Just keep marketing it?

What are people thinking? I have heard this comment time and time again and I really wonder who has been feeding these filthy little lies.

You have sent your manuscript out to a ton of editors and agents and gotten rejections, and yet you are told to keep marketing it? Nooooooo! This is a message to you that you need to change course and try something new.

I am sure you have heard that joke about the guy that is caught in the middle of a huge flood? Somehow he has made it to the roof of his garage and his hunkered down waiting for help. The rain is still coming down and the wind is really whipping him a round. Suddenly he looks down and sees a guy in a row boat come by and offer to help. The guy yells down and says he is waiting for God to save him.

A little while later another boat comes by and he does the same thing. He says he is waiting for God to save him.

Again it happens and again he passes with the same excuse.

Finally, the elements are too much, he falls off the roof, into the flood and dies.

As he is standing in front of the Pearly Gates he asks God. What happened? He had faith in him.

God's only response is "You are an idiot. I sent you three life boats. What type of message do you really need?"

Now, the same thing applies to your writing. Just sending out that manuscript to a ton of places is not necessarily going to get your manuscript sold. Your manuscript only belongs at certain houses. Your voice only fits with certain places. And yes, your manuscript might not be good. That means you have to keep trying with ANOTHER manuscript.

Quit wasting your time on the same story. Move on.

Scott