Archive for the 'Authors' Category

Lollipops and rejection letters

2 Comments »30th March, 2011; Category: Authors, The Writer's Life, Writing Hints

Rejection letters are a fact of life for writers.

Every writer gets rejected.

Period.

Perhaps I should qualify that statement. Every writer who submits to publishers gets rejection letters. No-one is exempt; it’s a fact of life for a writer. If you keep on submitting stories, poems, articles and novels to publishers you are going to get rejected. Not every piece of writing will get accepted, nor will everything you slave over will see publication. Fact.

No writer likes getting rejection letters. I’ve sometimes heard speakers or read in books about writing that we should not be upset about getting a rejection letter. Everyone gets them, and the publisher is rejecting the story or poem and not you. While there is some truth in that, getting such a letter still hurts. Sometimes – many times – we find it hard to divorce ourselves from our babies, er… writing. You don’t like my poem – therefore you don’t like me. It’s an easy conclusion to come to, and it can be quite harmful. And it hurts. I know; I’ve had my fair share of rejection. A few years ago I sent out over 30 submissions to various publishers and every one was rejected. I nearly gave up writing.

The good news

Now for some good news. Not every letter from a publisher is a rejection. If you keep on writing the best work you can produce and keep on sending it out, sooner or later you will see your name in print. And when you get an acceptance the feeling is great. You are entitled to do the Writer’s Dance. Yell and scream in excitement. Tell your family and friends. And then get back to writing and do it all over again.

Lollipops

Now what about the “lollipops” mentioned in my title? I’ve just read a wonderful story about “How to turn rejection letters into a positive.” The writer of this article learned a valuable lesson from lollipops.

Keep working hard at your writing.
Only submit your very best work.
Keep on striving to improve.
Keep on sending out your writing.
Enjoy those acceptance letters.

Good writing.

Finetuning a manuscript

No Comments »29th March, 2011; Category: Authors, Books, Master of Arts course, Novels, The Writer's Life, Writing for Children

I have written about my journey towards my Masters degree on many occasions. A few weeks ago I wrote about how I managed to pass my degree with a distinction for my thesis paper. This paper was a 40,000 word novel accompanied by a 10,000 word exegesis essay about the writing of the novel.

I was very humbled by the comments made by both examiners. They praised the story in many ways, and both agreed that my novel is of publishable standard. After all that hard work, long hours, many frustrations and long nights of doubt, the story had come through. One of the examiners said she couldn’t put it down; she had to keep turning the pages to see what happened next. Wow! Exactly the response an author hopes for from his readers. One comment like that makes all those anguished feelings just melt away into nothing. That’s why I write.

I am preparing to send the manuscript off the prospective publishers. In the meantime I have to do a few minor revisions before having a few copies printed and bound for the university library, the humanities department and for my supervisors. Just a few typos that slipped through everyone’s keen eyes. Then I’m done. And I get to wear the gown and funny hat in a few weeks’ time. I’ll get some photos to show off here when it happens.

Stay tuned.

Good writing.

Catching up on some reading

No Comments »25th March, 2011; Category: Authors, Magazines, The Writer's Life

Over the last week I’ve been catching up with a considerable backlog of reading. I’ve been reading several recent issues of Australian Author, the quarterly journal of the Australian Society of Authors. I’ve subscribed to this magazine for many years now, and find it to be very useful in keeping up with current trends in publishing, news of coming events as well as well as articles about the life of a writer.

The Australian Society of Authors is the major professional association of literary creators here in Australia and has a membership in the thousands. The membership list reads as a who’s who of writing in our country. While I haven’t yet taken out membership of the group I am seriously considering it. You are able to subscribe to the magazine without being a member. Membership enables one to receive extra information not in the magazine, advice on contracts, access to mentorships, grants and seminars as well as discounts on books.

To check out the website of the society click here.

What I am reading: 84 Charing Cross Road

1 Comment »24th February, 2011; Category: Authors, Books, Reading, Reviews

I recently read this classic book first published in 1970. Most people know the story: New York author Helene Hanff writes letters to a London bookshop situated at 84 Charing Cross Road. This charming book reprints the many letters that she sends to the bookshop over many years as she requests copies of various books she wishes to read, and the replies from the people working in the shop.

While this book is a thin volume it still fascinates the reader, despite its quaint and somewhat outdated attitudes and expressions. It is a reminder of a by-gone era, when people had time to correspond, when books were treasured items to be sought after and possessed – not kept on e-readers – and when times in post-war England were quite different as well as difficult.

84 Charing Cross Road was written by Helene Hanff and published by Penguin.

Going nowhere fast – the frustrations of writing

2 Comments »22nd September, 2010; Category: Authors, Goal setting, Master of Arts course, Novels, Writer's block, Writing a novel

My writing is going nowhere fast.

So fast, my current WIP (work in progress) has come to a standstill. Sigh.

I’ve had some frustrating times lately with family and community responsibilities interrupting my writing time. It happens every now and then and I know I should just accept these times and not get too frustrated with them.

Going nowhere fast

Trouble is, I’ve allowed the recent events to grind my WIP to a complete halt. It’s going nowhere fast. I haven’t looked at it for nearly a fortnight. One thing I’ve found in recent years is that momentum can often be a very great friend. Once I get on a roll with a particular writing project – be it a novel, short story, article, whatever – the momentum created tends to be self generating. Momentum creates more momentum and I get to the point where it is like an unstoppable train, steaming along seemingly under its own power, carrying me along for one exhilarating ride. When that happens I can be very productive, sometimes writing 3000+ words in a day. About 700 words is my normal average.

Slow and steady wins the race

Sadly, the opposite is also true. When I don’t have any momentum because of illness, distractions, family or other responsibilities etc, getting up a head of steam to get moving again takes so much effort. Starting all over almost seems too hard and I can easily give up. The secret is to not stop. It is easier to keep a train moving slowly than to start from a stopped position. It is easier to keep going with a story every day – even if it is only a few words or for twenty minutes or so – than to leave it completely for weeks and then have to start all over again.

I should stop this now and get back to that novel.

It’s not going to finish itself.

Good writing.