by Herbie J Pilato
In 1986, I began writing my first book, The Bewitched Book, about the classic 1960s TV show starring Elizabeth Montgomery.
After five initial rejections from several well-known magazines to have it first previewed as an article, I went on to find an agent.
After receiving over 25 rejection letters from various literary agencies of every level, I found an agent who believed in me and my idea.
At least for a little while.
After 40 rejection letters from every publishing house in New York (and beyond), my agent dumped me.
I then decided to serve as my own agent, and contact publishers directly.
I then went on to receive over 75 additional rejections for my book.
Finally, it was purchased by a publisher, in a heated bidding war between two major houses.
But then my editor was fired, and my book was cancelled.
I went back to the initial losing publisher, and sold the book to that second party.
My editor at that house then quit his job, and my book was cancelled a second time.
The Bewitched Book was actually purchased a third time in 1992, and sold-out quite swiftly all 15,000 copies of it’s first printing.
But then my third editor was, that’s right, fired.
Three years later, in 1995, when Elizabeth Montgomery died, I decided it was time to update, revise and rewrite The Bewitched Book as Bewitched Forever.
And you guessed, over 80 more rejection letters, the all-new Bewitched Forever was published in 1995.
But then my publisher got out of the publishing business.
Six years later, in 2001, I resold Bewitched Forever to a new publisher.
Four years later, in 2004, I revised it once more, for a special 40th Anniversary Edition (Bewitched debuted on TV in 1964).
Every good thing that’s happened in my career, be it additional books, or writing and producing television shows, or forming my Classic TV Preservation Society nonprofit organization, or even the live entertainment events that I periodically host and produce…all of it happened because of The Bewitched Book.
I never gave up on my writing, and neither should you.
Herbie J Pilato is a Contributing Editor to TVWriter™. You can learn more about him HERE.
