Stephen King received dozens of rejections for his first novel, Carrie. One of the publishers wrote: “We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.”
John Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was rejected by 12 publishers and 16 agents.
Irving Stone’s Lust for Life was rejected 16 times. Ahem, it sold 25 million copies.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell was rejected 38 times.
Madeleine L’Engle’s, A Wrinkle in Time, was rejected by 26 publishers.
Dr. Seuss was told his book was “too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant selling.”
George Orwell’s Animal Farm was rejected. He was told, “It’s impossible to sell books about animals.”
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells was referred to as “an endless nightmare. I do not believe it would ‘take’…”