday, Rebekah!
Congratulations, Mike! Hopefully this opens a door. On the cover of that book, among those slips of paper with snippets of rejection phrases should be “We will not be publishing…” and “We cannot use…” — hahahaha! These are the ones I have ‘relished’.
Hi Sandee! Long time no lunch. We should remedy that in the new year.
Yes! I would like that very much! I’ll email you with ideas — I’m thinking perhaps January 10th or 11th — sometime the week of January 12th, when x-mas and new year hysterics have calmed 🙂 — I’ll email you — I have some ideas.
Groovy. In the meantime have a hap-hap-happy holiday!
I made it to the sprout story and was about to leave before seeing that another post had sneaked in to the top that I also nearly missed! (I’m not keeping up well with blogging at the moment). Anyway, fantastic news, who knew that being so adept at getting rejections would pay off! Congrats to you my friend 🙂
You know, Vanessa, if it wasn’t for your Limebird column (Oh, how I miss, Limebird!), I never would have heard about this anthology.
So I thank you, my friend.
Jus’ doin’ ma job sir!
Well, keep doing it. I want more of that sweet, sweet anthology money!
Now, what if you were rejected? Hmm… 😉
Yep. That woulda been a wee bit depressing. And I’d be lying if I said the idea of such an outcome didn’t cross my mind.
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your experience. It gives me hope! I think reading Blood on the Floor with a bottle of booze is a splendid idea :).
You’re a smart gal.
Dats cuz you is a really good writer fella! 🙂 Congrats Michael…
T’anks, Courtney. I do like the writing thang.
Rejection is like a car jack.
It might hurt a little, but it gets you up if you keep pushing.
I dig your simile.