--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speak to any editor and ask them what…" description: "\"Speak to any editor and ask them what they turned down, and they'll have long lists of books.\" — Jasper Fforde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/jasper-fforde-797_any_speak-to-any-editor-and-ask-them-what-th_2892200.png" --- # Speak to any editor and ask them what they turned down… ![“Speak to any editor and ask them what they turned down, and they'll have long lists of books.” quote by Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/jasper-fforde-797_any_speak-to-any-editor-and-ask-them-what-th_2892200.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/jasper-fforde-797_any_speak-to-any-editor-and-ask-them-what-th_2892200.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/378/jasper-fforde-797_any_speak-to-any-editor-and-ask-them-what-th_2892200.png) > “Speak to any editor and ask them what they turned down, and they'll have long lists of books.” [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Editors often reject many manuscripts, revealing the high selectivity of publishing. **In simple terms:** Editors turn down many books. Key Takeaway Expect rejection, keep improving. Themes publishing rejection creativity Mood cautious encouraging Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - submitting manuscripts - seeking feedback - editing process Key Concepts gatekeeping resilience Questions to Reflect On - What criteria do editors prioritize? - How can you refine your work? A Different Perspective May discourage new writers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Editor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editor/) [Editor Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editor-ask-3130091/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Lists Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists-books-1147772/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-lists-1801863/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Editor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-editor-4068173/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned/) ## Related quotes > [I once had a story editor ask me not to use the word 'placenta.' I wanted to say: 'Now tell me again how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-mccorkle/i-once-had-a-story-editor-ask-me-not-to-use-the-word-placenta-i/) [Jill McCorkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-mccorkle/) > [I was a writer for 'New York' magazine. I had been to business school, but what did I know? 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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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 Jasper Fforde > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. He was fourteen times World Scrabble Champion. When he died, we buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/palindrome-as-well-my-sister-s-name-is-hannah-father-liked-word-games/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Ill-fitting grammar are like ill-fitting shoes. 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I'm not mad. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. 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