by Brian Gonsar
Good morning Storystormers! Today, let’s talk about the most creatively stimulating thing there is: rejection.
I know, I know, no one likes rejection. Not in love. Not with work. And certainly not with the book you’ve been pouring your heart and soul into. But what if I told you rejection was the best thing to happen to me?
In 2015, I participated in Storystorm (well, PiBoIdMo) for the first time. Within my 30 ideas was the concept––how did the Headless Horseman choose a pumpkin for a head? A little odd? Perhaps.
But with the help of my critique group, I spent the next year writing and revising this origin story, which helped me land my agent, the wonderful Stacey Graham of 3 Seas Literary. We sent the picture book out on submission, but got a series of similar rejections:
- Really funny, but the topic seems too old for a PB audience.
- Have you thought about making this more of a chapter book?
Now, I’m not one to be turned off from rejection, just ask my wife, who once tried to set me up with a friend before eventually agreeing to give me a shot. So I channeled that resilience, switched genres, and crafted the Horseman idea into one of many short stories that twisted the tales of spooky characters like vampires, werewolves, and bigfoot. I thought it was genius and just what editors would be looking for.
We went back on submission in 2019 and received a ton of positive responses for these creepy, yet funny stories. But each positive response was followed by more rejection. And once again, the most common feedback was questioning if this was the right genre for these stories.
- “I liked the concept of a compilation of not-so-scary stories, but I ultimately wanted the stories themselves to do a little more work to make a more satisfying re-telling.”
- “I love the idea of hilarious twists on traditionally scary stories, and Brian’s interpretations were freshly imagined. However, I’m not convinced that a short story collection is the right format for this project.”
- “I found that the expository approach wasn’t quite working for me—I wanted more characterization, more nuance! I almost thought some of these could lend themselves to an entire novel.”
After seeing this common feedback, I said to my agent:
Me: What about a chapter book?
Stacey: Have you ever thought about graphic novels?
Me: I don’t read comics.
Stacey: Graphic novels are a little different than comics.
Me: I don’t know—it seems foreign to me.
Stacey: They’re written like screenplays. Don’t you read scripts all the time as a producer?
Me: Well, yeah, but…
Then she gave me a book called CAMP MIDNIGHT by Steven T. Seagle.
I read it, loved it, and decided to go for it. I planned on expanding one of my short stories as a graphic novel, but which one? A couple editors called out one or two specifically, but it was Samantha Gentry’s comment that locked it in for me: “This is a really intriguing idea and I love the voice. I particularly liked the story about Dracula and the donut, as I know Brian is a donut aficionado.”
So I decided to write about what I loved: donuts.
Small problem, I had never written a graphic novel before. So, I took a nose-dive into researching this genre by reading tons of middle grade graphic novels. Learning this new format really energized me. It inspired me to think differently. After two rounds of rejections and years of writing, I felt I was finally hitting my stride.
The dialogue-driven format of a graphic novel came easier to me than writing for younger audiences. The visual aspect of the book was something I could easily envision and explain. And the humor I could inject into a middle grade book was exactly my vibe (#dadjokes). But I wouldn’t have gotten here had I given up after receiving rejections. I wouldn’t have taken a chance at another genre if I didn’t listen to the feedback and respond to it.
After a full year of writing, I finished the graphic novel in 2021. My illustrator, Keenan Gaybba, and I signed the contract with Oni Press in 2022. And in August of 2025, Dracula’s Brunch Club finally came out after years of living (or unliving) in various formats.
And it has been doing pretty well! Scholastic picked it up for their book fairs, it made Comics Beat’s Best of the Year list, and I’ll have more exciting news to announce later this month with it. All of this came from a seed of a Storystorm idea that wouldn’t give up, despite rejection.
I hope this can be your encouragement—when rejection comes, don’t stop. Adapt. Shift perspective. Rethink your story or reshape the format. It may be writing in third person instead of first. It may be changing your setting or characters. Or it may be turning your picture book into a completely different format…twice.
Today, take a look at your past rejections and jot down ways it can take on a new life. It may inspire something even better! Because rejection isn’t failure, it’s fuel for stronger work. It’s an invitation to think differently and learn something new. Use it to your advantage.
Thank you, Tara, for hosting this for so many years and providing a place for ideas to be created.
Brian Gonsar is an award-winning producer with a resume of feature films, music videos, art installations, and even a Super Bowl commercial. He is also a self-proclaimed donut aficionado, who has traveled the world to find the best donut. DRACULA’S BRUNCH CLUB (Oni Press, 2025) is Brian’s debut graphic novel. When he’s not writing and creating, Brian’s most likely reliving his glory days on the soccer field. He is a proud #girldad and lives with his wife and daughter in New Jersey. You can find more about him at bgonsarbooks.com, on Instagram at @bgonsar, BlueSky at bgonsar.bsky.social, or writing about donuts at thedonuthunter.com.
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