Rejections Offer Lessons for Writers

 

Good advice in today's poster. Never a failure, always a lesson. I believe that's true, and I have written on this topic more than once. 

When we fail, which to us writers means a rejection, we need to look for a reason that we failed. We must find the lesson. There is almost always a lesson to be found. 

The bigger problem is when we don't look for a lesson to be learned or when we see the lesson but don't heed it. It's another of those 'it's up to you' situations. 

This month, I have received three rejections out of six submitted. Still waiting for answers on the other three, and it will be quite some time as the anthology doesn't answer quickly. I did ask myself why the rejections came for the other three. 

On one, I think I aimed too high. The publication takes only the very, very best. But I decided to give it a try anyway. I wasn't surprised when the rejection arrived. I suppose the lesson here is to not try to submit to publications far above my writing level. Definitely something to consider, and I often pass right by the ones I don't think will give my work a chance. Another lesson here might be to go ahead and try submitting to an elite publication. There's always a slim chance they might like what I send. 

On a second one, I felt my story fit the magazine guidelines quite well. They did not, even though they have published another story I had sent a while ago. When I reread my story, I realized that the emphasis was not on the person it should have been to fit the guidelines of this magazine related to disabilities. Definitely a lesson learned.

The third rejection was a poem with slight political overtones, and perhaps the publication shied away from poetry of that kind. Or perhaps the editor had a totally different opinion on the topic. I think my lesson here is to either research the editor and publication more carefully to see which way they lean or to avoid sending anything with a political inference. 

There are lessons to be found in all our rejections, but we have to look for them. I would suggest you not start that search immediately after receiving the word that your submission didn't make it. Give it a couple days, then start seeking some answers for what the lesson might be. 

Do remember that rejection is a very big part of the writing world. The acceptances serve to soothe our ruffled feathers over the ones that didn't make it. Whatever happens, don't stop submitting. 

Writers Face Many Kinds of Days

 

What good advice our poster quote has for us today. Four places we've all been and a positive reason for each. Let's look at them, one by one.

1. Good days give happiness:  In our writing world, happiness prevails when our writing runs smoothly. Also when we get an acceptance letter or email from an editor. We zoom up on the Happiness chart. Elation is our friend when we receive the publication that our work in which our work is published. Any one of these things will bring joy. If only we could bottle it and use some on days that are not so good.
2. Bad days give experience:  We all have bad days as we move down our writing path. There are days when nothing goes right. You get stuck in a story. You try to revise a draft and it looks like an impossible task. Words fail you when you need them the most. I don't know about you, but when things start going wrong in the morning, it seems like the problems last through the day. Maybe it's a bad attitude that makes it feel that way. Someone should do a study on this.
3. Worst days give lessons:  Whenever we hit one roadblock after another, we should step back and look for the lesson. It's there, but very often, we are blind to it. We do have to search sometimes to find the lesson we should learn when our writing day goes into a deep, dark well. Don't give up. Keep asking yourself what you should or could learn from what happened. Be sarcastic if you must, but keep searching for something you can learn. 
4. Best days give memories:  Now here's a positive that we can benefit from. We keep the best days in our memory bank for a long time. Every now and then, it's helpful to ponder on the memory of one of the best times in your writing life. Maybe you won an award or a contest or landed a great contract. Those are experiences we'd like to live over and over. Maybe, if you're having a bad day trying to write, you should reach for those memories of the good things that you experienced to give yourself a needed boost. 

Did you notice that the word 'give' appears in each of the four points? 'Give' and 'gift' are related. Consider the four points as a gift to help you move on your writing journey. Now, look again at the opening of today's quote Never regret a day in your life. I'd insert the word 'writing' before life since we're visiting about writing on this blog. 

A Writer Needs...

 

Thomas Mann was a German novelist. His quote on today's blog says: 'A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.' Does that make you scratch your head? Shouldn't it be easier for someone who is actually a writer? 

I believe he meant that a writer has one objective--to create a perfect piece of writing. You know, and I know, that is far from easy. 

Writers learn the tools needed and hope to write flawlessly. Nice thought, but we are all human with human failings. Even so, we can certainly strive for perfection. Sometimes we come close, and then we have a period where we leave a great deal of room for improvement.

