42 rejection letters - and counting!

Well, I am up to 42 rejection letters from various agents and publishers for my book ' I hate baked beans' - but I am sure that is not a record, or anywhere near a record.
Call me a cynic, but I think unless I have big bobs and have slept with a footballer, or been on big brother or something else to get my name in the press, then I am unlikely to make it off the slush pile.

Why? Well, I am not a 'sure thing', am I? I am a risk - a risk that the publisher, who is in it for the money - they are not charities after all - has to be cast iron, leather bound sure that what I have written will sell.

So, what's the plan? The plan is to play the game - after all, life is all a game, you just have to learn the rules - then play the game. The game here is that the mainstream publishers want me to take the initial risk - to self publish and then do the leg work to get a readership - to do the marketing etc etc.

Then, when I can prove sales and a readership, perhaps they might take me on.

But, by then will I want them to take me on? After all, I can either have 100% of the cover price (minus publishing costs etc) or I get about 10% of the cover price, and have to pay an agent 15% of that. Well, in business it is a bit of a no brainer - but it does mean I have t spend good writing time do the publicity, marketing and retailing thing - humm, some thought needed.

First of all- find a good publisher - small steps, you know?