This week I got my first rejection from a literary agent.
For those of you who weren’t subjected to me updating Twitter with my wordcount every other day, I wrote a novel in lockdown 1.0 about a fictional English rock band. The elevator pitch is: “When journalist Elinore Campbell discovers the secret at the heart of The Possessives’ split, she kickstarts a revolution that could change the media industry forever.”
I’ve revised and edited it over the last couple of months after some really encouraging feedback from friends, family and internet strangers. I’m currently querying agents looking for representation, with a view towards getting it published.
Every guide I’ve read to querying stresses how many great authors get rejected the first time they submit to agencies, and almost everyone knows the story of how many attempts it took She Who Must Not Be Named to get Harry Potter published. So I was prepared for rejection – I knew that it wouldn’t be a yes straight away, and I knew that I would probably get ghosted by half the agents I queried. But just because I knew that rejection was coming didn’t make it suck any less when I got that first email saying “thanks, but not for me”.
But what does me getting rejected from one literary agent have to do with journalism, you ask? I thought this was a newsletter about the media industry, not the world of publishing. Well, sit tight for a minute because I think pitching your novel to literary agents is very similar to pitching yourself and your ideas to editors as a journalist.
Anyone who has sent a pitch knows the agonising process of sending your idea out into the world. Maybe you’re an over-tweaker and you spend hours and hours on your pitches making sure every piece of punctuation is perfect (only later to realise you spelt your own name wrong). Maybe you get idea paralysis and can’t think of anything you consider ‘pitch-worthy’. Or maybe you just fire off pitches any time you have a thought and then later want to die thinking to yourself: “Why on earth did I send that half-baked idea to that editor? She’s never going to open an email from me ever again.” Or, if you do get a commission maybe you think it’s a mistake and you can’t start writing because you don’t believe that your idea is good enough.
The pitching process is no different when you’re selling your 80,000-word novel to when you’re selling a feature idea you had when you were half asleep in the shower that morning – it’s the strength of your conviction in your idea or concept that will help the pitch to land. So how do you drum up that self-belief, especially after a rejection?
I wish I had all the answers, but one thing I do think helps is knowing that you’re not alone in feeling like you’re not good enough. On Monday I was feeling a bit sorry for myself because of the agent rejection, so I asked Twitter to share a time where they felt like an imposter. You can read the responses below:
A few others messaged me privately because they didn’t want to share their experiences publicly.
Like I said in my first email last week, there is a lot of shame associated with imposter syndrome – as if by admitting you have it you are proving that you don’t have what it takes to make it in the media industry. But I think the thread and screenshots above prove that lots of others feel the same, even people who’ve won awards for their work, are verified on Twitter or have relocated to a foreign country to work as a journalist. You’re not alone, so just send the damn pitch. If it lands, then fantastic. If it doesn’t? Don’t beat yourself up – get back up, try and try again.
My week
… in editing
After a brief hiatus from editing the music section of The Indiependent while I moved back to Sheffield and coordinated our festive magazine (available to purchase here), I’m back. I loved editing Kat Smith’s ‘Introducing’ piece on Portobello, in which she claimed the band has “earned their place alongside the iconic market (and the iconic mushroom too)”. Love a good mushroom quesadilla, me.
… in writing
Pitches: 4
Commissions: 3 (all unpaid, for the site I run - The Indiependent)
One of the articles I pitched elsewhere got a reply that included the comment “Thanks for the interesting pitch”, which is encouraging but the editor isn’t assigning for a few weeks so I’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Articles written: 3
Articles published: 4
I’m not going to share everything I write for my day-job in this newsletter, but I will share anything relevant to a wider audience. A piece I wrote on a panel event SAE hosted on tackling racism in the technology industry got published this week. While the focus is on the tech industry, there were some really important insights that apply to all sectors, including this piece of advice from Kathryn Tingle (Technical Programme Manager, Sainsbury’s): “Don’t be scared as a graduate, feel like you can show up to work as your full self within the realms of professionalism. You should feel safe in doing so. If you take on a job where your mental health is affected or you aren’t safe from a race or diversity point of view then it’s time to move on. Your mental health is everything.”
I reviewed Eliza Clark’s incredible book Boy Parts for The Indiependent, as well as the new Taylor Swift film folklore: the long pond studio sessions and Yungblud’s new song ‘mars’.
I’m writing a list feature on the best gifts you can buy your journalist friends this Christmas – so if you have any recommendations, please send them to me on beth.kirkbride@gmail.com or reply to this tweet.
