Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Writing Wednesday - Odds at Getting Published

Odds!

What are our odds at getting published?

I read somewhere where 95% of submissions are rejected right off the bat.

One way to improve our odds, after writing a great manuscript, is to not let the rejections stop us from sending  our manuscripts out again and again.

It is kind of like going to a thrift store one time and when we do not find anything that grabs us, we refuse to go back. It takes visiting on a regular basis to find that certain something that we need or cannot live without. Our persistence will eventually pay off.

I search for arrowheads in my garden. If I stopped looking after one walk through, what would be the chances of finding more? My chances would not be very good, so I look each time I go to the garden. Now I have a collection of artifacts to show for my persistence.

We need to keep writing and sending out our manuscripts. Our persistence will eventually pay off and we may have a contract to show for our persistence.

We can improve our odds by writing a good manuscript. Or should I say, a very good manuscript.
We need to follow all the submission rules and send in a manuscript the editors want to see.
Let our words rest for a couple of weeks, then go back and edit out the weeds so the flowers have room to sprout. It is easier said then done, isn’t it.

But, I think the results will be worth the effort.

Happy Writing!

10 comments:

  1. So true, Janet. Writing is such a changing journey, and we have to keep moving forward, refining and resubmitting until we get there :)

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  2. Good advice, Janet. If we don't keep something out there, we'll never sell. Contests are a great way to get your work out, too.

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  3. I guess the old saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" is very true.

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  4. Good advice, I agree we can't give up. I read on another blog the other day, where the person was quoted as saying southern poets are hard to get published now days, unlike they used to. Kind of got me down for awhile but I'm going to keep on submitting them. Susie

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  5. I once read that your first published book will come only after getting enough rejections to paper the walls and ceiling of your office. Guess it might pay to have a small office!

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  6. Hey Janet:
    I've read all kinds of stats on publishing but just yesterday I read where a getting ready to be published writer said her friends averaged 25-30 (manuscripts for a book) submissions before they got published. Then there was the guy who submitted 60 times before he got a yes, then his novel was a NYT bestseller. Yep. You are so right. Persistent is what we have to be.

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  7. Wise and true advice, Janet! Perseverance pays off! I tell myself that everyday. Some days I actually believe it!

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  8. Hi Janet! What wise words on persistence. It really does pay off and it is so vital to help us truly reach our goals. I was so interested in your potato fruit story! I never heard of that before, I am sure glad you did your research and did not just assuming they were edible. How wonderful that you found an arrowhead in your garden. I found one once when I was a little girl in our garden out in California. What a surprise. I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead! Delisa :)

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