Monday, November 21, 2011


REJECTIONS



We all get them. Some are personal and some are professional. While some hurt, others can be helpful, as in helpful criticism, in knowing what to change. Knowing which kind of rejection one is receiving can also be critical in knowing how to accept it. The person giving it can also affect the way it is perceived. A rejection form a close personal friend can be much different than from a total stranger.
And, of course, everyone reacts differently to a rejection. The feelings of depression in one might be the same as revenge in another person. One person can become very vocal and another sulk and never let anyone else know how they were hurt.
It is much different when someone rejects you as a person than when they reject something you recommended, which could be based simply on a business decision. The rejection could be everything to do with you, or it could be nothing to do with you and simply could be the idea itself did not convince someone else that it was right for them.
For those with bipolar disorder, you might see one reaction at one time and a totally different response at another time. Yes, bipolar has many ranges. A mild case would be much different from a severe one.
They say time is the big healer. In regards to rejections, it is absolutely true. In fact, at a later date, it is sometimes comical when you look back at the events.
Since I am a writer and many of my friends are writers, we tend to concentrate on rejection letters. Many people keep them in stacks to remind them of what they had to go through—as if some kind of martyr syndrome. Still, it is good to get them out and have a good laugh form time to time.
I remember waiting on the response to a submission to one publisher for a very long time. Finally I sent a follow up. My submission had been lost. Several months later, I did get a response on the follow up—my manuscript had been forwarded to another editor—problem solved—no. The rejection stated that they did not feel like my work was appropriate for their line. Do what? I wrote a very hot love story which was exactly what they publish. Then I saw the line which the editor worked for at the publishing house—the inspirational one. Yes, I guess it didn’t fit, but she is not the one I sent it to either.
It is also important to consider what the person giving the rejection is going through. If that person gives rejections all of the time they would act different from someone who seldom does it.
In my novel the rejection letter, the story is meant to entertain and is not based on any specific story of a rejection letter I received. I have many friends who are literary agents which I highly respect. Still, I know they will never handle such a story as a serial killer who stalks literary agents. My novel, THW REJECTION LETTER, however, explores the world of the literary agent, the large publishing houses, and the inner story of one young woman’s fight to overcome her bipolar disorder while learning a little about life, love, and finding her own sanity in the process.
I know everyone has their own stories to tell about being rejected. I would love some feedback after you have read my novel. And, of course, reviews are always welcome. I do a number of interviews and hope to have a list of where I will be and what blogs I visit on blog tours. So, please follow this site and subscript to it.

I am proud to announce that my novel, THE REJECTION LETTER, was released last week and is available on kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0069S80AE
and on smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/106185
Also, check my blog at www.sirjohn.us for more information.
To someone else, the rejection letter might be perceived as a simple piece of correspondence. But when Amy, who suffers from bipolar disorder receives a form rejection letter from Edward, an agent she had an affair with at a recent convention, she takes the rejection as both personal and professional—in short—a declaration of war.

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