My Novel's First Rejection

 My first novel got its first rejection notice. In a sense, this is good news: not a form letter, but a detailed response with useful feedback. The editor liked my characters, writing, and voice, and found the book "touching" and "intriguing." She felt the genre wasn’t "contiguous beginning to end."  

 I can’t help but agree there. I started off writing a rather traditional romance novel, but two of my supporting characters took it in the direction of a white-collar cozy mystery involving a plot twist. It works as a book but doesn't really fit a typical genre category. I will study the editor's suggestions carefully as soon as the sting of rejection wears off a little. I fear her ideas will probably entail a major redraft and lots of time and work. 

My friend Kristine Overbrook, published author of Redeeming the Night and other novels, gave me encouraging advice. She said the rejection is a good sign, especially considering its detailed and personalized nature. She suggested I shop the novel around to at least twenty editors and agents and get feedback from them before engaging in anything as major as a redraft. “All have different tastes,” she told me, “and what one rejects, another might love. You never know.” 

We agreed I should redraft if I get fairly consistent feedback regarding the need.  I also recently submitted to a writing contest, so I will wait for the written comments from the judges there, too. If it makes the final round, a professional editor or agent will read my work, and who knows what opportunities will come from there? In the meantime I need to research potential publishers and agents for potential submission.

Update: An agent wants to see the novel after I've rewritten it with a more traditional plot, so that's my next goal now that I've just finished a contemporary military short story, "Mud Run," for potential inclusion in an anthology. The story is written in the first person and pretty intense.

I am also researching my next novel, which needs a title. Think the Iliad meets The Mists of Avalon. Any suggestions? Post in the comments below.