Wednesday Q & J: February 22, 2023

Q: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH REJECTION?

J: Every author I know has to (or had to) deal with ejection some time along the way. Even the best known authors have had those moments.  But sometimes the book rejected goes on to find its proper place. MY book OWL MOON was rejected as too quiet by five editors I was already working with. But the sixth editor, who was brand new, said yes and she was the only one who knew illustrator John Schoenherr’s work and he won the Caldecott Medal for OWL MOON.  Sometimes the magic works. But an editor turns down a book for many reasons–they may have a similar one on the way, they may hate books about owls or dogs or whatever your main character is. They may simply not do that kind of book. (Do your homework!) The problem is, we write books out of love, the editor needs to buy a book that will make the company money. My feeling is–if someone turns something down, I am allowed one swear word, one moment of grief, a walk outside to cool off, and then I re-read the book to see if I still love it–and then I send it on. Do not confuse business with love.