How to become more resilient

Discover how to develop resilience and why it's essential if you want to get published

What skills do published children’s writers and illustrators have?

Perhaps some of the following come to mind:

• Imagination and creativity

• Storytelling

• Social media skills

• Organisational skills

• Writing/illustrating ability

Would it surprise you to learn that one of the most important skills you actually need if you want to get published is resilience?

Resilience is crucial when you’re editing a manuscript over and over again, or reworking illustrations.

It’s just as essential for approaching an agent and when your manuscript goes out on submission with editors.

The truth is it isn’t always easy to get a book published, even when you have an agent and a proven track record of publishing award-winning books. There is a huge amount of waiting for feedback (if you get it at all) and rejection in this industry.

Publishing is a business, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you do your market research and learn everything you can about the industry to make sure your work is a good as it can possibly be before you send it out.

But even when you do all of that, you still might not get a publishing deal. It’s often not personal - sometimes the editor has a title that is too similar to the one you’ve pitched or perhaps they’re looking for a different style/voice/theme.

It is so hard when a manuscript or artwork you’ve poured time and energy into gets rejected. When you have to dust yourself off and start again. It’s exhausting and sometimes makes you question whether you should even bother.

That’s where the importance of resilience comes in.

Every single published author and illustrator has been rejected by someone - an agent, an editor, a designer. It’s an inevitable part of the process.

The people who succeed, who go on to have long term careers in this industry all have one thing in common - they didn’t give up.

Every Friday we interview someone from the publishing industry. Often we ask authors and illustrators what advice they have for people who want to get published and the most common theme that comes up is that you have to be resilient.

‘So you have to be fierce too – be really persistent, don’t give up, and get ready to face rejection time and again.’ Anna Wilson

‘Very importantly don’t give up. It took me a long time before I could illustrate full time and I almost gave up at one point but I am so glad that I didn’t!’ Rebecca Cobb

But how do you become resilient exactly?

The good news is, it’s a skill you can practice just like any other. In this post we’re going to share how you can develop the resilience you will need to get an agent and publishing deal.

Feel your feelings

Rejection sucks. It’s so disappointing when a manuscript you love doesn’t find a home. Give yourself time to wallow, feel your feelings, then move on.