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Monday, November 2, 2009

Rejection Fire


The print version of EW has a story about Kathryn Stockett, best-selling author of debut novel The Help.  Here's a highlight to brighten up your day:

"Nearly 60 agents turned down Kathryn Stockett's debut novel before publisher Amy Einhorn picked it up in 2007. 'Those rejections lit a fire under my rear end,' says Stockett. 'I would say, "I've got to make it better.' Now those agents must be feeling some serious regret. Published in February, The Help, about a '60s-era Mississippian who's writing a book about African-American maids, now has 789,000 copies in print. Its steady word-of-mouth sales have kept it on the New York Times best-seller list longer than any other hardcover novel this year. Not bad for a novel whose first printing was just 57,300."

5 comments:

Travener said...

A first printing of "just" 57,300?

The Rejection Queen said...

I feel no sympathy for the dumbass agents and publishers who reject manuscripts that turn out to be bestsellers. They can eat it.

Writer, Rejected said...

I had the same response to the number of books in her first printing....Publishing has succumbed to a level of greed that is trashing up the industry, if you ask me.

~(o)~ Sauron said...

Lord Sauron doesn't query agents, agents query Lord Sauron. And then he burns them in the fires of Mordor for their idiocy in rejecting WR's manuscript.

Writer, Rejected said...

Which is why I am at your service, Lord Sauron.