the frustrating part of writing

So I posted a description of my novel The Mars Run on a blog site during a pitch contest. (You can get the gory details here). The blogist / agent who runs the site didn't like it, and the first few comments posted were also negative, although a few later posters liked it. However, based on that experience, and three rejects to date, I have three problems I need to resolve. (Rule of three, anybody?)

First, do I rewrite what is (in my view) a perfectly publishable book to make it more like the original concept? The reason I ask is that I have YET to re-read something I wrote without wanting to change it. The only reason I'm not constantly redoing The Mars Run is that it costs $80 every time I upload a revision.

Second, since I have a publishable work, do I keep playing the slow-motion game of finding a major publisher, or do I try to sell it to a micro-publisher? I have two in mind - one of which would probably really dig it since they're avowedly anti-religion. (The book takes a dim view of fundamentalist religious thought). Related to this is, since I don't know how much a micro-publisher could do for me, is to just POD it myself.

This leads to problem number three. I've been having an online conversation with Robert Blevins on Speculations.com, an online site for writers. Robert is one of the principals of Adventure Books of Seattle and pointed out that self-publishing through Lightning Source Inc. (LSI), Ingram's POD house, allows one cheaper books that are returnable. Cheap returnable books can get into bookstores - a major plus. A major minus of LSI is that it's harder work for Ye Olde Author.

So, I've got some thinking to do.