What we want to do is use every tool in our writer's toolbox, to write with passion, and to edit ruthlessly. Those 'other people' Mann refers to are the ones who don't have the knowledge that you do. When they have a need to write something for a newsletter or for a class assignment, they tend to dash it off. When they complete that first writing, they sit back and declare it finished. You and I know that is not finished, instead it is only the first draft of what could be many. 

If writing is more difficult for writers, why do we pursue it? Because we have a drive within us that tells us we must write. It is a passion, no different than the ballerina who must dance, or the football player who absolutely needs to be on the field. We need that inner drive to succeed.

For writers, writing is more difficult because it requires more time. It's not a hurry-up kind of art. 

We keep on writing, not because it is more difficult, but because we love to write. 

6 Ways for Writers to Boost Self-confidence

 

It stands to reason that if you make a habit of doubting your ability as a writer, you're going to squeeze your creativity dry. 

What makes us doubt our writing capabilities? I once interviewed several over age 50 writers about why they waited so long. A few of the writers told me that a teacher in high school or college had criticized something they had written, and the desire to write shut down for many years. Thankfully, they all did begin writing during middle-age, became published in small publications or large, and continued writing as they grew older. Wouldn't it have been better if those teachers had first pointed out what they liked about the person's essay or story, then showed them how it might be better? 

I'm an example in another field--art. In college, I had to take a class called Art for the Exceptional Child. I was a Special Education major, and this was a required class. One day, we were given a lump of clay and directions on creating something artistic. I struggled but finished. The instructor looked at my effort and, in a voice dripping with sarcasm, said, "That would be fine if a blind child had done it." Needless to say, I have never forgotten her exact words, and I have a mental block concerning all art to this day. 

The same thing happened to me when I was around 9 years old and asked my grandmother to teach me to crochet. I admired the lovely things she made with her crochet needles. As I stood next to her, the needles never stopped as she said, "No, you're much too clumsy." I never learned to knit or crochet anything! Wouldn't it have been better for her to tell me she would teach me when I was a little older? I wouldn't have felt like an idiot and had something to look forward to. 

So, yes, others can be responsible for our self-doubt. We can also be the one to feed our lack of confidence in our writing ability. I excelled in English classes all through school, so I felt confident that, while I couldn't be an artist, or do special handiwork like my grandmother, I could write. Writing was the art I most wanted to pursue, and I knew I could be successful mostly because I believed it and continued to have a positive attitude. I also realized that it wasn't going to happen overnight, that I had to work at being a writer.

The rejections we have all received don't do a lot to boost our self-confidence. In fact, we need to fight to keep a positive outlook and to find a lesson in the rejections that will help us be better writers. Once we get a few acceptances, a lot of our self-doubt disappears, and we want to keep writing. 

To develop more self-confidence as a writer you should:

1. forget about teachers and other adults who criticized your writing long ago. They are one person.
2. concentrate on the positives in your writing journey, not the bumps in the road.
3. continue learning about the craft of writing through reading, conferences, and visiting with other writers,
4. practice writing on a regular basis.
5. do writing exercises.
6. count all the good things that have happened to you as a writer.

Writers--Watch Out For These Five Traps

So tempting...

The following is an article I wrote a number of years ago that was published at a writing website. A few things in my writing world made me think it was worth posting here as a reminder. Writing is first and foremost on this journey to publication, but we get tempted to pause for a number of things, good things that can balloon into more than is healthy for us. 

Five traps to be aware of

Writers are urged to write often, write voraciously, to write, write, write. Even so, we know that to win the prize—publication—there are myriad things we must do besides putting words on paper or our computer screen.

Each of the following writer-related items is beneficial, but if we aren’t careful, they become traps. We can become caught in a spider web of good intentions which eat into our writing time. Let’s consider them, one by one.

1.  Reading About Writing:  We buy or borrow dozens of books that give us the keys to good writing. We immerse ourselves in one after another. We might become so busy learning that the application part is forgotten. Read books on the craft of writing but be selective and limit the number.

2.  Websites, Blogs, and Newsletters for Writers:  The editors of both offer articles to read and classes to take. They present markets and contests, writing prompts and exercises. Seldom satisfied with one, most writers subscribe to several, sometimes much more than several. They do have some excellent information but take precious time to read. Pick the ones you like best and unsubscribe from the others.

3.  Critique groups:  A face-to-face critique group offers constructive criticism and praise for our work, as well as an opportunity to network with other writers. We can profit greatly in a group like this. They also take time. Ask yourself if it’s worth the precious hours you might otherwise spend writing.

