As per title. I've written 3 books, none published obviously. 2 are currently on the backseat because they're niche and difficult to market. 1 of them I think could really make it big, or at least mainstream. Previously, I spent a year sending it to different agents to the point that I ran out of new people to send it to. I got a grand total of two rejection emails. Everyone else ignored it completely. I understand that they get lots of submissions but it killed me mentally. I told myself that I'd start sending it to people again but I've got no motivation in the slightest. I can write all day. I can edit all my other work. But I can't bring myself to read and edit it again or check the cover letter templates I wrote or start looking for agents again. It's so exhausting and for no result. I'm sure it doesn't help that I have higher expectations for this book, and that it's much more personal to me. So how do people get the motivation to keep submitting? I've tried looking on the web for advice but all that pops up is "how to get the motivation to write" which isn't a problem for me.
What outside input has there been in terms of editors + beta readers? One route this could go down is that someone points out a fundamental flaw in the latest draft and the OP works to fix it.
Welcome, @theusual ! @evild4ve has good points (they often do). Have you received any feedback on your work? How about on the submission packet (cover letter, summary, etc) you're sending out? It could be that you're breaking some unwritten rule that gets your submission ignored without even being read. I'd definitely suggest posting your query to the workshop here when you can to get some opinions on it. As for submitting, ultimately, motivation has to come from within, but I've found that it helps to have some community support. Misery loves company, after all. Come join us in the rejection thread! There, we post about all the rejections and failures we get as we slog towards publication, and there's always room for one more. https://www.writingforums.org/threads/rejection-rejection-rejection.147859/
Thank you both. I had one beta reader go through it before I sent it out to agents the first time round. He's too busy to go through it again, and he's the only one I'd trust with it, but I'm sure I could ask him to go through a couple chapters again. I will check out the workshop and the rejection thread, thank you Hopefully frittering away time on here might help with motivation too.
