[Mark Robson]

Well I also started self-published, but I would agree with Marky's first comment. I can now see the flaws in my first book that prevented me from being picked up at that stage. Even given the self published sales success of that book (and the others in the series that I never sent to publishers) and my subsequent deal with Simon & Schuster for later titles, I would still say the two publishers and 6 literary agents I sent 'The Forging of the Sword' to were right to reject it. The publishers may pass stuff over that eventually makes it big, but they don't do it that often.