10 authors whose books were rejected first, but then became bestsellers

Apr 19, 2025 etimes.in

Bestsellers that were initially rejected

The world of publishing is often defined as twisted and nobody knows which book will make the cut, and which one will find the trash. But in publishing history, there have been certain books that were first rejected, but then became bestsellers. Here we mention 10 of them. canva-AI

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected by 12 publishers before it hit the market because many thought that the story was too long or too strange for children. Bloomsbury-Childrens-Books

‘Twilight’ by Stephenie Meyer

It is believed that Stephenie Meyer’s debut novel ‘Twilight’, a book about vampires and teenage love, was rejected 14 times before Little Brown finally published it. Many say that it was because the genre and the storyline that made publishers reject it. Atom

‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

Another beautiful book series that went on to become a bestseller is ‘Chicken Soup’. But it is said that these real-life stories were turned down by over 140 publishers as they believed that the market did not want ‘feel good’ stories. Chicken-Soup-for-the-Soul

‘Carrie’ by Stephen King

King’s ‘Carrie’ was another book that became a success but was rejected multiple times. It is said that his wife encouraged him to keep trying, and eventually, the book was accepted. Anchor

‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley

The book that is now said to be the birth of science fiction, ‘Frankenstein’ had a difficult start. Why? Because Shelley was just 18 when she wrote it, and many believed that a girl’s book would not be successful in the market. Harper-Press

‘Lolita’ by Vladimir Nabokov

The sheer controversy and imagery of ‘Lolita’ became a rejection point for many publishers. People feared that associating with ‘Lolita’ would result in backlash, and thus many publishers rejected it. PENGUIN-UK

‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell

Orwell’s sharp political satire was the reason that his book was rejected by multiple publishers, especially during World War II. Penguin-India

‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert

Now considered one of the greatest science fiction novels ever written, ‘Dune’ initially faced rejection by over 15 publishers. Many thought it was too long and too complex and would not be liked by the audience. Penguin-USA

‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger

Another bestseller that was rejected before its success is Audrey Niffenegger’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’. It is believed that many people felt confused and puzzled with the storyline and considered it odd. Vintage

‘The Da Vinci Code’ by Dan Brown

Although this wasn’t Dan Brown’s first book, it was still rejected by publications for its storyline, the alleged distortion in facts, and much more. RHUK

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