Book Birthday Blog: I’d Like to Thank . . . REJECTION!

Look! It’s a book!

I can’t believe it’s mine.

Actually, one could reasonably argue it isn’t. By the time a picture book gets released, so many talented people have put their magic touches on it that it truly becomes a group project. Today is BEAR’s birthday, and thanks to illustrator Stephanie Laberis and the dedicated team at Holiday House, the book is all dressed up with fun fonts and bright illustrations, ready for the release party!

I respect the whole process, from submission to publication, no matter how lengthy, grueling, and full of rejection it can be. Over the years, I’ve even learned to appreciate the rejection part. So today, I’m doing something unusual. I’m paying tribute to all the rejection that has gotten me to this point, my first publication day, with a blog post about its benefits.

Yes, the benefits of rejection!

Here are five points to consider:

1. Rejections keep my practice stuff in the SCRAPYARD!

Tucked away in a hidden file is a folder I call the SCRAPYARD, a resting place for the old, rusty stories that never got published . . . and thank goodness they didn’t! I loved all my early manuscripts as I wrote them, but can now see their meandering plots, unlikeable characters, and ultra-predictable endings.

YIKES! I wrote these? And I sent them to (gulp) editors?

Yup. I sure did; they were practice stories. Maybe one day I’ll recycle them into something new. But for now, I’m relieved they were rejected.

2. Rejections are like personal trainers.

Rejections push me, mock me, egg me on!

They tell me: “Good enough isn’t! You’ve got to work harder!” And while a rejection letter might knock me down at first, when I get back up again, guess what? I brainstorm and revise with more intensity, which brings my work to the next level. Thanks to the nudge rejections give me, I surprise myself.

3. Rejections contain valuable complex carbohydrates.

Okay, okay . . . I realize it’s tough these days to receive an actual rejection letter, let alone one with anything “complex” about it – but it happens occasionally! Just a few weeks ago, I received a rejection with wonderful suggestions and line edits.

Did I use them?

You bet! Almost every single one. And even though I’m familiar with the whole “positive sandwich” approach to delivering sour news, one or two nice sentences (the carbohydrate-filled slices of bread at the beginning and end of a rejection letter) can feed my writing ego for months!

4. Rejections are safeguards, not roadblocks.

Here’s the most important point: Writers need to connect with people who appreciate and understand their work. Rejections are a safety measure, a DETOUR sign that keeps us from jogging down a dead-end street, aka an agent or editing team that isn’t right for the project.

As a manuscript, BEAR received several rejections. But when it finally found an offer, Kelly Loughman, my editor at Holiday House, expressed nothing but enthusiasm. She shared my vision, helped me achieve it with some terrific edits, and found the perfect illustrator. I can’t rave enough about Stephanie Laberis, whose sweet, humorous style was just what the book required. My story found the right home.

5. Rejections are worth it!

Yes, rejections hurt. Yes, I feel grumpy when I get too many of them in a week. But then I look at my first finished picture book, standing on the shelf with its colorful pictures and nice, straight spine – what amazing posture! – ready for its debut, and I realize the rejection’s been worth it.

If you enjoy lively read-alouds with repeating refrains, HOW COULD A BEAR SLEEP HERE? is the book for you! It’s also a great springboard for hibernation and migration discussions. Mostly, though, it’s just a lot of fun. I hope children will love it!

You can order it wherever books are sold, or follow this link.

For more information about me or the book, visit me at www.juliegonzalez.com.