4.  Research:  This is a necessary part of writing for many as well as being pure joy for some writers. We can get so involved in the process that far more time is spent than is needed. With practice, a writer can determine the appropriate amount of time to give to the research end of a story or article.

5.  Organizations for Writers:  Joining a local, state or national group offers networking possibilities with other writers, leads on markets and publishers, and a way to keep up with the latest trends in your field. All of them require officers and committee chairs and members who will serve on the committees. Keep your membership in a select number of these groups and limit your participation in what you can handle.

All of the above are worthwhile endeavors. The key is to maintain a healthy balance. Review your writing activities occasionally to make sure you aren’t falling into a trap. When you produce fewer and fewer pages, it may be time to step back and assess the reasons.

Financial experts advise clients to take the savings out of the paycheck first. Writing is no different—those thousand words a day must take precedence over all the other writing-related aspects of your life. You know what the traps are, and by practicing self-discipline, you can avoid all of them. Your greatest benefit will be more time to write.

The Making of a Good Book

Like our little friend in the poster, I am always happy when I have a good book to read. What I sometimes forget is to be grateful for the people who write books. As readers, we owe them a big vote of thanks. 

Consider what they give us--hours of pleasure, knowledge, food for our brains and more. Do we, as readers, give thought to what goes into the making of a good book? Those of us who are writers probably have more awareness than the person who is strictly a reader, a recipient of all that is good within a book.

Time is a big part of writing a book. An author has an idea which may linger in his/her mind for months before he/she begins writing. A book author makes outlines, storyboards, character sketches and more before writing those all-important opening lines. The writing may take months, even years. Then comes the revising and editing. Add more time for finding a publisher. The well-known novelist already has an editor and/or agent. The newbie has to search for agent/editor. More time. Once the book is under contract, additional revising and editing, then the physical printing and all that goes with it. Once the book is published, the marketing begins, the search for reviewers and more. All this happens before you and I open to the first page to begin reading.

And yes, happiness is a good book, but what constitutes a 'good' book for me may not work out the same for you. We all have different tastes in reading. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of books in our world to satisfy the varying interests we all have. I would never choose a sci-fi book, but many people read nothing but sci-fi. Horror themes leave me turning away. Historical fiction and family sagas are at the top of my list, but I'm certain many of you would gag at the thought. 

Aren't we lucky to have so many people willing to put heart and soul into the writing of a book? We're blessed with having so many genres to choose from and libraries/bookstores where we can browse until we find a book that will make us happy. 

Next time you find something new to read, give some thought to what went into the writing and producing of that book. We laugh when we say the author uses 'blood, sweat, and tears.' Might be more fact than fiction! 

Repeating Words

What we strive for in our writing

Today is our first day of addressing the mechanics of writing--the how you say it part of writing a story, article or essay. 

In my online writing group, one of the things critiquers mark over and over again is repetition of words. Using the same words two, even three times in one sentence or within perhaps two sentences or paragraph is a very common error. It's one we should catch when we edit our own work but, as we read what we've written, our eyes glide right over those repeated words. 

Yes, there are times when we use words close together to make a point. Note the first sentence of the paragraph above. I said ....over and over again. It's used for emphasis. Now, take a look at the sentences below and you'll see words that should be changed. 

A.  Bill left his shoes under the bed, climbed into the bed and fell asleep immediately.

      Better:  Bill left his shoes under the bed, climbed in and fell asleep immediately. 

B.  I've left the bread on the table for you next to the peanut butter on the table. 

     Better:  I've left the bread on the table for you next to the peanut butter. 

C.  Susan exited the stage she had danced on only hours after she found her ballet shoes and she knew she could be in the recital.

     Better:  Susan exited the stage danced on only hours after her ballet shoes were found and the recital went on.

D.  Timothy noted the long stretch of stairs ahead, climbed the stairs, then looked down the stairs to see if anyone had followed.

       Better:  Timothy noted the long stretch of stairs ahead, climbed them and looked down to see if anyone had followed.

If you've already told the reader about the 'bed' as in Example A, there is no need to repeat 'bed.' Sentences written with repetition of words can end up being boring.

Is it possible we repeat words to make sure the reader knows exactly what happened? Is it possible we don't give our audience enough credit for figuring things out on their own?  

