The Bookseller - Comment - Emotional resilience for authors

It's a difficult market, we're told. Authors who've been published multiple times, who've made bestseller lists and been Richard & Judy picks, are finding it hard to get a new deal. I know several experienced authors who are currently out of contract, and I've read in online author groups that editors are taking up to six months to respond to submissions. How do we authors hold our nerve while waiting for news? And how do we deal with rejection?

When I'm asked to offer advice to those seeking to get a first novel published, the first thing I say is "Toughen up". You'll need an emotional hazmat suit to survive the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune on the ride from wannabe author to debut to possibly making a career out of writing. If you think once you get a book deal you've got it made, and that sales will grow with each book, you couldn't be more wrong. This happens for literally no authors at all, ever.