No one likes a pity party, but it's still hard not to throw one for yourself sometimes

[janradder]

Almost a year ago I finished work on my memoir, Immature Loser Punk. Then I spent the next several months writing a proposal and a query letter and then researching agents. By April I was ready to start sending out those queries. Since then, I've sent letters to a total of seventy-one agents. Of that seventy-one, twenty-seven never bothered to respond (seriously, how hard is it to send a simple form rejection saying, "no thanks"?), thirty-three of them did respond with a resounding "we'll pass on this one," and eight of them actually asked for my manuscript (some partials and some fulls). Of those eight, seven came back with one of two responses: "this isn't right for me" or "I really like this a lot, but you're not famous enough -- sorry."

This whole experience so far has been horribly discouraging. I do know that the publishing world is mess right now and that it's hard for anyone to get their foot in the door, and I know that publishing is (as I've been repeatedly reminded) a very subjective business. Still, it's hard not to take the rejection personally after a while.

Anyway, a couple days ago I threw myself a hell of a pity party, complete with balloons, streamers and cake, and had a wiz-bang time, so I'll just shut up about it now.

Comments

[farklebarkle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's any consolation, but I used to read slush for an agent, and 99% of the nonfiction mss I recommended were turned down because the author wasn't famous, so it wouldn't sell. Even if the book was really good.

Have you thought about trying to get sections published in journals or magazines, or submitting to publishers who don't require agent representation?

[janradder.livejournal.com]

I actually hadn't thought much (if at all) about trying too get sections of it published. Thanks for the suggestion.

[silk-noir.livejournal.com]

That *is* a really good idea....

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

It was a great party. We sang traditional Pity Party carols, roasted misery over a piteous fire, and ate crow.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

We laughed, we cried, we hated ourselves. It was fun!

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Now I just need to find the right markets.

[stephanieburgis.livejournal.com]

That is so frustrating. I'm so sorry. Trying to get published is one of the most disheartening experiences ever, and when you know from feedback that the book is good enough - that it's only marketing issues holding it back - that's just miserable.

Sending extra black balloons for the pity party, and hoping there was good music...

...and just a final note to say: I hope you keep going, because I would love to read that memoir.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouragement, Stephanie. I'm planning on taking farklebarkle's suggestion to try selling parts of it to magazines or journals. That way, at least (if I'm successful), I'll have some of it out there.

[jennreese.livejournal.com]

I am shaking my fist at the publishing industry in your honor! If the reality TV industry has taught us anything, it's that "regular" people are interesting, too. But as usual, publishing hasn't figured that out yet.

I like the idea of submitting parts to various places.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Me too. If I can get some of it published there'll at least be something out there. (and I have to say, I get more and more pissed off every time I see some stupid celebrity memoir on the sales rack)

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

Dude, I totally feel everything you've gone through. If you ever need another, widely rejected unpublished author at your pity party let me know. We can bitch about how much the publishing world sucks. I'm good at that.

[joelarnold.livejournal.com]

I feel for ya, man! This probably won't help, but to get eight manuscript requests out of 71 submissions is actually a pretty decent response. Have you checked out your options as far as applying for grants, etc?

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

It's not you, hon; it's them! And I'm really loving that first suggestion.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Me too.

Pity Party Pity Party

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I never get invited to anything.

...AND SCENE!

To be serious for a moment, I have faith that it will sell; my fear is that you may have a long frustrating wait before that happens. But I think the idea of trying to publish bits of it around is a great one.

Re: Pity Party Pity Party

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Sorry, man -- it was fun, too.

If I can entertain the idea of the memoir selling, I think you're right about it being a long, frustrating wait. I'm definitely going to pursue the idea of trying to get pieces published, though. And thanks for the support.

[southernweirdo.livejournal.com]

I understand, man. Hang in there!

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

And I think I'm going to add what you said about reality TV to my proposal -- thanks.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

Thanks, man. It's definitely a thrill to get a manuscript request -- I'd just like it to move beyond that at this point. I haven't looked into grant, but I think I'm going to follow farklebarkle's suggestion of trying to sell portions of it to magazines and/or journals.