Scott Nicholson writes:
Since I’ve sold a few novels, I noticed a change in some of my creative-minded acquaintances. More than a few friends have said, “I have been thinking about doing some writing,” with an undertone of “If YOU can do it, than anybody can.” A few writing peers came off with an attitude of “Hmph, you just got lucky.”
The truth is, both of those statements are true. I started writing seriously in 1996, fresh off a mid-life college degree and a wedding. I had a lousy night job, but lots of free time during the day, so I wrote seven hours a day, six days a week, for a year. I wrote three novels in that time, and maybe 20 short stories. Sent them all out numerous times and sold nothing.
I had 105 magazine rejections before my first story sale two years later. My first novel was rejected by 113 publishers and 47 agents; my second by 25 publishers and 33 agents; my third novel was rejected by 19 agents and 17 publishers; my fourth novel was rejected by 15 agents and two publishers; my fifth novel was rejected by 27 agents. During all that time, I was writing steadily, assuming I would finish 10 novels and then quit, assured that I’d given it my best shot.
Lo and behold, my fourth novel sold, then my second, then my third, then my sixth, and now my eighth. The agency I signed with had rejected me twice before. I probably have over 500 total rejection slips now, and I’ve saved them all. I still write daily, still get rejected, still struggle to improve. Sometimes I almost feel like I can be a writer someday. Once in a while, I delude myself into thinking I’ve accomplished something. But what do I know? I just got lucky.
Scott Nicholson is a journalist in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. His first novel The Red Church was an alternate selection of the Mystery Guild and a Stoker Award finalist. His other novels are The Harvest, The Manor, and The Home (Aug. 2005). When not writing or reaping rejection slips, he can be found in his organic garden.
