Why Publishing Rejects You...
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- I'm giving 10 more reasons you may be rejected as a writer and in publishing. These range from subjective reasons to just plain bad luck to, well, plain bad writing.
Bad writing, bad craft, someone getting there first, being messy online (eek)... I'm going over more of these reasons.
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Re: #9... I only gave two examples, but really anything excessively messy online can lead to a rejection. That includes extreme forms of bullying, including of fellow authors. I forgot about this example while I was filming, but this is why I advise against extreme rant reviews (like, the extreme kind--career damaging kind) and sending mobs after people. It won't lead to rejection across the board always, but it can be the reason for rejection from specific agents and editors. Publishing is a small business, and you never know who you can piss off when you post something hastily. Just wanted to offer this example so it doesn't seem like I'm singling only one axis of behavior out!
I have one or two arch-enemies online who love to fight with me - I don't know why. Reading some of my posts you might think I'm bullying them (they're none too bright), but they keep coming seeking me out. Let's just say we have a troubled relationship. The 'audience' love it - folks will actually come to find me to give these guys a spanking when they're being bigots. I'm generally just caustic and ask a lot of questions that wind them up.
@@michaelsmorenburg-writer8480 I don't think anyone will get mad for poking trolls :D I'm thinking more like "hey peer/fellow writer, I think your book is GARBAGE so I'm going to DESTROY YOU!"
@@AlexaDonne I hear you. I've had it.
For a 2 week period, every single day on Goodreads I got a 1-star rating (no review). I studied the pattern and it was from a same-day newly-minted profile in some backwater town with no other ratings or profile. When I had 15 of them I contacted the librarians and they were all stripped away.
The only other negative was a story where the protagonist is the main preacher in a small outback town. Next thing I had a 1-star review on Amazon that started, "Well, I'm shocked..." and the reviewer went on to say that he is the real-life preacher in that town and was furious at my characterization of him. (I had no option but to pick that town as in real life, the biggest science infrastructure in history is being built around the town with the declared objective of confirming the origins of the universe). (It really is happening - the SKA Telescope).
When I calmed him down to a blind panic, he admitted that he'd only read a third of the story and then hurled the book across the room and written the review.
A few weeks later he came back to me and said he'd really enjoyed the story. I asked him to keep the review as it was genuine and shows I touched a nerve.
He has, since then, contacted me to say he's using it as the basis for a doctoral thesis he's writing on Calvinism surviving the modern world... which blew my mind; my novel a reference manual? Wow.
But for all the enemies I have for my provocative writing, if I can them to read, they always come through agreeing that I handled the topic sensitively.
@@michaelsmorenburg-writer8480 I love it that you mention the SKA [square kilometre array] telescope. In about 2004 I went to a lecture by some astrophysicists who talked about the SKA. Then it was a proposal. They said that there was no technology to store the massive amounts of data that the SKA would get. That the SKA is being built now shows the long arc of science going from a thought to reality. In the end the SKA has decided to use a JIT approach where the data is not stored but is analysed in real time with some metadata stored. My main familiarity is with the SKA near Perth, Australia. I don't know much about the other countries SKA set ups.
Hey@@musicalneptunian - yes - it's a hell of a project. I have just come from the University of Cape Town Astronomy department dropping off a copy of my novel "A Trojan Affair" to a professor there who I met last night when he gave a lecture.
Quick overview
You're dead right - the SKA will produce more data per day than the internet produces per year - and there is no way to move or store that. It will produce data at a rate that, if written to ordinary DVD, would crow the stack of DVDs at 1km/minute or 60km/h.
They needed to build the SKA in the southern hemisphere for radio-quiet and to see the centre of the Milky Way. South America was too narrow, and so was out of the running. It came down to South Africa and Australia - both of whom built precursor infrastructure.
In 2012 it was awarded to South Africa - and that left Australia's infrastructure effectively wasted. A review was held and they found that they could link to Oz and effectively get a radio dish as wide as the earth - so Oz got 20% of the project.
The whole project is centred on a small desert town in South Africa called Carnarvon.
Carnarvon is in a bible belt of staunchly Calvinist farmers. Of course, it is built on land still inhabited by the Bushmen or San people; who are the oldest hunter-gather culture on earth, living on land that all of our ancestors evolved on (the Cradle of Mankind) with archaeological finds going back 1, 2 and 3 million years.
