Getting Published - Bret Lott

On Good Writing · Jun 13, 2026 · 9m

We write to express in words what we feel so deeply and want to share. But are we willing to face what is required to find a home for our work? Are we willing to get rejected? Bret Lott shares a quote from a rejection letter he received, just one of the 629 rejections he has accumulated over a long writing life.

Bret Lott is the bestselling author of fifteen books, including the novels ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ancient Highway⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Hunt Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Song I Knew by Heart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (an Oprah’s Book Club selection). Formerly editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Southern Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Lott was…