Do we sometimes repeat words because we find it easier than thinking up a new way to say the same thing without using them again and again? (yep, I did it again but for emphasis!)

I think we often make this error subconsciously. What we must do is be conscious of looking for the problem as we revise and edit our writing. 

Just for fun, pull out a story or essay from your files and look through it to see if you have been guilty of repeating words. The vast majority of us are going to find some, myself included. 

Why Mechanics Matter In Writing

It has been three weeks since I had my hip replaced. All went well but recovery takes time. I finally feel like I can get back to blogging again. Thank you for the many get well wishes. I greatly appreciated them.

The photo today is telling us to have a dream. Don't most writer have a big dream that they will be published someday and then have it happen again and again? They dream that they'll write a bestseller someday. They dream that they will be a household name when they write works no one will forget. 

It's fine to have those dreams so we have something to shoot for. Our writing dreams can help us set goals, too. 

Recently, I started thinking about writing having two sides--what you have to say and how you say it. Whether you write novels, essays, articles, op-eds, stories for kids or poetry, how you say it is of prime importance. What you have to say ranks very high, as well. No matter how good your story is, or how meaningful your essay, if you don't use good mechanics in your writing, your dream has little chance of being realized. 

Mechanics! Yep, those things we were suppose to master in grade school, middle school and high school. Key word here is 'suppose' because many of us worked on the grammar exercises the teachers gave us, listened to what they said and then went merrily on our way not worrying about mundane things like grammar, punctuation, clarity and more. 

Those who decided to pursue writing, whether for a career or hobby, suddenly had to deal with those mechanics. There are writers who take a handful of commas, toss them in the air and let them fall on their story. Some have no clue what to do with an apostrophe when writing something possessive. Others write sentences that are so long they can stretch the length of a freight train before the final period is found. How to use quote marks is a merry mess for a few.

Then, we have writers who mix up tenses, flitting from past to present and back to past like a hummingbird seeking nectar in multiple blossoms. Some writers are great fans of adverbs in dialogue to tell their readers how the speaker is talking or feeling. Why not? It''s a whole lot easier to tell the reader than it is to 'show' them. Spelling should not be a problem with today's computer aids, but it often is.

Do all writers make all these mistakes? No. Do some writers make some of them? Yes. Are there any writers who earn an A grade for mechanics? Absolutely! My point here is that all of us can use a review and work on establishing good habits in mechanics. 

The next several days, I am going to address the mechanics of writing as a help to those that need it and a review for those who do just fine already. So, do come back and see if there is a particular area that might be of help to you. 

Keep in mind that what you have to say is a way to your dream, but how you say it is what will get you there.

Muses and Fairy Godmothers

In a perfect world, we'd all have a Fairy Godmother who could grant our every wish. The young lady above obviously has a manuscript sitting somewhere. Her wish is for nothing to enhance herself, such as a party dress. No, it's that deeply desired book contract instead. 

Where is our Fairy Godmother when we need help in our writing journey? And where the heck does our muse run off to now and then? Look all over and she's not to be found. It seems to happen when you need her most. 

You have an idea for a story but can't seem to sit down and start typing. You need your muse sitting on your shoulder, patting you and and smiling as she whispers Keep going, honey, you're doing fine. That little muse is a writer's best friend and worst enemy all rolled into one sugar cake. 

Some days she's smiling. Others she sits in the corner pouting. She can be loving. She can be mean. She can be helpful. She can be a major detriment. Face it--her mood usually mirrors yours. 

Where did this must thing get started? Go back to Greek Mythology to find these inspirational goddesses of literature, science and the arts. Today, it's any person who inspires a musician, artist or writer. Real or pretend?

Kids often have imaginary playmates but who's to say if they are a figment of the imagination or very real? Kids believe in them, talk to them, take them along to the playground, even blame their own naughtiness on them at times. So, why can't writers have a muse, imaginary or real, to basically do the same thing?  If we believe in them, it's between us and our muse. Nobody else! We sure aren't going to share her with another writer. Let 'em get their own muse. Right? 

A writer friend says she has lost her muse so she stopped writing for several weeks. That's too long for someone as talented as she is. She says she's looked everywhere for her muse but the darned girl keeps playing hide and seek. She pops in for a minute or two and then disappears again. My friend has decided to start writing again and let her muse decide if she wants to come along for the ride or not. I was glad to hear it. I think her muse will show up once my friend begins her next project.