The idea to write the novel came out of me thinking what a great irony it was that the biggest cutting edge science initiative in history was being placed in a town that has more churches than it does ATMs. I wondered what would happen if the local preacher decided he wasn't having it and, with a cabal of elders, decided to start pressuring the aboriginal people to put in a heritage claim to tie the developers up indefinitely in court (and hope to 'chase them away to Australia'). Of course, there is much more to it than that... my protagonist is the 17-year-old son of the lead (female) astrophysicist between schools as he heads for his final year of boarding school - and he decides to join Carnarvon High as a representative of the project. He has grown up in Oxford (UK), has a posh accent, loves science and his mother's project, and has dark skin and Indian features from his evolutionary anthropologist father... He knows nothing of religious fanaticism and the rife racial bigotry of the territory (an echo of America's modernity confronting tradition). He instantly becomes the lightning rod of the town's anger.
Indeed, we learn as the plot develops, that the preacher had not conceived of opposing the development until a group of Evangelicals from America's Bible Belt put him up to it... and there are two plot twists that underlie that move).
So it's a really rich tapestry of discontent, suspicion, ambition, and discovery.
I've gone on a bit - forgive me - but I loooooove the SKA.
The impact on our world from it is going to be immense... entirely new forms of data storage, analysis, and delivery. Huge surges in hardware development and untold medical applications as the software to look out into the cosmos at Infinitesimally small and distant things in the universe are brought into the lab and allow medicine to look that deep into the cells of humans in real-time.
my problem with being rejected is that they take a long time to reject me like just hurry up and tell me no lmao 😂😂
"Just don't be a neo-Nazi." -- I damn near choked on my tea ahahaha
Eye shadow on fleek. Advice on point. You are killing it.
I’m so glad I found this channel, such a friendly person giving such harsh criticism and arguments in a way that makes me feel like I’m about to get cookies and warm milk
Don't be a nazi? Well these requirements are getting out of hand lol
No you're ok, you can be a nazi just don't tell the internet lol.
@@r.brooks5287 oh okay. Phew. I got worried for a minute.
I got rejected for being a Republican... and once because the agent looked me up and said I was a bigot for being a Christian... so... I kinda went: *"Um... why does that matter? I'm not very vocal about this on media as I don't really think it matters in writing but.. okay?"* it was a real WOW moment.
Welcome to 2019, where the phrase "Don't be a neo-nazi" is a political statement.
it's called "Don't be a soup-nazi", Serena. ;-)
Welcome to 2020, when everyone is stuck at home brewing new political statements.
*Me on a previous video* "Wow, Alexa's makeup and clothes are so on point. Can she get more gorgeous?"
*Alexa on this video* "Hold my wine."
Am I the only one who has no intention of writing a novel but watches these videos anyway like the michael jackson eating popcorn gif
I'm like you, but I also work in a chain book store, and hope to open up my own indi used/new bookstore/community center some day.
I love those kinds of videos about the industry so much
Omg.. I’m korean boy! 🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷
I love your video 🙋🏻♂️❤️
I’m a big fan 😭👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I love your videos Alexa. Even if I will never be a author I find your videos to be both entertaining and informative. Please keep up the good work. I look forward to them every time I see them!
Awesome video thank you so much! Keep up the great work 😊❤
These are some really great examples! Thank you for the video :)
Resilience. I need this. Thank you for your videos.
You're always right on the bead Alexa, love how you discuss so many aspects of the literary world from both writing, editing, and the marketing perspective. You always seem to provide such fantastic advice that applies to authors at any stage or situation. Really appreciate your work and it makes me inspired to keep writing and improving!
Also, really appreciate your emphasis on being apolitical or at least respectful and inclusive of a variety of views, as its often a very exclusionary experience and there is a fear that your work will be rejected simply for exploring philosophical or slightly political ideas that may or may not fit the current mold of what's socially or politically popular while the content is not meant to fully reflect your views as an individual. Do you know what I mean? I feel like we as artists should explore and challenge society and be brave to discuss controversial ideas or deeper themes instead of being terrified of being rejected or of the potential that people may not understanding that our work is not exactly a replica of all our own views but a genuine, thought provoking story - like how the characters are the ones who ought to supply the vehicle of expression or deeper reflection within a plot and how their actions/beliefs are not synonymous with the authors? I guess it's a bit of a subverted "separate the art from the artist" motif...hopefully you know what I mean.
