Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Rejections: Famous Authors, Part 3

There seems to be no end to the mistakes publishers make - and the Wizard of Oz was one of the biggest. But there have been many less spectacular mistakes as well.  The lesson writers should learn from this list is: Develop a thick skin. You'll need it.



The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
'Too radical of a departure from traditional juvenile literature.'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
'It contains unpleasant elements.'

Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe
'Terrible.'

The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman
'get rid of the Indian stuff.'

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
'Stick to teaching.'

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
'The American public is not interested in China.'

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
'for your own sake do not publish this book.' 
 
Garfield by Jim Davis 
 'Too many animals, and cats don’t sell.' 

Zane Grey 
(93 books, 21 films) 
'You have no business being a writer and should give up.' 

Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust

'My dear fellow, I may be dead from the neck up, but rack my brains as I may I can't see why a chap should need thirty pages to describe how he turns over in bed before going to sleep.'

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