When do you know it's time to give up?

[Pab Sungenis]

Just got the E-Mail a few minutes ago.  My latest novel, "Squire," just broke my personal record.  It chalked up its 70th rejection.

A year ago, when I was getting ready to write this fourth novel, shopping my third novel, and coming to terms with the fact that my first two were utter failures, I didn't even know that there WERE 70 literary agents who handled YA.  My current "work" has now been passed on by more agents than I was even aware of just twelve months ago.

It's a perverse kind of achievement, I suppose.

While driving alone from Chicago to the East Coast earlier this week, I had started outlining what could have become my fifth novel in my head.  I came up with my characters, basic story, and was all set to begin outlining it over the weekend.  Then this latest blast of cold water hit me in the face, telling me "you know, you probably have better ways of spending your time than writing more books no one is ever going to read."

So my question to you all is, all platitudes and self-reassurances aside, how do we know when it's time to quit and just hang it all up?  When should someone like me come to grips with the fact that he's never going to be published?  At what point does one recognize that the competition is just way too tough and it's time to grow up and give up the dream?  And what's the best way to deal with that realization once it comes?

[Heather Zenzen]

Ok, first off, someone - either Lisa McMann (Wake trilogy) or Becca Fitzpatric (Hush, Hush) - I think it was Becca - told us that she had 100 rejections before finding an agent for Hush, Hush. And Lisa had 69 rejections. Meg Cabot had 1,000 rejections for various books before finding her agent. When do you know when to give up? You DON'T.

You don't do this to get published. That's just a bonus. You do this because you love it, because you love the story, because you love the process. Because you need to.

Another story: One of my writing friends emailed me TODAY to say that he just got a contract for representation from an agent at Writer's House. This guy is an amazing writer, has written over SEVEN or EIGHT books, and it's just NOW that he's finding an agent. And it's for a book he's queried before, revised, and then queried again.

It can happen. But it's often a hard, demoralizing road. Go back to the love of the story. That's what's going to keep you going.

[Stacey Wallace Benefiel]

After getting my 46th rejection or so, I sent out one more batch of queries. When those started coming back, I, like you, wondered if I should continue writing the next book (I'm about halfway through) of a series that wasn't ever going to be read by anyone. I decided yes. I really love my characters and I've already thought up the plotlines for 3 books, so I might as well.

What I ended up doing was self-publishing my first book on Amazon and Smashwords and I'll do the same with the next book in the series. However, I have another book series that I've just started and I'll go the query/agent route with that when it's finished. That way, I don't have to give up completely on the books I've already written and I can hope to get an agent in the future.

I realize that self-publishing most often doesn't earn you any cred, but it helped me get the book out there to people who are not my best friend or my mom to read. :) Look into self-publishing, it might be a way you want to go.

[Alex Gartner]

Hm, you present something to really think about it. Let me give my two cents. Take it with a grain of salt.

I believe that it's never time to quit when writing is what you truly enjoy. My advice: Don't throw in the towel. The towel doesn't exist. There never was a towel to begin with because there never was the option of giving up. When you wrote this series, you wrote with the intent of getting published. There is no giving up now! Keep pushing ahead! You have the entire YA community on your side, rooting you on!

To quote TTGL, "Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me, who believes in you."

I just finished my first novel and am currently running it through the editing process. I'm only fifteen. Can you imagine how difficult it will be to get an agent to take me seriously? But that doesn't mean I won't try. I'll show them just as you'll show them. I think you'll prove yourself wrong. I believe in you!

[LM Preston]

I personally never give up. I just go a different path. Check out my blogpost on Unique Path's to publication....
http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/2010/04/unique-paths-to-publication.html

and How to get published: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-get-published.html

Enjoy!

