Friday, March 15, 2019

Discussion: The Pros and Cons of Rejection


This Week’s Topic: The Pros and Cons of Rejection

Rejection is a natural part of life. You put yourself out there, you ask, and sometimes, the answer is no. Today I want to talk about those review request rejections, and how they can be bad AND good. 

Rejection hurts
  • When the SAME publisher ALWAYS says NO. I may die without ever having been approved by this one pub, but I keep trying. 


  • When it's a book you really, really, really, really wanted. 


  • When it seems like everyone by YOU has an ARC for a particular book.


  • When you are a perfect fit for this book, and how can the publisher just not recognize what an amazing match this would be. 

But you know what? I am trying to look for silver linings, and I got a rejection email yesterday, that made me thankful I was rejected for a particular book. 

Rejection is good
  • When you already have way too many books to read for that particular release date. 


  • When you don't even remember requesting the book or what motivated you to request said book.

  • When early reviews start coming in and they are NOT good. 


From my personal list, it looks likes there is more pain associated with request rejections. Can you think of any additional pros or cons?

Now it's your turn!

What are the pros and cons of review rejections? 
Let us know in the comments!

41 comments:

  1. Hahahaha Sam I think all your pros and cons are valid! About the pro I'd like to add not the "somthing that does not kill you will make you stronger" but rather better. I think failing is not the end of the world (failing as being rejected) if we choose to learn the reasons why we failed.
    Of course sometimes you don't have control on everything! If the publisher has reached its ARC quota he could give well that's it! But what I mean is that we can study "the others" , the bloggers who had the ARCs and try to see their common trait. For me, living outside of the US, if a publisher only chooses among US bloggers well there is no point to try there again.
    I think it's the difficulties in life (yes I know we are "only" talking about being rejected for books, no life threatening matters here) that makes us become who we were meant to be. Cliché? Maybe but true. Sophie @bewareofthereader

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    1. I know there are worst things that could happen, and I don't crawl in a corner and withdraw, when I am rejected, but it stings. We all put a lot of time into our blogs, and for me, the rejection makes me feel like i am not worthy. But yes, life goes on, and I have lots of other books to read

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  2. I wanted to add some more pros to your list, but I can't think of any. I guess the feeling of rejection always overpowers the good. I must confess that I usually get "mad" at the publisher for denying my request and kinda lose interest in the book. I know it's childish, but 🤷‍♀️.

    Happy readings! ;)
    Tânia @MyLovelySecret

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    1. I usually get a little sad. Except for the time I was rejected on the same day a mass email went out telling people to request the book on NG. It was like salt in my wounds

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  3. I am laughing out loud over here because I relate to all of this! There have been times when I have been approved for books that I don't ever remember requesting as well. There are a couple of pubs that I never get approved for as well. Sometimes it hurts, but I think a lot of the time it is a geographical thing. Thanks for this! ;)

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    1. Those wishes are the most widely, because there is no record, and then I am stuck with the book keeping my ratio down.

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  4. Oh my this is me right now. I think I've gone through all the pros and cons with my latest rejections lol. Like why won't you approve me, I am perfect for these books! But also I have enough books right now. Great discussion!

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    1. Don't get me wrong. I know they want bloggers with reach and whatnot, but I have seen bloggers with lower numbers than me, less interaction, and similar age, etc as me, and they get approved, and I totally ask, why not me?

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  5. I don't request books from anyone so I don't have to face the rejection! I do still take on author reviews if they approach me but then I have the rejection power! Mwooaahhh!

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  6. Oh my gosh, that top rejection gif has me howling, Sam. Too funny. I guess I deal with the whole rejection thing less and less since I request less and less. And even when I was requesting more I tended to take rejections with a grain of salt. It was like, oh well, guess I'll read it when it's released along with everyone else. There were definitely times when a rejection was actually a blessing, too! LOL

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    1. You know I love gifs. ☺ I get a lot more approvals, than rejections, but it still makes me feel not good enough.

