J.K. Rowling
The Christopher Little Literary Agency receives 12 publishing rejections in a row for their new client, until the eight-year-old daughter of a Bloomsbury editor demands to read the rest of the book. The editor agrees to publish but advises the writer to 'Get a Day Job' since "She has LITTLE CHANCE OF MAKING MONEY In children’s BOOKS". "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" by J.K. Rowling spawns a series where the last four novels consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history, on both sides of the Atlantic, with combined sales of 450 million.
ROWLING becomes the 'FIRST PERSON IN HISTORY'
To become a 'BILLIONAIRE' From Writing!
(Memo: Bloomsbury editor - Now, I'm pretty sure, that a BIllion $'s does count as Making Money)
Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling was told "He Did Not" Know how to use the English language!
'Nobel Prize in Literature
1907'
(Did Know English!)
Agatha Christie
After 5 years of continual rejection, the writer finally lands a publishing deal:
"Agatha Christie".
Her book sales are now in excess of $2 billion. Outsold ONLY by the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections,
as well as the
world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap.
Louis L’Amour
Louis L’Amour received '200' Rejections before Bantam took a chance on him.
He is now their best ever selling author with 330 million sales.
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
"TOO DIFFERENT" from other juveniles on the market to Warrant its Selling."
A rejection letter sent to Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel).
300 million sales and the 9th best-selling fiction author of all time.
Zane Grey
“You have no business being a writer and should GIVE UP”
Zane Grey ignores the advice. There are believed to be
over 250 million copies of his books in print.
Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen
140 rejections stating “Anthologies DON'T SELL” until the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen sells 125 million copies.
If you haven't read these you must !
Stephen King
Stephen King's, Carrie: '30 rejections' from publishers.
Things were looking grim for King’s first novel until Bill Thompson at Doubleday finally
sent him this telegram: "Congratulations. Carrie officially a Doubleday book. Is $2500 advance Okay? The future lies ahead. Love, Bill." The paperback rights went for 16 times as much, and more importantly: the biggest literary career of modern times was officially launched. His books have now sold over 350 million copies.
Shel Silverstein
One of the best-known children’s books of all time had difficulty getting published. Shel Silverstein was told that the book would never sell, but he persisted. 'The Giving Tree' has become loved by children and adults alike, translated into numerous languages, and prompted various and creative interpretations.
Silverstein also wrote the song "A Boy Named Sue",
which was made popular by Johnny Cash - In case anyone asks!
C.S. Lewis
The years of rejection do not break his spirit. He only becomes more determined to succeed.
When he eventually lands a publishing deal, such is the demand for his fiction that it is translated into
over 47 languages, as "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis goes on to sell over 100 million copies.
Dan Brown
“It is so badly written.” The author tries Doubleday instead and his little book makes an impression.
"The Da Vinci Code", a 2003 mystery thriller novel by Dan Brown, sells 80 million. A movie follows - Budget $125 million with Box office sales of $758.2 million!
Judy Blume
After two years of rejections stating that her fiction would have no readership, Reilly and Lee agree to publish "The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo", launching the career of the best-selling author Judy Blume.
Combined sales: 80 million.
Paulo Coelho
Having sold only 800 copies on its limited first release,
the author finds a new publisher and "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho.
Sells 75 million copies.
J.D. Salinger
“We feel that we don’t know the central character well enough.” The author does a rewrite and his protagonist becomes an icon for a generation as "The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D. Salinger sells 65 million.
L.M. Montgomery
5 publishers reject L.M. Montgomery‘s debut novel. Two years after this rejection, she removes it from a hat box and resubmits. L.C. Page & Company agree to publish "Anne of Green Gables"
and it goes on to sell 50 million copies.
Vladimir Nabokov
“I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousand years.” Shunned by all the major publishers, the author goes to France and lands a deal with Olympia Press. The first 5000 copies quickly sell out.
But the author Vladimir Nabokov now sees his novel, "Lolita",
published by all those that initially turned it down, with combined sales of 50 million.
Beatrix Potter
"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter was rejected so many times she decided to self-publish 250 copies. It has now sold 45 million.
