Wednesday, July 15, 2009

EPIC FAILURES!

Stephen King: Mr. King received dozens of rejections for his first novel, Carrie; he kept them tidily nailed to a spike under a timber in his bedroom.One of the publishers sent Mr. King's rejection with these words:

"We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."

Side note: I'm SO hungry! I could really eat some thin mints right now!

THO...The LAST thing those little b*&%#es should be allowed to call themselves is "thin"! Look at him with his little soccer ball! "You don't play soccer!"

"YOU SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES!!"

Anne Frank: According to one publisher, The Diary of Anne Frank was scarcely worth reading:

"The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level."
15 publishers (other than this dope) also rejected The Diary of Anne Frank.
J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (later Sorceror’s) Stone was rejected by a dozen publishers, including biggies like Penguin and HarperCollins. Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, only took it on at the behest of the CEO’s eight-year old daughter, who begged her father to print the book. God bless you, sweetheart.
George Orwell: One publisher rejected Mr. Orwell's submission, Animal Farm, with these words:
"It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA."
.....I could use some lemonade too...I'm like 99.9% parched.
William Faulkner: One publisher exclaimed in the rejection letter for Mr. Faulkner's book, Sanctuary:
"Good God, I can’t publish this!"
...of course...If I have some lemonade, I'll have to be wearing an emerald necklace...that's only kosher.
Katy Perry on being dropped by two record labels before her success with 'One of the Boys':
Q: Does the top 10 debut for One of the Boys feel sweeter after so many close calls?A: It took a long time, and it was a lot of failing. Like I was one big, fat fail. It's very rewarding. It feels like a release, mostly. Like I've been holding my breath underwater. You know you're at the bottom of that pool, and you know you're going to (expletive) die. Your brain's frying, and you come up for air, and it's just like (gasps).
You knew I was gonna add her!! :)
Walt Disney's first cartoon production company went bankrupt.
...and I'll definitely need to be wearing some Versace. I mean...WHO drinks lemonade without Versace?! Not Me! Not Ever!! :)
Oprah Winfrey was fired from her television reporter's job because she was "unfit for tv."
Don't be afraid to try OVER AND OVER again! If you fail, you will be in GOOD Company!!

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I feel inspired!

Jessica Nelson said...

Oh thank you, thank you!!! I love these stories. I love it when publishers say something with such finiteness, and then are proved wrong. Whew. Great examples here!

Anonymous said...

AMEN! I never knew about Oprah though. Hm.

Anonymous said...

Haha I'm luvvin the juxtaposition of famous failures and your own hunger. What a lovely and entertaining blog you have!

Mariah Irvin said...

Very inspirational! Thanks Penny!

Ali said...

I love how focused you are.

Sarcasm intended. :)

And isn't it absolutely INSANE how many famous and successful people were turned down at first? Just goes to show you that they are merely one opinion. And apparently, the wrong opinion!

The Girl said...

Loves it!!

Ling said...

it at first you don't succeed, try try again. (s'excuse me for the obvious cliche. but it's true!)

and then when you DO succeed, that'll shut the detractors the 'eff up.

Dutch Sugar Babe said...

I loved this post!
When people tell me I'm not good at something or that it's better to give up, I do anything to prove them wrong.

You are the only one who can make your dreams come alive.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

PenPen, I love you. Here are lyrics to a song I wrote a very long time ago: "Dreams, dream on, until they are, no longer fantasy."

Dream on, my friend, dream on! (And thanks for adding Katy!! My girl-crush lives on!!)

leticia@galsintheknow.blogspot.com/ said...

thanks for stopping by my blog, I love Oprah as well, did you see me on the oprah show? I have the video right column of my blog, I got a car from oprah!