THE LOST CROWN - A New Novel by Sarah Miller.

[grandduchessella]

Just received the book in after ordering it for our library.   

[helenazar]

I know this is terribly off topic but because we have been talking about publication, I got out that old rejection letter and, believe me, it hurt just as much to read it today as it did the first time.

Here is a small quote:

With all apologies I am returning ...............  It was read by one of our resident historical romance experts, who found the idea for the novel, "quite good" and aspects of the story "touching", but she also, unfortunately, feels that the pacing is much too slow and that overall the story is too tame to sell in the Historical Romance market.

I'm sorry your manuscript languished in my office as long as it did; it and I seemed to have gotten buried for a while.

Thank you for sending this to us, and I hope you'll keep trying.  You show real potential.

In another letter this was said:

(     ) Production Manager, discussed the manuscript with Dell's Editor in Chief, (          ), who felt the manuscript was worthwhile and had given it two readings.

I would suggest the manuscript be submitted to Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster), New American Library, Ballantine Books and Bantam.

Some best sellers have made the rounds to several publishers before being accepted.

The problem was that no suggestions were given to improve the "pacing" or make the novel less "tame".  We tried our best, but the second time we submitted it it never had another reading.

They always apologize for having it "languish" on their desks, don't they? LOL It seems to be standard in publishing! Now that I learning about the field from the author's side, that's like the first thing you notice

[helenazar]

 Correct, Robert, re "self publish."  If I'm not mistaken, these would be the so-called "Vanity Press" publications, and quite obviously, one has to agree to a specific number of copies to be printed at the initial run, absorbing ALL the involved costs!  
  If you can't sell them, then you are stuck with boxes of copies (unless one wishes to give VERY personalized holiday presents). An expensive alternative indeed!                                                          Regards,  AP.

Also, unfortunately most libraries and book stores don't look that kindly on Vanity Press books... They are immediately suspicious of them, even if they may be good... The way they see it, the book much be a "reject" if no one else wanted to publish it but you yourself! It's unfair but that's how it is... I know that our library won't even except Vanity Press into our catalog, even when the authors offer us copies for free... I think the best way to go if you want to self publish may be ebook self publication. It's a lot cheaper from what I understand and you just get royalties as you go along... and you have the control you want, and don't need to get it into bookstores or libraries. And eventually it may be successful enough to get published for "real". I would be very careful about self publishing though...

[helenazar]

(Prior to that I had  submitted to two publishers on my own and was rejected by both.)

It almost seems like the publishers see your work in whole different light if you don't have an agent... Most big ones seem to prefer agents. I am not sure why that is, if they are getting the same manuscript! But it doesn't seem that easy to get an agent either, it has to be just the right fit for them otherwise they don't seem to want to be bothered.

One has to get where the pain doesn't stop you ...you just keep going.....it actually hurts less if you do. .... simply  the opinion of an old campaigner.

I don't take any of the rejections personally at all... It indeed is the opinion of whoever is reading it. Of course it may be harder when you write fiction as opposed to non-fiction... Fiction seems more personal and more of a reflection on yourself, whereas nonfiction is more a reflection of the subject you are writing about! At least that's the way I see it

[blessOTMA]

I think agents are seen as a pre-sceening,  a  pre-filter...if the agent who works in the field has taken you on, you are more likely worth a look  in the publishers mind ... or so it seems.

[helenazar]

So the publishers just leave it to the agents to judge what should be published and what should not be... That just doesn't seem.. right...

[Olga Bernice]

So the publishers just leave it to the agents to judge what should be published and what should not be... That just doesn't seem.. right...

Yeah, I know, it doesn't . . . but I still have a LOT to learn about the publishing field!

[TimM]

Well, I'm happy for Sarah.  She got her book published.

[blessOTMA]

Indeed Tim, it's great...and Olga Bernice  Boyar, not to worry! The ebook  is changing everything so fast, that many , even those with long experience are in the same  place! 

[Olga Bernice]

Indeed Tim, it's great...and Olga Bernice  Boyar, not to worry! The ebook  is changing everything so fast, that many , even those with long experience are in the same  place! 

Well, that's a relief! =D

Well, I'm happy for Sarah.  She got her book published.

Oh, yes, I am too! I agree - she did get her book published, and it's probably going to introduce somebody to the Romanovs and change their lives!

[blessOTMA]

I think it will bring many new people to the family...and the nice thing is they will know the true history  right off =)

[Sarushka]

So the publishers just leave it to the agents to judge what should be published and what should not be... That just doesn't seem.. right...

Not exactly. The thing is, so much of what's submitted to agents/editors is just plain unsaleable.

Over and over you'll see the discouraging statistic that only 3% of manuscripts ever get published. That may well be true, but I'm pretty sure that around 85% of what's submitted to agents/publishers is awful enough that it doesn't even merit serious consideration. And to be perfectly frank, you can usually tell the difference before you've finished the first paragraph. What agents do is filter out the 15% or so that's actually worthy of further attention.

[blessOTMA]

.... What agents do is filter out the 15% or so that's actually worthy of further attention.

Exactly

[Sarushka]

Also, editors themselves don't wade through the slush piles -- that job gets delegated to interns and assistants. So there's almost always going to be a middleman, regardless of whether or not it's an agent.

[Olga Bernice]

Thank you, Sarushka, for all your wonderful feedback, and if I get too off topic, tell me and I'll stop immeadiately =D

Also, editors themselves don't wade through the slush piles -- that job gets delegated to interns and assistants. So there's almost always going to be a middleman, regardless of whether or not it's an agent.

Do the editors normally hire interns and assisstants that have the same writing views and opinions? Since the intern might read a story and LOVE it, but give it to the editor and he despises it? Then nothing gets published . . . that is, unless they can find a mutual agreement place.