15 Books That Book Publishers Rejected Before Becoming Bestsellers

Every writer closes their eyes and pictures their book, placed on a bookstore shelf, its spine cracked from the love of countless readers. It’s a beautiful dream, but the path to getting there is rarely a straight line.

In fact, it’s often paved with rejection letters from book publishers.

What’s actually surprising is that some of the world’s most loved stories, the ones that feel like they’ve always been a part of our culture, were once dismissed. Their journeys are powerful reminders that a “no” isn’t really the end of the story. It’s often just the first chapter.

15 Legendary Books that Refused to Give Up

Here are 15 books that prove, a no is just the beginning of a successful journey: .

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Did you know J.K. Rowling was a single mother, living off of state’s money. When she wrote Harry Potter, she got rejected by 12 book publishers. They didn’t see any potential in the magical tale she came up with. Fast forward to today, Harry Potter is a household name. Not just that, it has become a culture worldwide.

2. Carrie by Stephen King

Stephen King, who is known as “The King of Horror” was rejected 30 times for his first novel. He got so disheartened that he threw away the manuscript for Carrie. Thanks to his wife, Tabitha, she restored the pages and motivated him to keep trying. The rest is history.

3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Willian Golding wrote Lord of the Flies and got rejected by 20 publishers for being “uninteresting”. In 1954, Faber & Faber found that story interesting and published it. Now, this book is considered a cornerstone of 20th-century literature.

4. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

After World War II, many publishers rejected the now-essential diary, believing the world wouldn’t care for the reflections of a young girl. It was later published in Netherlands in 1947. Currently, it is translated into more than 70 languages and is a crucial human journaling document.

5. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

After 38 rejections Macmillan saw potential in Margaret Mitchell’s novel in 1936. It sold one million copies in six months and won the Pulitzer Prize. This story is a good example of the stories that are worth the wait.

6. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

In the 1950s, publishers considered the book by L’Engle too complicated, too bizarre and too juvenile. It was rejected 26 times but eventually got published in 1962. Next year, it became the winner of the famous Newbery medal.

7. Dune by Frank Herbert

This science fiction masterpiece was rejected by almost all the major publishers. Finally, hhe Chilton Books betted on it. Their bet worked out! Dune is now known to be one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time.

8. Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

Chicken Soup for the Soul is a name that created a trend. But it was turned down 144 times. Publishers did not know how to sell a compilation of positive, personal stories. Their persistence is a testimony to the fact that there are times when one has to seek out the one who understands.

9. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter got fed-up with the “no” and took matters in her hands in 1901. She published 250 copies herself. It caught immediate fame, and Frederick Warne and Co. published it, one year later, officially.

10. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The debut novel of Kathryn Stockett was turned down 60 times in five years. She did not stop trying, and when Penguin eventually released “The Help” in 2009, it was a publishing sensation. Later it was turned into a blockbuster movie.

11. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

At the beginning, publishers did not believe that people would want to read a collection of stories about a boy who grew up with wolves. Kipling didn’t stop trying. Today, Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera are famous figures in the kids’ heads for over a century.

12. Watership Down by Richard Adams

It was this rabbit epic adventure that was turned down 13 times because it was deemed too long and too strange. One publisher simply asked, “Who wants to read a book about rabbits?” As it turned out, millions of readers loved the concept.

13. Dubliners by James Joyce

The short stories of Joyce were turned down so many times in a span of nine years that he set the manuscript on fire in frustration. Luckily, it was salvaged by a friend. It was only published in 1914, and it is a classic of modernist literature.

14. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss

Theodor Geisel was going to burn down his first children’s book, which had been rejected 27 times. A random meeting with a childhood friend made him make another attempt to publish. Vanguard Press replied in the affirmative, and a new age of children’s literature took shape.

15. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

This novel has a legendary status of being rejected 121 times before it was published by William Morrow and Company in 1974. It became a multi-million-copy bestseller that had philosophical themes which resonated with that generation.

What These Stories Teach Us

These stories are not merely those of famous writers, but of persistence. They teach us that rejection is a common aspect of the creative process, and it is not a last judgment on potential.

To every writer looking at a rejection email, these stories are your fuel. There is no other superpower like persistence. You have to believe in what you are doing and continue perfecting your art. Make sure to never, ever, give up on a story that you know in your heart is supposed to be told.

Your Story Awaits

Your story got rejected? Don’t worry. It is a sign that your manuscript is next on the list to become a bestseller.
You don’t have to walk that challenging path from rejection to acceptance alone. This is where Urban Quill comes to help. We are a trusted book publisher with more than 100k books successfully published.
We not only help the writers have a smooth publishing process but also assist in refining their manuscripts. Our experts also provide detailed marketing strategies your book gets the spotlight it deserves.
Your future bestseller is waiting!