Richard Bach
“Nobody will want to read a book about a seagull”
Richard Bach‘s "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" goes on to sell 44 million copies.
Jacqueline Susann
“Undisciplined, rambling and thoroughly amateurish writer.”
But Jacqueline Susann refuses to give up and her book the "Valley of the Dolls" sells 30 million.
Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Mitchell gets 38 rejections from publishers before finding one to publish her novel
"Gone With The Wind". It sells 30 million copies.
Anne Frank
"The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the ‘curiosity’ level.” Perhaps the most misguided literary critique in history. With a further 15 rejections, there remained little hope her personal thoughts would see the light of day. Eventually, Doubleday, bring the translation to the world, and "The Diary of Anne Frank" sells 25 million.
Irving Stone
“A long, dull novel about an artist.” Publisher rejects "Lust For Life" by Irving Stone. 25 million sales.
Kenneth Grahame
“An irresponsible holiday story that will never sell.” Rejection of "The Wind In The Willows" by Kenneth Grahame. The novel did sell: 25 million copies worldwide.
Christopher Nolan
“Christopher Nolan, an Irish writer, was born both mute and quadriplegic. He was physically helpless, able to communicate with family members only through eye movements. Thru the incredible devotion of his family, who believed he was in there, and a new medication (a Mircle Drug) that allowed his spastic muscle to relax just enough to sit in front of a typewrite with a stick on his forehead, Christopher was able to type out, one letter at a time, highly praised volumes of verse and short stories at the age 15. He went on to publish a prize-winning autobiography (Whitbread Award Winning Book) called - “Under the Eye of the Clock”
(I wrote a tribute to Him @ undertheeyeoftheclock.com )
Christopher also went to school with Bono, of the Irish rock group U2,
and
Bono wrote the song about Chritopher's sucess, called “Miracle Drug”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNm7P2lY9DA)
Now if Christopher Nolan can do what he did
with what he had to work with,
then, I ask you -
WHAT THE HELL IS STOPPING YOU ?
("Do or Do Not, There is No Try." - Yoda)
Thomas K. Bell
"My Dad Is A Freak"
Is a Memoir, detailing one man's serendipitous journey from Bachelorhood to Parenthood.
After his Girlfriend becomes his wife, and his wife becomes pregnant, Tom finds himself a first time father at nearly 50 years old. Over the years, he has shown only a passing interest in his nieces and nephews, and has never touched someone else's poo. Now, with an eight month-old baby and two toddlers, he 'Wracks his Brain' for ANY useful
cross-over skills accumulated from a half-century of single life.
'A MUST READ - if you havent already!'
Peter Benchley
His publishers Doubleday reject the first 100 pages.
So the author Peter Benchley starts from scratch and "Jaws" sells 20 million.
And the rest is history !
Thor Heyerdahl
Thor Heyerdahl believes his book "Kon-Tiki: Across The Pacific" is unique. 20 publishers disagree. The 21st takes it on and sells 20 million: one for each rejection.
Stephenie Meyer
Despite 14 consecutive agency rejections Stephenie Meyer‘s "Twilight" goes on to sell 17 million copies and spends 91 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list.
William Golding
“An absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.”
Rejection letter sent to William Golding for "The Lord Of The Flies" - 15 million sales.
WM Paul Young
After 20 rejection letters, WM Paul Young self-publishes his novel "The Shack".
15 million sales and a cultural phenomenon.
Meg Cabot
Three years of rejection letters are kept in a bag under her bed. The bag becomes so heavy that she is unable to lift it. But Meg Cabot does not dwell on the failure. Instead she keeps sending her manuscript out.
It gets taken on and "The Princess Diaries" sells 15 million copies.
L. Frank Baum
“Too Radical" of a departure from traditional juvenile literature.”
L. Frank Baum persists and "The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz" sells 15 million.
Alice Walker
Little, Brown & Company passes on a two book deal for Alice Walker.
When complete her novel "The Color Purple" sells 10 million and wins the The Pulitzer Prize.
Madeline L'Engle
26 publishers reject "A Wrinkle in Time".
It wins the '1963 Newbery Medal' and becomes an international best-seller. 8 million sales and counting.
