One of the hardest things about being a writer is dealing with the inevitable plethora of rejection slips, both physical and virtual. Early on in your career, if you are serious about your calling, you have to grow a second or third skin. Failing that (if you can excuse the negative phrasing) you will find yourself everyday sitting in the corner of your bedroom with the curtains pulled against the light and your head buried in your hands. If you want to be published you have to submit work to editors at magazines or judges in literary competitions. It’s fraught of course, but if you don’t submit you’ll never know if your writing is achieving what you want it to.
This week I came across a couple of great posts for aspiring and established writers. The first comes from Lynne Barrett at The Review Review and it gives a comprehensive account of how the aspiring writer should approach the area of sending out submissions. I urge you to read it, and heed it.
The second blog post is more specifically to do with managing the insecurities we all feel when in the middle of a large literary project, a novel in this case. Nuala Ní Chonchubar is a talented and successful poet and writer, and she speaks candidly in her blog, Women Rule Writer, this week of the problems that can beset us when undertaking a novel-sized project. I have some experience in this area also, and am still putting myself through the ringer with my current novel. However, I have had the WIP read by two close and trusted fellow writers who gave me their candid views, and I’ve taken their comments in the manner I would those of a respected editor. Sure there were some sizeable problems, but also alot of positivity, and because of that I feel rejuvenated in the work and ready to make this novel into the best that it can be.
So, with thanks to all the honest bloggers out there, my advice is to try and stay positive.
Hi Brian, This is a really interesting post. You’re having a great year in 2013 after a great 2012 so not too much to worry about at moment I should say! Congrats on the Poetry Ireland Introductions!
Cheers David – hope all is good with you.
Aw, thank you.
Meant to say I loved that Review Review article. Especially this:
‘The [writers] were asking for a shortcut. It’s natural to want one, when you feel small in a big unknown world, and impatient, wanting results immediately. But I said, to each: “You can’t expect to be a professional if you don’t do your own homework.”’
Amen to that! I get a lot of shortcutters asking for help, which I mostly give, but they rarely even say thanks. Now, I have a new answer to give them!
Yea Nuala, I agree, it’s a refreshingly sensible article!
Brian, I wish you nothing but luck with the novel.
I think it can be hard to stay positive in the face of rejection. Especially when they come thick and fast, as has happened to me at periods over the years.
My policy is not to linger over rejections. I let myself feel sad or pissed off for a few minutes, or a day if needs be, then I get that work into another envelope and send it out to the world.
I think a large amount of bullheadedness is required of writers. You need to be able to push on even when you feel lousy. Many, many give up (I see it a lot) and it’s such a shame. So much wasted talent.
I have a card on my desk that says: ‘Do not give up, do not give up! Continue, continue!’ I read that when I feel really hopeless about the publishing world.
Great post and thanks for sharing.
Nuala x
Thanks Nuala – I think it’s a great help to others when people admit to the (unsurprising) difficulties inherent in writing every day. It’s like walking a tightrope at times, you can feel isolated and exposed and in imminent danger of falling and not getting up again. Blog posts like yours are like a steadying arm to lean on when the wind blows and you waver. So thanks again!