To all struggling writers everywhere (and I know you're out there), here is a little story that should give you hope. On December 16, 1901, Beatrix Potter published The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She had been turned down by half-a-dozen publishers, so she paid for the first edition of this classic herself. Her illustrations were in black and white and she had 250 copies printed, which she either gave away or sold at a half-penny each. She set the price so low because, as she said, "little rabbits cannot afford to spend six shillings." It only took a couple of weeks for Peter to find a following and by the end of the year, Beatrix Potter had a major deal with a publisher for an initial printing of 8,000 copies. Today, 40 million copies have been sold in dozens of languages. That first little half-penny edition sells for about $70,000.
The moral of this short tale: Publishers are not omniscient and they make mistakes - lots of mistakes. If you believe in your work, don't give up. Just think if Beatrix Potter had allowed the skepticism (and chauvinism) of publishers discourage her! I can't imagine a world without Peter Rabbit or Jemima Puddleduck. And remember, J.K. Rowling got rejected many times, too.
These are the little stories I use to remind myself every time I get a rejection for my own work. Publishers - and agents - are not oracles. Believe in yourself, keep writing, keep submitting and keep working to get better and better. Collect those rejections; they are the purple hearts of the publishing wars.
And when you do get published, send me a copy and I'll review it and hype it and do everything I can to drive sales. Yes, I am still a bookseller at heart.
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