Audrey Niffenegger
After 25 literary agents reject her debut manuscript, she mails it unsolicited to a small publisher in San Francisco, MacAdam/Cage. They believe it is a classic. Upon publication, the world agrees. Translated into over 33 languages and adapted into a movie, "The Time Traveler's Wife"
by Audrey Niffenegger sells 7 million copies.
High Prather
To deal with publisher rejections, Hugh Prather decides to write a book
about them in his early struggles and "Notes To Myself" sells 5 million.
H.G. Wells
“An endless nightmare. I think the verdict would be ‘Oh don’t read that horrid book.”
Publisher rejects "The War Of The Worlds" by H.G. Wells.
It is soon published in 1898, and has been in print ever since.
Herman Melville
“Our united opinion is entirely against the book. It is very long, and rather old-fashioned.” Publisher rejects "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville. It is later published by Harper & Brothers, who release a first print run of 3000 copies. Only 50 of these sell during the author's lifetime.
George Orwell
T.S. Eliot as head of Faber & Faber rejects it because of “Trotskyite politics”.
Secker & Warburg spot potential, and George Orwell’s Animal Farm becomes a best-seller.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“An absurd story as romance, melodrama or record of New York high life.”
Yet publication sees "The Great Gatsby" by F.Scott Fitzgerald become a best-selling classic.
Mary Shelley
Rejected by leading publishers, the 21-year-old finally persuades a small publishing company Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, to take a chance on her debut. They agree, but do not put her name on the cover, and only print 500 copies in 1818. Booksellers only bought 25 of them. Despite a named credit in 1822, sales did not improve, until a 3rd edition was published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley in 1831. Word of mouth combined with some of the finest prose ever written in the genre, quickly sees Frankenstein by Mary Shelley become a best-seller.
Joseph Heller
I haven’t really the foggiest idea about what the man is trying to say,” one publisher wrote. “Apparently the author intends it to be funny—possibly even satire—but it is really not funny on any intellectual level.” Publisher rejects "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller, a novel believed to have been given its name because it was the 22nd publisher,
Simon and Schuster, who agreed to take it on. To date: 10 million sales.
Laurence Peter
30 publishers tell Laurence Peter that his book "The Peter Principle" will never sell. In 1969,
a mere 18 months later it is a number #1 best-seller.
Norman Mailer
“This will set publishing back 25 years.”
Rejecting "The Deer Park". Its author Norman Mailer goes on to win The Pulitzer Prize, twice.
Alex Haley
neggerAlex Haley writes for eight years and receives 200 consecutive rejections. His novel "Roots" becomes a publishing sensation, selling 1.5 million copies in its first seven months of release, and going on to sell 8 million. Such is the success that The Pulitzer Prize award the novel a Special Citation in 1977.
J.G. Ballard
"THIS AUTHOR IS BEYOND PSYCHIATRIC HELP - DO NOT PUBLISH." Publisher rejects "Crash" by J.G. Ballard. The author immediately declares this as sign of "Complete Artistic Success." The novel goes on to inspire countless songs, and the film adaptation Wins the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996.
E.E. Cummings
The E.E. Cummings best-seller "The Enormous Room" has a dedication page
‘With No Thanks To’ all 15 publishers who turned it down.
John le Carre
“He hasn’t got any future.” Yet, publication of "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" leads to its author, John le Carré, having one of the most distinguished careers in literary history.
Robert M. Pirsig
Robert M. Pirsig‘s Zen & the "Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is in the Guinness Book Of Records for 121 rejections, more than any other best-seller.
Richard Hornberger
After 21 rejections, Richard Hornberger,MD, a thoracic surgeon, switches to the pseudonym, Richard Hooker, and his debut novel becomes a phenomenal publishing success, spawning an Oscar-Winning Film Adaptation,
and one of the most watched Television shows in history: M*A*S*H*.
William Faulkner
“Good God, I can’t publish this.” So it finds itself at the offices of publishers Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith instead, who immediately spot the talent of its author, and in 1931 propel him and his controversial, "Sanctuary", into the literary limelight. The author, William Faulkner, goes on to become one of
the most
critically praised novelists of all time.
