My first novel was rejected 139 times before it found a home at William Morrow eighteen years ago. From that pile of rejection letters (which I cherish and keep in a crushed box in the garage) there is one that I remember vividly. I will not name the agent who tossed this critique my way, but here it is:

'You are not talented enough to compete with the thousands of professional writers out there.'

Ouch. Not just a 'not for me' or a 'I wish you luck'. But a dagger dipped in venom plunged deep...