[Florence Kincaid]

I think you're awesome to persist like this. Know that this process doesn't stop once you have an agent. Once you've got an agent, this happens with publishers, too. You rack up rejections. It's the reality of pursuing something like this. One of my older MS's had three offers from pretty incredible agents-- and it went -nowhere- with publishers (except for one acquisitions meeting I heard about months after the fact). I also didn't end up staying with that agent, and felt too awkward to really query those other two again after turning them down. It was kind of a lose-lose all around. (Just a side note-- I have a new agent now, and I'm very glad it worked out that way even if I didn't feel so glad at the time).

The important thing is not to give up, because that's the only guarantee you'll fail. If you're starting to lack confidence in your writing, join a critique group. It might take you a bit of time to find the right one, but they're seriously helpful. I joined one before querying that older MS, and they really did give me helpful feedback and a boost in confidence back when I needed it.

I'd even suggest posting something on Verla Kay or something asking whether people could look over your first chapter and give feedback on your writing. Many people are happy to look over one chapter and give an honest appraisal, so you can find out if it's your writing, or if it's just lousy luck so far.

Worst case scenario, think about it this way: if you ever do get published, you can tell people with a laugh just how many rejections it took you to get there. It'll be an awesome underdog story like the ones cited above for McMann and Fitzpatrick.

[Erin L. Schneider]

Hi Pab -

So I just have to ask it. I just have to put it out there:

Why would you ever give up, if writing truly is your passion? 70th rejection? Chalk it up to experience! Because all it takes is ONE yes - just ONE.

Maybe you need a fresh set of eyes on your query? Try joining a query workshop such as C.J. Redwine's - I've heard nothing but fantastic responses for this workshop all over the web - and it's $45 for a two week on-line session (you do the work when you can and on your schedule). I just signed up for her July workshop and I know there's still space available:

http://queryworkshop.blogspot.com/

Maybe you need a new set of eyes on your manuscript? Mary Kole - a literary agent for Andrea Brown - has a great posting on her KidLit.com website, to find critique partners:

http://kidlit.com/2010/04/14/critique-connection/

But the bigger question might be what Trinity posted - how bad do you really want this? Yes, it's a challenging field to be in. Yes, rejection comes every single day. And yes, sometimes your fingertips are just within reach, of throwing in that towel. But yes, great writers are found in the slush piles. Don't you want to be one of them?

And just remember, that even the best of them were rejected in their careers - check out this article I posted on my blog:

http://elschneider6.blogspot.com/2010/05/50-iconic-writers-who-were...

But they stuck with it - and now look at them. And I'll bet every single one of those agents that said no to each of them, kick themselves every...single...day.

Good luck Pab.

[Barbara Bell]

Heather,
I think you've said it best..."You don't do this to get published. That's just a bonus. You do this because you love it, because you love the story, because you love the process. Because you need to."

Pab,
By virtue of the fact that you are outlining your next book means you don't have a choice. You write. You create stories. You keep sending out. The cold water may be a splash in the face, but it is one moment in time.

Keep writing! Keep sending it out!

Barbara

[legacydevineluv]

I don't know for me I don't know the words give up. Those words arn't in my vocabulary. If I know in my heart I want something published and I have confidence in myself then I'll do everything in my power to get it published. If you've lost your confidence than maybe giving up seems like a option. I think if you truely believe in your story and take other people's critism and use it to the best of your ability the words give up won't even be in your head. I hate the words give up. I always say never give up and never give in. If you need to put it aside and work on something else till you get the confidence you need back in your story then maybe that would help.

There is a lot of competition in writing, but don't let that stop you from trying to get your story published. Stay postive and never stop writing unless your heart isn't in it anymore and you've lost your love for it. Hope that helps.

[Kim Baccellia]

Wow, Meg Cabot had 1000 rejections? Then I'm in good company! Seriously though I had 68 rejections for EARRINGS, 78 for CROSSED OUT, and 57 for NO GODDESSES ALLOWED. Each of these I ended up going with a smaller publisher. I'm not giving up my dream of landing an agent though. More than one author I know wrote a number of books before getting an agent.

My advice is continue writing. Start another project. That's what I'm doing right now with my YA multicultural dystopia.

