Manuscript Rejection

Earlier this week I submitted a four chapter manuscript to an editor for review.  Yesterday she sent it back with a note that she didn’t have the time to edit my manuscript. She indicated that I should take some college courses on writing, and she did go through the first four pages with some suggestions.  A few of the suggestions were manuscript formatting that I didn’t know.   For example, new dialogue and new speakers require new paragraphs – always and  Always spell out numbers lower than one hundred, unless they are street, highway or house numbers.  Some of these kinds of things, I guess we learn along the way. 

 

She then told me that the book was just not ready for an editor or publisher.  I had the book critique by a couple of readers who were impress with the book, and made recommended changes, so when I sent the manuscript to this editor, I was feeling confident that it would work.  I expected that there probably would be some additional editing and rewriting, that is what we do isn’t it?

So, what is a person to do?  Should I put it away and continue to work on a different one for a while?  Should I immediately go in and make all the necessary corrections and edits that she suggested and rewrite the book?  Should I take classes?  Should I read books of writing fiction and manuscript writing?  Should I try to get in a critique group through MMRWA?  Should I find a critique partner?  Probably all of the above huh? 

After my little boo hoo section and feeling sorry for myself, I felt encouraged by my MMRWA group to continue onward.  So, that’s what I’m looking to do.  I did order myself some books to read on fiction writing, and I will see if anyone is interested in starting a critique group or if I could join a critique group at MMRWA, I will probably look at the manuscript again later and, I found an author who just wrote a really good book I read recently, who is willing to look at the first four chapters of my manuscript.  It looks like I’m on the way.   

Right now, I’m going to read a book from another author that promises to be an enjoyable read, and I’ll wait until the books I ordered come in and start to dig into them for some information to help me along the way.

Now, if I can just find some chocolate to go with some wine. . . . .