--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I wrote my first novel, 'The…" description: "\"Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent nearly two decades at various arms of publishing houses such as Random House, Workman, and HarperC..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/chris-pavone-3124_books_before-i-wrote-my-first-novel-the-expats_2853067.jpg" --- # Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent… ![“Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent nearly two decades at various arms of publishing houses such as Random House, Workman, and HarperCollins, mostly as an acquisitions editor. But a more accurate title for that job might be rejection editor: while I acquired maybe a dozen projects…” quote by Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/chris-pavone-3124_books_before-i-wrote-my-first-novel-the-expats_2853067.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/chris-pavone-3124_books_before-i-wrote-my-first-novel-the-expats_2853067.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb3/chris-pavone-3124_books_before-i-wrote-my-first-novel-the-expats_2853067.jpg) > “Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent nearly two decades at various arms of publishing houses such as Random House, Workman, and HarperCollins, mostly as an acquisitions editor. But a more accurate title for that job might be rejection editor: while I acquired maybe a dozen projects per year, I'd reject hundreds upon hundreds.” [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes his role as an acquisitions editor, emphasizing the high rejection rate despite occasional acceptances **In simple terms:** Acquisitions editors reject many manuscripts before finding a few successes Key Takeaway Persistence and discernment are key in publishing Themes publishing career rejection selection literature Mood pragmatic insightful Type interview career reflection When to use this quote - manuscript review - career planning - literary scouting Key Concepts editorial judgment industry insight career development Questions to Reflect On - How do editors balance rejection with encouragement? - What qualities make a manuscript stand out? A Different Perspective May understate the emotional toll of constant rejection ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [In the war time many of the publishing houses were privately owned, a single publisher or a publisher and a few associates who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/in-the-war-time-many-of-the-publishing-houses-were-privately-owned-a/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Some major American publishing houses still seek work by foreign writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/some-major-american-publishing-houses-still-seek-work-by-foreign/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [I've approached a couple of publishing houses about getting my work in print one day. I'd like to concentrate on sci-fi or action adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/i-ve-approached-a-couple-of-publishing-houses-about-getting-my-work/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [You know, in the old days, you might be able to slowly sort of build an audience for your work by publishing two, three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/you-know-in-the-old-days-you-might-be-able-to-slowly-sort-of-build-an/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [Since my first novel was rescued from a slush pile, it makes me sad that most publishing houses no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts. Nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/since-my-first-novel-was-rescued-from-a-slush-pile-it-makes-me-sad/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [I certainly think that the publishing houses have to learn more about this informal network of literary blogging and get over the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-certainly-think-that-the-publishing-houses-have-to-learn-more-about/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [It was not until I began to write a book called 'Light Years' that an editor really stepped in. The editor was Joe Fox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-was-not-until-i-began-to-write-a-book-called-light-years-that-an/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [My job as an editor is to gently prod the attention of the audience to look at various parts of the frame. 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And when a reporter is sent out on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rosenstiel/newspapers-have-been-likened-to-steamships-that-move-very-slowly-in/) [Tom Rosenstiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rosenstiel/) > [“Don't make the editor's decision for her by not submitting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-janssen/don-t-make-the-editor-s-decision-for-her-by-not-submitting/) Victoria Janssen > [I could give you some names of Workshop participants who are as good as many who are being published but haven't had the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-could-give-you-some-names-of-workshop-participants-who-are-as-good/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More by Chris Pavone > [“They were ticking off items on a to-do list that was magnet-attached to the fridge. 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Didn’t want to recite her route across Manhattan, the length of the knife blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/she-didn-t-want-to-give-the-murder-pornography-frame-by-frame-didn-t/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [In 'The Travelers,' everyone is defined by his or her relationship to work. I put each character on a different rung of the ladder:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/in-the-travelers-everyone-is-defined-by-his-or-her-relationship-to/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > ['The Expats' would not exist without e-books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/the-expats-would-not-exist-without-e-books/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“It was impossible to understand how brief it is. It seemed like youth would last so long; it would last forever. But it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/it-was-impossible-to-understand-how-brief-it-is-it-seemed-like-youth/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Back before her life had begun to unravel. Or before she knew it was unraveling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/back-before-her-life-had-begun-to-unravel-or-before-she-knew-it-was/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“I thought you make your living as a thief." "No," he said. "That’s what I do for fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/i-thought-you-make-your-living-as-a-thief-no-he-said-that-s-what-i-do/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [There's so much published by so many different publishers. Most of the time, I don't have to confront that, but walking into a conference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/there-s-so-much-published-by-so-many-different-publishers-most-of-the/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Circumstantial evidence may not be enough to convict. But it’s almost always enough to reveal the truth. Isn’t it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/circumstantial-evidence-may-not-be-enough-to-convict-but-it-s-almost/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“It hasn't taken long to find herself thinking that people are watching. And that they always have been, all the time. It was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/it-hasn-t-taken-long-to-find-herself-thinking-that-people-are/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“But when Kate returned home he was gone. Back to the video camera that had recorded her. Back to his unexplainable office. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before I wrote my first novel, 'The Expats,' I spent nearly two decades at various arms of publishing houses such as Random House, Workman, and HarperCollins, mostly as an acquisitions editor. 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