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  7. I'm feeling the cons way more than the pros right now! I don't like e-books and that makes it hard. I've been requesting a lot of physical copies and it just isn't working out.

    Ash @ JennRenee Read

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    1. I am the reverse, but I get rejected still. I am lucky, and have way more approvals than rejections. Tours are a great way to build relationships with publicists. That is how I have been getting Random House books, and they always want to send physical ARCs, but I ask for a widget

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  8. you get rejection letters? Like on Netgalley or written? I've never gotten a written one for an ARC, but I've been rejected by several publishers over and over again, that I can't just seem to break through
    I know some of them work with just booktubers now, so no matter how frustrating it can be there isn't much I can do about it unless I become a booktuber.

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    1. Silence thought is just as crappy XD

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    2. A lot of pubs send out a form rejection email, when you are declined. I struggle with physical books, and have never requested directly from the pubs, so, not sure if they do anything. But, I agree, I would rather hear something rather than nothing.

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  9. Can I start off by saying I finally FINALLY cracked the secret to posting on blogspot (after a long twitter thread and a lot of head scratching) and it is GOOD TO BE HERE.

    The gifs in this post were perfect. I agree with all these points. Just as much as it sucks not getting a book you really wanted, it also works out when you get a rejection right when you're about to be crushed by your TBR.

    I want to add my own points but-- You kinda nailed it here! Maybe, one pro of rejection is it makes the hype for a book even greater? I've noticed it's usually the same pubs that have higher rejection rates. Could be a strategy.

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    1. I have a ton of commenting accounts, so I seep to have it covered at every blog I visit, but welcome! Glad you were able to figure it all out. I understand not getting those HUGE books, but I normally am not after those. This one pub rejects me for debuts, and then I never see any reviews around for the book or I go on GR and there are only a handful of ratings there. When I don't see people saying anything about a book, it doesn't make me rush out to read it, but I guess thinking it's some holy grail that SO many people have been denied, could make it seem more attractive.

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  10. On NG, I'm approved more than I'm declined but on Edelweiss I'm rarely approved. I try to tell myself, it's not me it's them. However, I really hate it when I'm a huge fan of an author/series and know I'm a perfect reader for the book and I get rejected. I'm like, "You haven't even LOOKED at me at all!!" lol

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    1. There is one publisher, who rejects me so quickly, I feel like they don't even consider my request or look at what I wrote or read or all the reviews I have posted. You can't get them all, but it's still disappointing

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  11. OMG, you're totally in my head with this post! A publisher that has approved me in the past rejected me for all of my most anticipated reads this week and it was such a heartbreaker. When I got the first one, I went to my profile to see if I was missing anything they say they need and made some adjustments accordingly. Then I proceeded to get two more rejections from them a couple days later even with the profile changes, lol. It was upsetting at first, but then I finally came around to 'Oh well, I have plenty of other books to read.'

    It still bummed me out though.

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    1. I feel your pain. Don't get me wrong, I know a galley rejection isn't the biggest thing in the world, but it hurts. I never quite understand, when a publisher is done with me. I used to have auto approvals on EW from one pub for YA books, fast forward, and I cannot get approved for any YA books by them on EW (though, I have pre-approvals for their adult books *shrug*). And, yeah, I have lots of books to read (will they all ever be read?), but it doesn't make me want the book any less. I will say, I am more philosophical, than I used to be though.

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  12. Awesome discussion! Disney has never, ever approved me for a book. Not on NetGalley, not via email, not even accidentally. ;) It's totally okay, and I'll still request them, and there's always the library after they're published. A few times I was denied a book, had my heart broken a little, and then won it later in a giveaway (or had it gifted to me by a friend). I just tell myself that everything will work out in the end! Even when it's a book I really, really want to read, and I know it'll be amazing, and my review will be gushing -- it's okay. I also wish they were more specific about WHY they're rejecting me, because then I'm not trying to figure it out myself, haha.

