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10/19/2006: "My Art Book Rejection"

I'm sitting here at my desk, in my art-filled den, where I've just finished
flipping through almost two years worth of work.

The UPS guy delivered it about an hour ago. My complimentary copy of my own
book, "ART IN KING SIZE BEDS: A COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL"
(www.artinkingsizebeds.com). As I see it sitting atop a pile of other art
books, I can only wonder, "Why did creating this simple, straightforward,
little book about contemporary art take so long?"

The answer is also simple. Rejection.



When I started sending out manuscripts it was a great adventure. Doing
something new in your life can bring you back from the brink. It erases the
grayness of comfort and puts you RIGHT OUT THERE. You've talked the talk,
now you're walking the walk. When you embark on something new, like writing
a book, you find out who your friends are almost instantly. It's amazing.
They either support you or they suddenly become distant and consider your
dream a joke. In short, they reject you. I'm convinced that this is why
alot of people don't follow their dreams. When you try to become one with
your vision, it's ultimately a solitary haul. No one can do it for you ...
or with you, really. Loneliness can often be part of the equation. It's
the price you pay for reaching out and trying to find purpose in your life.

Nothing makes you feel more alone than rejection. Especially when something
that you've poured your heart into gets rejected again and again and again.
The sofa behind me is littered with piles of rejected manuscripts. There's
no mistaking rejection. Everyone recognizes it. Especially men. When a
guy asks a woman out and she says no, it's like getting one of those giant
red circles with a diagonal line through it pasted on your forehead.
"LOSER!" It's like getting a manuscript that you know hasn't even been
looked at ... returned.

One day, while I was visiting Indianapolis artist Nancy Kruse in her studio,
I remember she said, "Don't get discouraged!" As she said that, she walked
over to her desk and picked up this book that listed the art shows from
which she had been rejected. She showed me the list. At the time, I didn't
understand why she kept track of such things. Now, I do.

As I sifted through my own rejection piles, I began to see silver linings in
some of the letters from publishers. I'll quote a few:

"...I like the concept of a book designed to make art more accessible and
less intimidating..." says one.

"It's an interesting idea, but I don't think we could do it justice." says
another.

"You are clearly passionate about your proposal and the subject is
well-researched ..." says yet another.

Another publisher said, "We have discussed it extensively and are very
impressed with the subject matter...however..."

By the way, can we banish the word, "however"? However, I must say that
these rejections and many others began to fuel my drive. Yes, rejection was
painful and lonely and made me feel misunderstood, but rejection also gave
me a sense of rage and made me more determined to get, "Art In King Size
Beds: A Collector's Journal," published. Those silver linings provided some
encouragement.

Finally, I decided that I had to just do it myself. Write it myself,
publish it myself, hire the photographer myself, research marketing and
promotion myself, just do it all myself. In the final analysis, you can
blame other people, but it really all comes down to you. Yet, quite a few
of the publishers seemed to like the manuscript. What was the problem?
Ultimately, I've come to realize that there isn't just ONE answer. Yes, art
books are a tough market. No, I'm not an art scholar or curator. Still,
I'm holding onto the belief that there are people out there who want to
relate to art in a new way. Aren't you tired of walking into art museums
and galleries and feeling so formal, stiff, intimidated, stupid, judged and
snubbed? What is that about? This is ART people! We should be celebrating
creativity and enjoying the fruits of intelligent vision, not walking away
feeling cold, passionless and empty. How can you look at a James Rosenquist
piece and not want to dance? Who cares if people see you showing emotion in
the presence of a great painting! That's what art is about. You know, some
folks in the artworld could use a good, long enema.

Anyway, my book attempts to put fun and passion back into art from the
collector's point of view. If it doesn't sell, it doesn't sell. At least
I've been reminded that you can not only survive rejection, but it can
actually help you become one with your vision. That's the art of living.

Rejection? Bring it on. Oh, but not today.

MICHAEL CORBIN IS A WRITER AND AVID ART COLLECTOR

Replies: 9 Comments

on Tuesday, October 31st, Felicia said

Forget publishers, turn it into an eBook and self publish.

on Monday, October 30th, Matt said

Many of us have been reading Mike's blogs for ages and I'm sure most us would agree that his topics are interesting and his love of art second to none.

