Lessons Writers Learn

 

It's pretty easy to be grateful when all is going well. We feel like we're walking in sunshine and nothing can mar what life is at the moment. Yep, it's so easy that we often forget to be grateful. 

The second part of today's quote is what I want to focus on. ...When it's harsh, be grateful still. And find the lesson. 

Writers who procrastinate when they have a deadline often end up being rejected after they submit a hurried-up piece of writing to an editor. Hard as it might be, they should be grateful that the editor rejected their work if they also learned that delaying and submitting a piece of writing that was dashed off is not the way to be a published writer. 

Writers who think they don't have to be educated in the art of writing might also be the recipient of many rejections. A writer of this ilk would be most fortunate if an editor would point out that they needed to learn more about writing before submitting again. Sadly, most editors don't have time, or won't take time, to send a note to a struggling writer. Hopefully, they will figure it out on their own and decide to read all they can about the craft of writing, attend writing conferences, and make friends with other writers. All those things will be worthwhile lessons.

What about a situation where the editor likes the writer's submission, but he/she thinks it could be better. The editor returns the submission with a note telling the writer what might make the piece stronger, more poignant, or appealing. He/she will ask if the writer would like to work on it and resubmit. Once again, there's a lesson here. The writer who wants to be published will revise and edit his/her work and send it to the editor again. He/she won't cast it aside with the thought that it's too much work to revise and resend. 

What if a story is rejected time after time? Pretty hard to be grateful, especially if there is no note from the editors giving a reason. Even so, there's a lesson here. Perhaps the writer needs to study the market more carefully. Not every story is right for every magazine. Maybe the writer should seek the help of a writer friend or a critique group. Their eyes can pick up on places that need to be changed more easily than the writer's own eyes. Never feel bad about seeking the help of others to make your story stronger and better.

How about the writer who should be doing research before writing an article but wings it instead. He/she thinks winging it will work. An editor is going to catch that pretty quickly and send off a rejection in a hurry. Another lesson learned? Hopefully.

Yes, we do need to look for the lessons when our writing life becomes harsh. The lesson is not always evident, but it's there, and we should be grateful when finding it.