… in listening/watching
I sat in on Civic Journalism Lab’s ‘Travel journalism: where does it go next?’ event on Wednesday 25 November.
I went to “that webinar” everyone on your timeline seems to be talking about – a magazine feature writing workshop with Sirin Kale and Terri White. Some really practical takeaways, including the advice not to rush edits: get the revised piece back to an editor within 24 hours, rather than within the hour.
I enjoyed listening to Northern Natter’s podcast, where Katie Baggott and Katie Williams natter to media professionals and journalists from Scotland and the North of England as they share their tips, tricks and stories about how to make it in this challenging yet rewarding industry. Check it out here.
… in reading
Last month I led a masterclass with The School of Journalism on entertainment journalism - you can read some of the top tips from my session here
Tom Ward published this great feature on the physicist who keeps the science in Marvel’s movies accurate (ish) for WIRED UK
I re-read Frances Byrnes’ brilliant article for The Observer about the tragic story of Sheffield’s Park Hill bridge after telling my friend about The Crookes song it inspired, titled ‘The I Love You Bridge’
After chatting to my 16-year-old brother about Discord – apparently it’s what the youth are using to communicate these days – I liked reading this VICE piece about people who literally stream themselves sleeping on Twitch and get paid for it. Sounds like the dream, TBH
Rhys Thomas’ men’s advice column for VICE is such a great insight into the problems facing modern men, I would implore everyone, regardless of gender, to read ‘Hey Man’
Eleanor Halls from The Telegraph interviewed Louis Tomlinson – if, like me, you fell into a One Direction TikTok hole this year then you might enjoy this. She’s recently launched a newsletter for female music journalists, so make sure you sign up to that
Upcoming events
Balliol, my alma mater, is hosting a lecture with Amit Chaudhuri titled ‘Why I write novels’ on 1 December - you can register here
I’m going to ‘Slushpile Live’ on 7 December which sees Laura Williams from Greene & Heaton give writers feedback on their query letters/opening pages. Seeing what others do well is a great way to improve your own work. It’s a members-only event from Jericho Writers, which is definitely worth subscribing to if you write fiction of any kind (and no, I’m not getting paid to plug them)
Opportunities
I got some comments last week for including jobs in Colchester and Birmingham. Yes, Colchester is in the South, not the North, and yes, Birmingham is in the Midlands. But the whole point of this newsletter is to raise awareness about opportunities not in London, so that’s going to be the guiding principle going forward. Priority will be given to more Northern roles, but if I see the odd thing down South (but not in London) that looks cool I’ll include it. For the geography sticklers amongst you, I hope that’s OK.
Birmingham: MMH - The Home of Rock Radio is looking for a broadcast journalist on a voluntary basis for 6 hours a week
Bury: One for someone with a few years experience, Welcome Nurseries is looking for a copywriter and social media manager
Darlington: The Northern Echo is looking for a live business editor
Huddersfield: INFUSEmedia would love to work with a copywriter passionate about marketing
Hutton: Lancashire Constabulary have a press & PR officer role available
Lanarkshire: Lanarkshire Live Sport is looking for an outstanding sports reporter to join its team
Lincolnshire: GrimsbyLive and the Grimsby Telegraph are looking for a photographer to join their lovely team of journalists
Lossiemouth: The UK Government - Ministry of Defence needs a media & communications assistant
Manchester: Local TV is looking for a broadcast journo, paying £18-22K
Manchester: The University of Manchester is looking for a digital content editor
Salford: Fancy being part of creating the next Go Jetters, Danger Mouse or Something Special game? Check out this assistant content producer gig with BBC Children’s Games
Sheffield: The SEO Works are on the hunt for a social media marketing executive
Sheffield: GFL (no idea either) is looking for a communications, digital and marketing officer
Towcester: If you’re into videogames, then Motorsport Games is looking for a Games and Esports Editor
Wigan: Network Digital Marketing would like a copywriter, in exchange for £22,000
Wakefield: If B2B and B2C is your thing then maybe this SEO copywriter role with 6B is your jam (all those acronyms look like types of pencils to me)
York: City of York Council is recruiting for two marketing and communication officers
PS) If you like this newsletter, please tell your friends to subscribe! You can also Tweet me personally @BettyKirkers or via our official newsletter account at @DistrictPeaked
PPS) This The Telegraph recipe for a saag halloumi curry is one of the nicest things I’ve made this year. You’re welcome.
PPPS) Psst - are you meant to put full stops at the end of bullet points? I never know.