The Cat in the Hat’ author, Theodore Geisel, was thirty three when he wrote his first book, ‘And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street’. The book was rejected by twenty seven publishers before Vanguard Press picked it up.

It then went on to sell six million copies. He then went on to write forty seven books that sold more than one hundred million copies in eighteen languages.

Richard Hooker spent seven years writing the humorous novel, M*A*S*H, only to have it rejected by twenty-one publishers. Then Morrow decided to publish it, after which it became a best selling novel, blockbuster movie, and long-running television series.

Louis L’Amour received three hundred and fifty rejections before a publisher bought his work. He then went on to have one hundred western novels published, with two hundred million copies in print.

He was also the first American novelist to receive a special congressional gold medal in recognition of his distinguished career as an author and contributor to the nation through his historically based books.

Richard Bach spent only one year at college before leaving to become an Air Force jet-fighter pilot. But twenty months after gaining his wings he chose to resign and became the editor of an aviation magazine - until it went bankrupt.

He then took eight years to write the 10,000 word manuscript of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, because he couldn’t decide on its ending. Only for the book to be rejected eighteen times, before Macmillan accepted it.

Now it’s sold over seven million copies in numerous languages.

The British author, John Creasy, was sent seven hundred and seventy four rejections before selling his first book. He then went on to sell five hundred and sixty four books under fourteen different pen names.