I ordered his book and just got it. It's good guys, really good. I'm about 1/4 of the way through and I'm impressed. What I like very much is his enthusiasm and his non pretentious way with words about a subject that is often pompously written about.

The book is about ART and the idea is about ART for everyone regardless of one's financial or social status. It's refreshing to read.

on Friday, October 27th, Christopher English said

must get a book out before dying. At least a book will hang around after a web site is taken off line..After death. Hopefully the artwork will survive the skip and rubbish dump. Who loves you baby!!??

on Wednesday, October 25th, Barney Davey said

Carpe Diem Michael. Illegitimi Non Carborundum, which is psuedo-Latin for "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

You have chosen a path not unlike the many artists you admire and have found it difficult as most of them have. The thing is, you have other choices. You don't have to let someone else decide the fate of your book. Just as an artist today can create high quality giclee prints and take them to market without the aid of a publisher, so can you decide to publish your book and get it to market without the help of a book publisher. If you are even slightly successful, you will make far more money than if you were moderately successful with a book deal.

Today, there are numerous printers who will produce a book in POD (Print On Demand) format that is indistinguishable from one that is printer traditionally en masse. Not only that, they will see that it is made available on Amazon and all the other online bookstores at no charge to you. Wait, it gets better...they will fulfill the printing and shipping and send you a check every 90 days for sales made.

A typical deal is 40% to the seller, you pocket the rest less the printing fee. You can order one or one hundred copies for your own distribution and the cost is the same. Recently, some of the better ones have begun to print in four-color.

My own book, How to Profit from the Art Print Market, is self-published and has sold several thousands copies in just one year. With an esoteric topic and narrow market, I still average in the 150,000 range on Amazon. Not Dan Brown numbers, but not that bad considering they list millions of books for sale on the site.

The point is, with modern technology, you can affordably get in the publishing game. If the book is good, it may get picked up by a publisher after the fact. So, if you really believe in your project with as much passion as those successful arists you admire do theirs, then my advice is to forget rejection and just do it yourself. Contact me direct for my resources. All the best! Barney

on Saturday, October 21st, look said

I love the posting by Brad. Live on and enjoy living. The rest shall take it's course.

look fr studiolda

on Friday, October 20th, walt said

Just a bit of 9 1/2 Weeks trivia...The scene where Basinger enjoys herself during the slide show of art...the artist she is looking at is Brad Holland. He is an illustrator and painter who lives in Soho. He is probably the most important illustrator in the country. Not so well known as he once was but still a prime motivator whose body of work has inspired younger illustrators for two generations.

on Thursday, October 19th, jose said

Don’t laugh, but in the version I ‘saw’ of 9 ˝ weeks – a story that ran parallel to the one that drew the crowds in – Kim Basinger seeks desperately to get a painter to show his work in her gallery. That image of the old man, alone and lost on a bench holding a fish in his hands but with a body of work behind him to attract such a desirable woman without resorting to all the antics the audience is treated to thanks to Rourke’s ingenuity is, for me, the epitome of what it is we should be seeking to generate. It’s a long, solitary path, full of rejection, and we can only pray that good health and the enthusiasm keep up with us as far as we may need to go.

on Thursday, October 19th, Brad said

"Live life, and you will find it holds more surprises than just the faultering of our lost desires. It holds meaning that comes from exercising a manner of living it, and that will reap rewards enough alone." - BMM

on Thursday, October 19th, walt said

Michael, I think the art elite call it a high colonic. Your experience rings true. As an artist of some years I can tell you that some artists get premature early notice and then never do another thing worth looking at. Truth of the matter is that the art world is much better at choosing the important artists after the fact rather then prognosticating who will be great. This is why so many perservere in solitude, seemingly behind the scenes, and their reputation slowly grows...people begin to realize this is someone who has something unique...why didn't we pay attention to them earlier? Meanwhile if one doesn't believe in their own vision then why should someone else buy into it? I quit sitting around waiting to be noticed a long time ago. If you can't go straight through figure out a way to get passed the road block. If the appropriate people won't take care of it, do it yourself.