Another Rejection

Just got a rejection from Sparkling Books today. That was the quickest ever, less than a week since I submitted sample chapters and an outline through their online form. Well, at least they are quicker than some. I got turned down by Pilrig Press two weeks ago, and I think I submitted to them something like nine months earlier. I still have one current submission to hear from, to Snowbooks, who feel like a good fit to me - they have a fantasy and 'Steampunk' range, some of which involve re-imagined histories. And of course I continue to wait to hear from Luath, the Edinburgh publishers. They requested the full manuscript, but I then haven't heard from them for over six months, more. 

On the whole the online submissions tend to respond quicker - and most of them want submission online now it seems. The online form, such as Sparkling Books use seems aimed at weeding the no thankyous out more quickly, so maybe that is why they responded so fast. Plus they only wanted one chapter, whereas most others ask for three.

The rejections don't hurt as much now as they did at first, though they all carry a small sting. Almost always they say the same thing - 'like it but not for us, too many books too little time, yadda, yadda'. Which is fair enough, except that the similarity of the responses robs them of any comfort. If someone said 'read your chapters, they were crap, don't want the book' that would actually be better feedback. Thing is I don't think they are crap, or the book, and I think it really is a matter of getting the right fit and the right timing. But then I would say that, wouldn't I? 

The key thing is not to lose confidence. I am 100% confident that my book is great. The reader feedback I have had tells me that. My own instincts tell me that. So I am unshaken in my core belief that I have a great book. Self-publishing looms nearer.

My site: http://www.greatproject.co.uk/