If you’re an aspiring writer, it may be disheartening to send out your manuscript and either not receive any response, or receive the dreaded rejection letter.
But did you know that many books that later became bestsellers were also initially rejected? They weren’t all clearly marked from the beginning as winners, but because the authors persisted, they finally made it out and skyrocketed to the top.
13 Famous Books That Were Rejected
Check out this list of some of the most famous books we know and love today that almost didn’t make it.
1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has become a household name, partly because of the success not just of the book but of its film adaptation.
But did you know that close to 40 publishers initially rejected it? And to think that some polls already consider it the second most popular book in the United States, second only to the Bible!
2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
This children’s classic has been on our library shelves for what feels like forever. But Baum actually kept a journal which he called ‘A Record of Failure,’ to keep track of all the rejection letters he got after submitting the manuscript!
Since then, the book has been made into film, musical, and miniseries adaptations, and is one of the best known stories in the world.
3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
When his book was rejected 20 times, the author also received very sharp commentary, with some rejection letters calling the book “absurd,” “rubbish” and “dull”!
But if you’ve read this book in your high school English class (and not just the CliffNotes!), you would likely disagree with that description, as it’s one of the most gripping tales of human weakness and the struggle between good and evil.
4. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Now hailed as a literary masterpiece, the manuscript almost didn’t see the light of day because publishers thought it was too long and outdated!
And then, when it was finally accepted, the publishers only printed a very limited number of copies. Who would’ve guessed that it would soon become a mainstay in literature courses across the country!
5. Dune by Frank Herbert
After being rejected by more than 20 publishers, Frank Herbert’s manuscript finally found a taker.
Since then, it has become one of the bestselling sci-fi novels of all time, and even been adapted into an award-winning film!
6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Madeleine L’Engle received 26 rejections for this manuscript, which she felt was because the book dealt with the issue of evil, and that it wasn’t clear whether it was written for children or adults.
Perhaps that makes sense, because ever since it was finally published, both adults and children love the book, and it’s bagged several awards, including the Newbery Medal.
7. Carrie by Stephen King
The king of thrillers may well also be the king of rejections: his horror novel, Carrie, was turned down by publishers a whopping 80 times!
But, because he persisted, the book has since been translated into several hundred languages, and even been adapted into films, musicals, and plays.
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
What child hasn’t heard of Harry Potter? Almost no child would have, if one child didn’t speak up!
While publishing houses turned up their noses at this amateur novelist, it was the daughter of a literary agent that nagged her dad to take the book seriously. And because of that, it has topped the charts as an international bestseller!
9. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Would you believe that The Tale of Peter Rabbit was rejected by so many publishers that Potter finally resorted to self-publishing?
A daring act in the days when publishing cost so much more! She started with 250 copies. Fast forward to the present, the book has sold more than 45 million copies!
10. Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl
After being rejected by 20 publishers, the book is finally accepted by the twenty-first. It then went on to sell 20 million copies!
An interesting number that matches—and more than makes up for!—the number of initial rejections, wouldn’t you say?
11. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Meg Cabot kept all the rejection letters she received in a bag under her bed. After three years, the bag was so full and heavy that she couldn’t lift it!
But wouldn’t you know it? She still didn’t give up and kept sending her manuscript out. Finally, someone took it on, and she ended up selling 15 million copies of this best-loved YA novel!
12. A Time to Kill by John Grisham
After 12 publishers and 16 literary agencies rejected A Time to Kill, someone finally took the risk, and brought us one of the bestselling mystery novelists of all time, John Grisham.
Since then, his combined sales have reached 250 million!
13. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
If you’ve read Little Women, you probably remember how Jo March tries endlessly (and sometimes in vain) to earn from her writing.
The author herself had similar experiences when it comes to rejection, with one person telling her to “stick to teaching.” But because she kept pursuing her dream, it has since become one of the most beloved classics of all time!
Famous Books Can Get Rejected
If you have a manuscript that has started to reap its share of rejection letters, don’t give up! As we’ve seen from the examples above, publishers can’t always predict how a book will perform. If three publishers reject you, send out your work to three more.
Persistence is an important trait for any writer to have, and if you really believe the writing path is for you, stick to it and keep improving your craft. Who knows, you might just turn out to be the author of the next bestseller turned into a blockbuster movie!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
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- The Best Books Lists for Every Genre: Our Ultimate List of Book Recommendations
- 20 Funny Books for Teens: The Best Books to Entertain Young Adults
Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
Excellent article on a shared passion. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the post and hope you found it inspiring, Paul!