[Darby Karchut]

Oh, no! Never, never give up. It took 102 queries before Griffin Rising was picked up by a publisher! Believe in your story and believe in yourself.

And keep writing!

[Jessica B. Wisniewski]

Alex Gartner said:

Hm, you present something to really think about it. Let me give my two cents. Take it with a grain of salt.

I believe that it's never time to quit when writing is what you truly enjoy. My advice: Don't throw in the towel. The towel doesn't exist. There never was a towel to begin with because there never was the option of giving up. When you wrote this series, you wrote with the intent of getting published. There is no giving up now! Keep pushing ahead! You have the entire YA community on your side, rooting you on!

To quote TTGL, "Don't believe in yourself. Believe in me, who believes in you."

I just finished my first novel and am currently running it through the editing process. I'm only fifteen. Can you imagine how difficult it will be to get an agent to take me seriously? But that doesn't mean I won't try. I'll show them just as you'll show them. I think you'll prove yourself wrong. I believe in you!

Alex- I think you're my new hero.

[Georgia McBride]

I think we have to remember that everyone has their own personal reasons for writing. And just as this is the case, they have their own personal reasons for "giving up." For some publication is a goal so they can finally get paid for doing what they love. I see no reason writers should not make this a goal. It's really hard to continue to query. I STILL get rejections and have an agent now. I sometimes forget and for a brief time get upset at the rejection but them remember I have Mark. But then get re-upset because I feel like -- wait. How come you don't like my book? I have an agent now. Don't you see how wonderful I am? NOT.

 

Truth is, I don't feel all that much better now that I have an agent. Now my fate is in his hands as much as mine. It's kind of surreal. I met him in person a few weeks ago and I nearly broke his back hugging him. I think he must think I'm a nut. but I wasn't necessarily hugging him--I was hugging "my agent" or the idea of having one. I am one step closer to becoming published. BUT WAIT. I'm not. Now I have to wait for an editor to like it. And what are the odds of that? I'm hearing more and more from my agented friends that it is harder and harder to sell books in this climate--especialluy one with a subject matter like mine--which is half the reason it was rejected so much in the first place.

 

I'm hearing lots of agents sending clients back to the drawing board for a second book because the first one didn't sell after months of editorial feedback and rejections from publishers. The one good thing is, once you go through that, you CAN sell a book on spec. You don't necessarily have to write the entire book FIRST then sub. But I digress.

 

So, I'm saying all that to say this. I've waited 2 1/2 years to secure an agent. During that time, I revised my book, founded #YALITCHAT and then YALITCHAT.ORG. I wrote 4 other books which are in varaious stages of completion. I started an editorial and critique business which helps pay the bills and added ghostwriting to that. I blog about writing and the business of YA. So, even if I'm not writing my books on a daily basis, I'm writing and getting paid for it. I'm helping others to write better and reach their full potential as writers. I'm learning how to be the best writer I can be. All of this has brought me to where I am today. Where is that you ask? Feeling 100000000x better about the journey that has taken me THIS long to find an agent because I found the agent that was right for my book and my personality. See how that works? And I was in a position where I did not have to query this agent, I was on the phone and I simply asked him to read my full maunscript and he agreed to. If I had never been founder of YALITCHAT and done all this other stuff, he and I would never have been on the phone.

 

You can create your own destiny. You only have to see the path, believe in yourself and do it. You do not have to wait around for responses to queries. They are not a measure of your worth, how good your book is or not or what your value is to the literary landscape. I promise you this. It is a matter of the market, a person or a few people's perception of what can or cannot sell in the current landscape OR what they are personally capable of selling and sometimes personal taste (most often).

 

I encourage anyone who is considering "giving up" to think about why. Give it the same level of consideration you gave starting. Treat it with the same concentration you do any other life altering decision, because I PROMISE YOU, giving up your passion will change your life.

 

Please excuse typos. I need an editor!

 

xoxo