How a Writer Can Evaluate Rejections and Move Forward in a Positive Way

When you are a writer seeking an literary agent or publisher, rejections can be very discouraging. After making countless submission and in turn receiving rejection letters for them all, you begin to doubt your ability as a writer. To yourself you think "perhaps I have no talent". Beginning to feel inadequacy as a writer you may stop writing completely, even though it is something that you may really enjoy doing. However, your goals and progress as a writer should not end because you are having a hard time trying to get your work published. Even though your work may get rejected by agents you must evaluate your rejection in a positive way and move forward.

Evaluate Why You Were Rejected
When receiving rejections one's first reaction is that there is nothing wrong with his or her book and that the literary agent lacks good taste in literature. Holding this attitude can blind a writer from seeing his or her flaws and needs of improvements. This puts a writer in a state of denial. To prevent this from happening, after receiving several rejections, at least, discuss them with friends and family. Have your family and friends to read your book and tell them to give you their honest opinion of it. Tell them to make note of where they think improvements can be made. If possible try to find someone, such as a literature professor to read your book. Such a person can provide constructive criticism on writing style and presentation.

Although this may be a long shot try to make personal contact with a literary agent and ask him or her would he or she mind reading your book with no obligations. Ask the agent to give opinions and make suggestions. In all cases when a writer queries an agent, the agent only reads a short letter and or a synopsis and the first three chapters of the book. The agent makes his or her decision on whether to read the book in full after reading the query material. If you get an agent read your material in full and discuss it with you, you can get an even better understanding on what to do to improve your writing and make it suitable for publishing.

Evaluate The Market
Sometimes rejections are made because the literary market does not demand the type of story a writer wrote. Before writing your next book, first do some research on the literary market. Find out what people like to read, and prepare your next book to meet the taste of money paying readers.

Find The Right Agent For Your Genre
Sometimes a writers material is rejected because he or she queried the wrong literary agent. Not all agent work with all genres. For instance some agents only do adult fiction some agents only work with children fiction. Even if you have queried an agent that represents the type of book you have written in your genre. For instance, even though a writer may have written a children's book and queried an agent who represents children's books, the agent may not represent the type of children's books the writer wrote. For example, if a writer's book is geared for girls the agent may reject it because he or she represents books that are adventure stories for boys.

Another thing to keep in mind is that agents choose to represent books that they personally like and can personally relate too. So no matter how well a writer may have written his or her book, if the agent does not take a personal interest in the story he or she will not want to represent it, even if the book has the potential of becoming a best seller. So before querying an agent it is important that a writer does research on the various agent who represent his or her genre. Also a writer should make personal contact with agents and question them about their interests.

Writing For The Right Genre
Are you writing for the right genre? Although a writer may have writing talent. His or her talent may not lie in the genre he or she is attempting to write. For instance, a person writing non-fiction may be better at fiction or a person trying to write novels may be better suited at writing screenplays. Trying to write in a genre that is not suited for one will result in low quality material that would get rejected by agents. When attempting to write a writer should first see where his or her talent lies in writing. This will contribute success as a writer.

An Attention Catching Query
The query letter and synopsis are so important to getting an agent. A writer can write the most wonderful book that would maintain fame through the ages. However, if the query letter and synopsis is not written in away to capture the attention of agents and make the book unique the book will go unnoticed. Sometimes a writer has a hard time writing about his or work. So when preparing a query, a writer should consult a professional letter writer. Such a person can bring out and summerize the main points and plot of the book in a brief and to-the-point-why that will capture the interest of the agent.

Rejections can be vary discouraging. However, they should not force a writer to give up his or her dream of being read and enjoyed by many people. A writer should use the rejections as stepping stones to success.