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Don’t feel bad if you’re rejected. The stories about famous authors being rejected by literary agents and publishers are legion. Here are some of my favorites. Share your favorite rejection stories here.
J.K. Rowling’s agent the Christopher Little Literary Agency received rejections from 12 publishers for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The 8-year old daughter of a Bloomsbury editor started the book and demanded to be allowed to finish it. Her father, the editor agrees to publish the book, but advises Rowling to get another job as she’ll never make any money as a writer. Her novels have combined sales of $450 million.
“Too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.”
- Rejection letter received by Dr. Seuss. His books have sold over 300 million copies.
“You have no business being a writer and should give up.”
- Rejection letter received by Zane Grey. Over 250 million copies sold.
“Anthologies don’t sell.”
- Rejection letter received by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen. Their Chicken Soup for the Soul went on to sell 125 million copies.
“It is so badly written.”
- Rejection letter received by Dan Brown. The DaVinci Code goes on to sell 80 million copies.
“We feel that we don’t know the central character well enough.”
- Rejection letter received by J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye goes on to sell 65 million copies.
Margaret Mitchell received 38 rejections from publishers before finding a home for Gone With The Wind. It goes on to sell 30 million copies.
Fourteen literary agents rejected Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. It sold 17 million copies and spent 91 weeks on the NY Times best seller list.
“An absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.”
- Rejection letter received by William Golding. The Lord of the Flies sells 15 million copies.
Agatha Christie was rejected continually for 5 years before landing a publishing deal. Today her book sales are in excess of $2 billion. Only William Shakespeare has sold more.
J.K. Rowling’s agent the Christopher Little Literary Agency received rejections from 12 publishers for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The 8-year old daughter of a Bloomsbury editor started the book and demanded to be allowed to finish it. Her father, the editor agrees to publish the book, but advises Rowling to get another job as she’ll never make any money as a writer. Her novels have combined sales of $450 million.
“Too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.”
- Rejection letter received by Dr. Seuss. His books have sold over 300 million copies.
“You have no business being a writer and should give up.”
- Rejection letter received by Zane Grey. Over 250 million copies sold.
“Anthologies don’t sell.”
- Rejection letter received by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen. Their Chicken Soup for the Soul went on to sell 125 million copies.
“It is so badly written.”
- Rejection letter received by Dan Brown. The DaVinci Code goes on to sell 80 million copies.
“We feel that we don’t know the central character well enough.”
- Rejection letter received by J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye goes on to sell 65 million copies.
Margaret Mitchell received 38 rejections from publishers before finding a home for Gone With The Wind. It goes on to sell 30 million copies.
Fourteen literary agents rejected Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. It sold 17 million copies and spent 91 weeks on the NY Times best seller list.
“An absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.”
- Rejection letter received by William Golding. The Lord of the Flies sells 15 million copies.
Agatha Christie was rejected continually for 5 years before landing a publishing deal. Today her book sales are in excess of $2 billion. Only William Shakespeare has sold more.