Becoming a bestseller isn’t always a smooth process. And for many, it doesn’t happen on the first try. But it doesn’t mean you should give up. Don’t just take our word for it! Take a look at the many best-selling authors who were rejected multiple times before they achieved success.
If you’ve been told no and had your book turned down, don’t give up hope. You just need to find the right publishing option, whether that’s a different traditional publisher or taking full control of the process and self-publishing your own book (the path we highly recommend!).
To get inspired in your own author journey, let’s take a look at some best selling authors who were rejected before achieving fame.
10 best selling authors who were rejected
Here is a list of 10 best selling authors who were rejected when they first tried to publish their books.
1. Stephen King
Believe it or not, Stephen King is first on our list of best selling authors who were rejected. While King has now published over 50 novels and more than 200 short stories, he didn’t always have such easy success.
King had a horrible time getting his first novel, Carrie, published. The manuscript was repeatedly turned down, and the writer kept his rejection letters on a spike in his bedroom.
Of course, King didn’t let that stop him. The book went on to receive widespread acclaim and become a hit movie, and now King is considered the father of modern horror.
2. J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling is next on our list of best selling authors who were rejected. Yes, even the mother of Harry Potter didn’t have smooth sailing.
In fact, J.K. Rowling has a classic rags to riches tail. She was an unemployed single mother who was close to homelessness before becoming one of the wealthiest women in Britain.
When she wrote Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, she sent the manuscript to 12 different publishers and was rejected by all of them.
A Bloomsbury editor finally picked the book up for an advance of just £1,500. She was advised by her editor to pick up a teaching job because he didn’t think she would be able to earn a living writing.
We all know how that story turned out!
3. Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is the biggest name in mystery books, but that wasn’t always the case. She completed her first manuscript at 22 and received a stream of rejections for it from many publishers.
Christie’s first novel was actually never published. She was advised to write a second novel, which again was repeatedly rejected. She was finally told it could be published if she changed the ending.
Of course, Agatha Christie went on to have a prolific writing career with over 70 novels published!
4. Dr. Seuss
Next on our list of best selling authors who were rejected is Dr. Seuss. Yes, the master of children’s stories, himself!
Dr. Seuss was actually rejected by nearly 30 publishers and was planning on giving up and burning his manuscript.
On his way home, he ran into an old school acquaintance. When asked what he was carrying Seuss replied “a book no one will publish. I’m lugging it home to burn.” Luckily for him, his acquaintance just so happened to be an editor for children’s books.
The book was published with rave reviews and Dr. Seuss went on to write over 60 children’s books.
Seuss said of meeting his acquaintance: “If I’d been going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I’d be in the dry-cleaning business today.”
5. Jane Austin
Yes, even Jane Austen is on our list of best selling authors who were rejected. In 1797, Austin’s father sent her manuscript to publishers Cadell and Davies. It was returned with the words “Declined by return of post.”
Luckily, that didn’t stop Austen. She continued to write more and more novels, and she tried again to have them published. As we know, she went on to world-famous acclaim! There is rarely a person who hasn’t heard of Pride and Prejudice.
6. Louisa May Alcott
One publisher who looked at the manuscript for Little Women told Louisa May Alcott: “Stick to your teaching, Miss Alcott. You can’t write.” Fortunately, Alcott ignored his advice.
As we all know, the book went on to be very well received and has sparked multiple film adaptations. It is still a classic more than 150 years later.
7. Maya Angelou
The civil rights activist, poet, and author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was is another of the best selling authors who were rejected. Maya Angelou said: “An editor considered my writing too fanciful, or too plain, too abstract or too concrete. I could go on for hours. In the end, though, only one attitude enabled me to move ahead.”
More than one manuscript of Angelou’s was turned down, but she continued to persevere. Without her steadfast assuredness, we’d be missing some of the most celebrated texts of the 20th century.
8. Joseph Heller
Catch-22 came by its title because it was rejected 22 times before it made it to print. While it received mixed reviews on publication, the book now has a cult following. Heller also went on to write multiple novels, plays, and short stories.
9. William Golding
Lord of the Flies is a staple in many schools, but that wasn’t always the case! William S. Golding is on our list of the best selling authors who were rejected many times. In fact, Lord of the Flies was turned down by 20 publishing houses before he saw success.
By a stroke of luck, one publisher at Faber & Faber pulled his manuscript back off the rejection pile and gave him a second chance. You never know when you’re going to get your lucky break!
10. Malorie Blackman
Last on our list of best selling authors who were rejected is Malorie Blackman. Blackman may just hold the record for number of rejections. Her first book was rejected a whopping 82 times. But Blackman never gave up.
Now, Malorie Blackman is a celebrated children’s author who has written more than 60 children’s books, including the Noughts and Crosses series.
Publish your manuscript today!
As you can see from the list of best selling authors who were rejected above, you don’t always achieve success right away, even if your manuscript is fabulous! It’s all about the right eyes seeing your manuscript at the right time.
Of course, not all of us want to wait decades for success like Jane Austen did.
If you want to get published straight away, without dealing with rejection letter after rejection letter, why not try self-publishing? Unlike with traditional publishing, there are no gatekeepers in self-publishing. All you have to do is get your book up on Amazon KDP and have a solid marketing strategy to get your book in front of your target readers!
If you need help with writing, editing, book marketing, or any step of the self-publishing process, the team at selfpublishing.com is here to assist you. We’ve helped thousands of authors make the best-seller list, and we’d love to help you do the same!