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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    1. Ding! Ding! Ding! Disney is the pub, who rejects me in record time. Every. Single. Request. I keep trying though. I guess I am a masochist. There are a ton of reasons why they say no - too many requests, not enough reach, looking for a different type of blogger - I get it. I am not sure if I would want to know the truth though. It could hurt even more.

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  13. The dodging a bullet one is SO ACCURATE hahaha. I can't help but feeling a little smug when that happens, I won't lie! But for me honestly every single other thing about rejection stinks. AND it makes me less excited about the book because I get legit mad at the publisher. Actually maybe I need some kind of professional help to work through this... 🤔😂

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    1. We are sort of peas in a pod on that one. When I see the bad reviews, I am all "HA! Glad you wouldn't give me your crummy book, and everyone you gave it to HATES it!" Yes, I am very mature. I remember being so bitter about one rejection, that when I did read the book (from the library), I didn't even leave a review on GR. They rejected me, and then sent out NG emails telling people to request it -- WHAT ?! It happened again this week, same pub. I don't quite get how they do their approvals, because I hardly see anyone talking about these books. But, whatever.

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  14. I used to get a lot of rejections and I expected them. At this point, they are much more infrequent but I think they hurt more. I don't like being rejected (who does?) so much so that I have completely stopped requesting books from certain publishers. One publisher was so consistent with their rejections, I sent an email to find out what I needed to do to be approved in the future and was told that I should have been getting approvals based on my stats. I ended up being auto-approved because of that conversation. I think that on NetGalley, the pub sees that how often they have rejected you in the past and they often just keep doing it even if your stats have changed dramatically. It really doesn't make a lot of sense.

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    1. Yep. I learned my lesson, and have stopped requesting all together from a certain pub. Unless I am feeling too good that day, and I need to be cut down by the sting of rejection. Wow! I cannot believe you went from auto-reject to auto-approved. That's amazing! I had a pub, who rejected me left and right until I signed up via their publicist. Then, all their titles were auto approved for me on EW. Not matter what I am being rejected for, rejection is a negative thing, and it hurts a little.

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  15. I loved this post. Too funny!

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    1. Definitely fun to write. You know what they say, better to laugh than cry, right?

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  16. I love all these pros and cons. I personally try if they say NO, I move on. I have so many books that maybe they are right, read them first. I don't take it personally. They have people they want to send it too that all.

    Mary

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    1. I kind of have a good feel for who will approve me on NG or EW, and I have some contacts, and have asked for widgets, but I more or less feel the same way. Try, get rejected, lick my wounds, and move on. I can't get them all.

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  17. Ugh, it's the worst when it's just so absolutely my kinda book, a perfect fit, *and* it seems like literally everyone else has a copy. I'm just like, what am I doing wrong here??? But yeah, sometimes I request a book and then after a while I'm not even sure I want it anymore and kind of want a rejection at that point cuz you can't cancel a request lol. And it is great sometimes when you start seeing reviews and realize it's not a book for you and you dodged a bullet!

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    1. That always makes me feel defective. Why did A, B, and C get that book, but not me? *sad face* There are quite a few books I requested and as time wore on, I hoped I would get rejected. Usually, because reviews coming in were not great, and I would rather read it from the library without feeling like I have to do a full on review for it.

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  18. I don't really request much anymore because I am trying to read through my oldest books on my tbr and all of my backlist titles. So I haven't been accepting or adding new books to my list and requesting lately. But yeah, there are definitely pros and cons to being rejected and accepted.

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    1. I just can't resist the new and shiny. If they are big books, I can usually get them at some point from my library, but I still feel less-than, when I get turned down.

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  19. Oh, it's the worst when you get accepted for a book that you've seen a bunch of negative reviews for! I've definitely had that happen (not sure if it's worked out for me the other way around, though).

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Sometimes I have actually been a black sheep on those and enjoyed them, but mostly, it gives me a reason to put off reviewing them.

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