I got another query response. It was so unexpected I was actually taken aback. No, they didn't want JEREMIAH, but the letter was enough to remind me why I decided to return to the idea of self-publishing.
They told me, like every other agent, that publishing is subjective. I know that. People are involved. When people are involved, there are opinions. Opinions are subjective. The premise of the publishing house is based on opinion. So I shouldn't feel bad - or at least that's the message.
Most agencies are nice in their rejections. I appreciate that. But I'm also tired of other people's opinions based on the trends of a capricious industry. I read an article recently about the author of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER. He advised not to chase the market, but to go with your gut. It made me think of Sylvester Stallone who refused to compromise with ROCKY, and turned it into a hugely famous franchise.
The message is, don't give up. If you are determined, it will happen.
Even the movies I've been watching have this message. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL and WE BOUGHT A ZOO are filled with this determination and persistence. While they are about quite different endeavors, it isn't less true in publishing or art. Those closest to me, who know my struggles and yearnings best, continue to chant the same refrain: keep going. Keep writing. Keep pushing. We can see it happening, and soon. Keep going.
I assure you, I intend to.
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