On that note, do you happen to have any advice for how to approach historical fiction that may entail difficult or ideologically clashing topics and how also to approach successful historical fiction in general? I'm not too sure how popular or viable historical fiction is as a genre but I am so passionate about it regardless and have quite a few ideas that I would love to explore. It'd be great to hear your perspective on what publishers/editors might be looking for in this genre or some areas to avoid. Thanks for considering!
I love these kinds of videos! Thanks Alexa!!
I binged a bunch of your videos last... BINGED. Thank you for the watch. Fun, helpful, honest, and did I mention fun? Have bought your book and will binge this weekend (with tea and cake).
(your DOA vid was a great listen while typing up longhand shorts).
Alexa I live for your videos. You are my favourite. Bless you for all this golden content you put out.
I got the "didn't connect with writing response" one once. That kinda just motivated the hell out of me.
I just want to say thank you for all your educational content. It has really helped me in reaching my goal of finishing my first book which I just got to announce to my subscribers will be published on January 1 for my birthday. I am so excited and I feel that a huge part of my ability to get to this point was thanks to your videos. Even though I am self publishing, I found your information about the publishing industry so informative and helpful. You are the coolest and thanks for everything you do.
Do you think you might ever do a video on horror novels or the horror writing side of the industry? It seems like no one really talks much about horror so it would be awesome to hear your take on it.
Another great video!! Thank you so much for making these! :) Makes me feel like I need to quit being a coward and query while my genre is hot!
I loved this video, and the reasons. Sitting here nodding through them.
Love this. Super helpful, as always =)
Alexa, I LOVE the way you do the number 3 with your fingers! I do it that way too! Have you ever taken any sign language classes? That's where I picked it up.
I am a pretty small publisher with a niche-program. (I publish light novels in german :D)
Most rejections are, because the writer did not read the application-requirements.
Guilty as charged on #2! Workin on it.
Thanks for the video Alexa!
I really enjoy all your content and it is really helping me become a better writer.
P.S. Thank you for staying "neutral" in your videos when it comes to politics, I am a conservative but don't see why we shouldn't respect each other as people and I really enjoy being able to watch your videos and not worry about being lectured on my political views. After all, we all have love writing and should look for more things to unify us.
First! :D
Thank you very much for one more useful video!
"Dont be a Nazi" I literally sprayed my coffee all over my work computer because I died laughing. I mean its funny because we still have to have this disscsion in 2019.
Don't be a Nazi, best advice in the video.
Definitely make more videos like this. I need my weekly dose of anxiety. 😁
A question: Can someone be rejected for not being on social media?
No, that's unlikely! Once signed, an agent/publisher will likely ask you to get on social media. But it's not a requirement for an agent offer or book deal. It's only important if you're writing non-fiction.
@@AlexaDonne Thanks :)
Yeah, it IS sad that some people are rejected because of political difference but then again, it's not just happening in the publishing industry, unfortunately. On a diferent note, I'm a bit worried that some people might pressure authors to say what side they are (just like how they expect companies to make a political statement or else blah blah blah) and the last thing an author needs is to divide and alienate (not to mention lose sales) their readers just because they had a political difference like, can't we all just get along? Lovely video as always, Alexa!
Can you make a video on how to have a better writing or tips about it? I feel that my writing/prose is either bad or basic and I want to improve it but I'm not sure how and it's driving me crazy.
It would be nice if you could talk about this more.
Don't even want to get published but love your videos anyway. Also you look gorgeous today. :)
I was rejected because my agent couldn't relate to the main character's experiences
You say 'my agent' do you mean they were your agent or your agent of choice?
On #9; I've posted some rants on several places on the social media. If that can effect, does that mean it would effect in every way? Like, would all the agents or editors be offended? Like, several publishers give books for honest reviews and sometimes, the review has rant element in it. Even if there is justice in the review, would it cause any effect????
It might mean the agent for that book might not wish to rep you. I deleted all my super ranty reviews before I queried, for this reason.
Great summaries.
Thank you.
I"m a bad boy on social media - but I have to be... I write on provocative topics and my online commentary reflects that. ie. My online comments and posts are all to do with the topics I write about. I'm the antidote to Alt-right.
"I can't handle rejection," Ernest said," So, I became a writer."
Alexa was nonplussed and shooked her head in mute disbelief.
A feeling of impending doom overcame Ernest, which felt like being naked in an avalanche.