How about you? Are you on good terms with your muse? Does she inspire you sometimes and then play the tease? Or is she always happy and helpful? If you have one like that, be glad, very glad. I get along pretty well with my muse most of the time. Now and then, she becomes a bit irritable and pouty. Then, I have to take a step back and wait until she's in a better mood before I start a new writing project. 

We may not have a Fairy Godmother that will wave her wand and produce a book contract for us but we do each have our very own muse who can help us achieve our writing goals. Maybe it's a book contract and perhaps it's writing for a magazine. It doesn't matter as long as she's there to inspire us. 

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Today's poster made me think of professional athletes. A basketball player shoots thousands of baskets in a career and doing so is as natural as taking a breath to stay alive. Not having a ball in hand and aiming at the little round hoop ahead would make a basketball player very anxious if he went days without doing so. 

We're no different. If we want to become a pro at this writing game, the first thing we must do is to write and write and write. Every single day, or almost every day. We do have to take time out for emergencies, major events, illness and a few other monumental moments. If we aim at writing something every day, it becomes a habit. I believe that the more we write, the more we want to write. 

If you write only occasionally, it's easier to let inspiration slide on by. What if you're out on the beach and a family nearby creates a situation that makes you want to write a story? If you don't act on it soon, the idea pushes itself farther and farther back into the recesses of your mind. You might pluck it out someday, or you could leave it there, buried under several other 'put aside' ideas. 

If you have a regular writing habit, you're more likely to act on the inspiration of the beach scene early the next day, or day it occurred. If you happened to have a notepad in your beach bag, you could jot down thoughts to be used in your next writing session. 

I've found that, after every writing conference I attend, my muse strikes up the band and I want to get home so I can start writing. I've written in airports and on planes because the ideas from the conference are swirling in my mind and begging to be acted upon. And yes, in this kind of situation, I do get anxious if I can't write. 

I also get anxious if something prevents me from writing for a few days when I'm home and not all that far from my keyboard. Writing something every day is like taking that daily vitamin pill. I do it because I know it's good for me. (And also because I love it!) Writing every day gives me writing energy. Once begun, never done! 

If you are away from writing for a lengthy period of time--say weeks, or (gasp!) months, it might be harder to get back in the groove again. Or, it could work the opposite and you'll want to dive in headfirst and write in every spare minute. 

I do know, firsthand, that if you skip a couple days, it's pretty easy to pass by on that third and fourth day. Discipline yourself to write something every day. It doesn't have to be 1000 words. It can be a journal entry, or those Morning Pages we've talked about before, or a short poem. Maybe a paragraph or two doing a writing exercise. 

Write until you can't stand it if you don't write. Breathe in, breathe out and keep writing.

A Writer's List

A burning question today. If not now, when?

1.  When will you join a critique group?

2.  When will you finish your partially done works?

3.  When will you read a book about writing?

4.  When will you go to a writer's conference?

5.  When will you start a new writing project?

6.  When will you do some writing exercises?

7.  When will you submit your work to a publication?

8.  When will you stop whining about not enough time to write?

9.  When will you encourage another writer?

10.  When will you act as soon as inspiration hits?

11.  When will you study markets and guidelines?

12.  When will you write your family stories?

Now is the perfect time to begin!

      

One Or Two?

I pay close attention to the critiques the members of my online group do for me, but I also read most of the ones they do for others. It's almost equivalent to taking a class on writing. I've learned a lot reading what others have to say.

One of the things I've noticed that is said fairly often is that there are two stories in a submission that should concentrate on only one. I've had it said about a few of my own submissions, and it came up again recently in a story someone submitted as a possible Chicken Soup for preteens story.

It happens when we write too much of an introduction or give too much backstory. In the one I read yesterday, the author had a lot of intro material that was interesting and was most likely done to set the scene for the real story which began more than halfway through the piece. It's where the action began and where my interest heightened. I'm sure she felt all the intro part was necessary to the telling of the active part. And a lot of the information in it was most definitely pertinent.

I would rather she began with the action part of the story and weave in the needed background information. For one thing, it is going to grab the reader's attention sooner. Or she could use the information in the earlier part to write a separate story, turning one submission into two submissions.

As I said, I've done this myself more than once and not even realized it until a critter pointed it out in her critique. When I concentrated on one part and made it into one story, guess what happened? The story became much stronger. I've learned that the answer to One or Two? is almost always One.