I can't believe we're having to revisit the "Nazis are bad" argument in 2019. 🙄 I love these lists though, they're great reminders that the rejection isn't as personal as it feels.
Hey! I love your Videos! They are such a huge help. Could you mabe make a Video About: "how to write a good ending" some time in the future? I really struggle with my ending. Honestly i like it a lot, but i just can not say if the Reader would like it... Thank you so much!
Greeting from Germany :)
Yes, I'm overdue for that one, since I've done beginnings and middles :) I'll probably do it sometime this fall!
@@AlexaDonne I'm Looking Forward to it! You are amazing.
The ending thing made me think (I love him, and got me into reading for pleasure as teen) Stephen King. LOL
@@DrVVVinK stephen king is my favorite author too
The first one is always what’s holding me back 😭
Yeah, the first one is one of the main reasons I will probably stop writing after my first novel. The idea of spending years of my life on a project only to find someone else "got there first" because they were born before me or because they were writing while I was still slaving away as a nurse is just horrible. I'm just not prepared to throw another half decade of my life into an empty void :-/
What about platform? Do agents reject writers who don’t have any sort of platform?
Oof. The fact that you even had to question if saying Nazis are bad was too radical 😬😬
I mean, people get REAL mad at me for getting "political" when I feel I'm speaking pretty rationally? Makes me real gun shy. I've been called some interesting things for simply saying empathy and thoughtfulness when it comes to writing diversely is a smart thing to do :/
Alexa Donne YIKES. Well like you said, at least like 99% of the people in this community aren’t like that
Can you be a great storyteller but not a good writer?
15:18
In that vein it is interesting that certain voices that succeeded never happened again. A.J.Cronin had a distinctive voice that worked: famous novels like The Citadel. But any submission with that voice would always be rejected today.
Do you have a video or can you do one on what exactly voice is and how to develop it?
I do have one! If you search "voice" on my channel it should pop up. I discussed whether it matters (yes and no) and whether you can develop it (yes and no), and do include some practical tips on how to work on it.
@@AlexaDonne Thank you. I'm wondering if voice has been a issue in querying and writing for me. I'm an immersive writer.
Ah yes... bask in the fear of rejection to improve my writing quality... mmmmm, that's good stuff.
I got denied publication because the publisher didn't like that I was a Republican. I was like, okay well... I don't see how that matters but fine?
What is ham-fisted prose?
The reason why I got rejection I think because i told my query wrong and i told them that my manual script is not finished yet.
2 and 3 should collab.
I always wonder: How can you tell if your writing is good?
Back when I started my Fanfiction, I was told they liked the story and some even gave me good and deep feedback (like: you put a really heart wrenching scene in your story, but I can't feel it as much, because the Character isn't well known. Bring him in more, so it's easier to feel the main characters grief about her grandfather dying - I never mentioned him before the chapter he died in - it was originally a filler scene to get from one emotional part to the other)
I worked on this feedback and invested more lines into the character. The readers liked it and I was told it was way better. (They were beta-readers, so they saw the unedited draft) ... But this all don't tell me if my writing is good, or just the story of my FF...
Great video -- as always! In my opinion, "don't be a Nazi!" is something everyone should live by, like Wil Wheaton's "don't be a dick" advice! Just saying! :D
The ending is my greatest fear. I'm scared people won't like it simply because it's a negative character arc, and the ending isn't exactly happy. It might be too long as well, I'm not sure if I drag it out or not. :/
was this video made for me? went on sub this summer and every day I am slowly dying.
My brain is currently in "Dead Genre" mode... I'll be doing something and an idea pops in my head then goes... "Wait, but Alexa said... " lmao
Honestly. If you query use another email. Like im not using this one lmao. Im making another one for that shit.
Thanks for the social media tip though.
Im a great story planner just....sucks at writing characters and words?
Understanding that publishing is largely liberal, as are most agents, I have to wonder if they would reject someone right leaning who is “messy” on social media, would they hold the same standards for left leaning people who are also “messy” on social media? If not that’s kind of bias of them as professionals...
It might just be me, but if I were an agent I wouldn’t really want to be associated with anyone on either side that was obnoxious on social media or anyone who would cause trouble right or left winged.
On #9, I feel like it is much more volatile than you lead on. I'm a conservative, but I write apolitical content. Yet when I see publishers and agents and writers in the writing tags on social media, it seems you can be labeled a Nazi simply for not hating Trump or holding views contrary to what's popular in progressive circles. Heck, I've seen the set and comic side of twitter go after people who dared not to hate Pewdiepie. It's a lot more than "literally being a nazi" that pisses people off. At least from my experience.
Honestly, since I'm an apolitical person on social usually (not universally, but usually) that tends to be my stock advice for people. And that advice is mostly b/c my mom taught me growing up to keep religion and politics private, so I've taken that to heart! It's none of publishing's business what your leanings are, you know? I have a lot of opinions on a wide variety of topics and I purposely... never discuss them publicly. There are def conservative writers, including in YA, but they keep it off their social feeds usually. I also think agents and editors range, though probably the most extreme you'll find is a moderate (at least in Kidlit), but it's a small subset of them who are vocally political on social. I do think, at least, that if an agent/editor doesn't want to work with you b/c of it, you probably don't want to work with them, either? Bad fit?
In my experience, people who are far right on social tend to think of themselves as "casually conservative" when that doesn't really exist in Trump's America much anymore. People have become far too comfortable with white supremacy and evil, especially in the White House and especially when compared to ACTUAL centrist conservatives of the past like Eisenhower so I think the more vocal backlash is warranted against the rising threat of the alt-right. Kids in concentration camps, propping up fascists to attack enemies over money, bragging about grabbing women by their genitals without consent and STILL winning the presidency... we no longer live in normal times for conservatives. Normal conservatives would be considered downright liberal compared to today.
I feel the same. I am a moderate, who writes apolitical YA content. I am very much against partisan politics and have criticisms with both sides, as well as issues I agree with on both sides. And I can say without a doubt that the publishing indistry, especially in YA and the Twitter writing community is a progressive dumpster fire. That goes for writers, agents, editors, and publishers. It seems that liberals are the only ones blind to it and the moderates, centrists and conservatives just know to keep their mouths shut if they want to get anywhere in this industry.
@@ThesmartestTem Basically :P
I am a liberal, and I agree. I think it has a lot to do with false perceptions of other's beliefs. I long for the days when you would take someone's word when they told you what they believed, rather than people thinking there are secret Nazis everywhere. There is also a shift away from individualism, toward collectivism that I find troubling (and deeply un-American). It results in people being called racist/sexist for treating someone as a single person, rather than a member of whatever group is in question. #9 is a big part of the reason I decided I will self publish. The free market is the way to go.
What I want to know is how do wattpad stories get published and get movies and shows if half of them are written by kids doing their hobbies, not an adult doing a job
Wattpad tracks reads and then jumps on anything that gets a lot of them. But they also take all the rights. Wattpad owns those stories forever.
@@AlexaDonne
Whoa really, they own the rights for all the stories or all those that make it big?
So does that mean that the author has no say in anything?
I’m so number two lol
"just.... don't be a neo nazi" BAHAHAHA Alexa you kill me
People have praised my storytelling ability for my original ideas, but harshly criticized my pedestrian prose. It's a flaw I've made peace with. I just hope I can find a publisher who can see the potential of my story. I used to really feel stupid because I'm not able to write spellbinding prose, but I still feel I have something interesting and entertaining to offer fantasy fans.
My fellow conservatives out there: I didn't query yet or have experience, but people are sensitive. If you want to be save, don't talk about politics on your author acount. Instead make a private one, that they can't get access to. (If you want to express your views online)
Yeah I agree. Especially considering that anything just a little bit right of libertarian is "alt-right".
I'm a bad writer but I don't wanna dictate cause dictators are evil so I bought a Grammarly subscription so I can finally be a human.
I'm 3rd type My life sucks.
So I guess if anyone should know about getting rejected, it's you?
"Just... don't be a neonazi" Alexa said, trying to be moderate
13:21 so is this the reason there's such an over-saturation of Trump books?
Indeed, Nazis are out right terrifying, although I have to clarify that not all Nazi soldiers were supportive of the dictatorship. Some were disillusioned. Some were forced to join the Nazi army and even some tried to assassinate Hitler. Some even took part in the German Resistant movement, with many dying at the failed Operation Valkyrie. I know we're talking about writing and not history, I simply wanted to point that out. Sorry.
Oh, I know, I lived in Germany, former East Germany to be specific. My host grandfather was an army deserter.
@@AlexaDonne Damn. Now I want to go to Germany. I want to go anywhere that has history.