HOW TO DEAL WITH LIFE’S “NO”S

 

Life’s journey is full of rejections.

For writers and artists, the turn-downs are magnified. Some wonder why we put ourselves in this position, and how we deal with it.

I have come to a point where I discovered that there is no “dealing with it.” There is brushing it off, as if it never happened, and marching forward.

 

What does that mean?

 

For me, it means that unless there is constructive feedback, which allows for improvement, (thank you, those who offered such) the only way to continue to be creative is to act as if those “no”s never happened.

I don’t count them, I don’t put a numerical bar of no-passing, I don’t let them sink in.

 I. Just. Don’t.

 

This denial is essential. I would not be a published writer had I not had this strategy going way back.

 

And if at any point it is time to rest a work from Submission Road, never think of it as permanent. Rest stops are not only for truckers.

 

Keep trucking.

GIVING THANKS TIME

 

’Tis the week to give thanks.

 

Thanks for the people in our lives who are there.

Thanks for all they are, and for them choosing to be present.

Thanks for the ones gone, who left blessings.

 

Thanks for all the things we still have.

Thanks for all the things that aren’t broken.

Thanks for the things these things do for us.

 

Thanks for felines and canines who share our lives.

Thanks for their giving their trust and endless love.

Thanks for being the beauties they are.

 

And most of all, I thank the spirit that blew air into everything.

For returning my soul to me this day--

NOVEMBER 15 IN HISTORY

 

On November 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress ratified the Articles of Confederation, which was the precursor to the United States Constitution. 

 

Maybe this should remind us why we banded together, and why we have been better for it.

 

Instead of the constant banter about having uniform ways for all people, and if they won’t do as we think is right, let them be banned, shunned, or let us call it a divorce*, consider the quiet ways of tolerance.

*(Divorce: In the context of the union of states, is the unspeakable abomination that are Civil Wars anywhere, the most tragic type of wars for what is already a tragic human impulse.)

Let’s consider living and let others live as they deem right.

 

Fighting is not glorious, regardless of some movies and their parlor tricks. Real heroes get along.

 

I’d like to see a lot more of these heroes in stories, especially for young readers; quiet get-along main characters. They seek not glory and thus are glorious.

Blessed are the peacemakers, especially the quiet ones who live what they say, and do not tell others how they must speak, think, or be.

 

The USA constitution strove for a balance. Let’s remember what it’s about.

QUERY LETTERS

 

And OTHER HORRORS

While on the train of last week’s post, I am deep into polishing and tightening my queries.

 

Writers obsess about the query, which is a four-second chance to make an impression. No, it isn’t fair. No, it will not represent writing powers to their fullest. No, there is no way to compress why a novel is worth an agent's or editor’s time and effort.

But it is the reality of submissions road.

Some writers are phenomenal query writers. I know a writer who does it so well she turned her talent into a business; she critiques and polishes other writers' query letters for a fee. In her case, this talent has not translated to publishing full novels. But there is no contradiction, as it is an advantage for many others. After all, if the query leads to many more manuscript requests, the odds that an agent would offer, and that the agent would later find a publishing house that would offer, are multiplied.

 

The query, like a good picture book text, must do a lot with few words. How many? See this post.

In addition to a sharp pitch, it must say enough about the story to intrigue, and also contain a bio of the writer. The usual way I’ve heard it put is—

1. THE HOOK (strong one-sentence pitch)

2. THE BOOK (Strong, pithy story setting exposing the main character and the stakes)

3. THE COOK (Author bio)

^In that order^

It’s a good idea to run a query by a reader who has not read the manuscript. The simple question to ask the reader is, “does this make you eager to read the story?”

This is where I am. Wishing luck to all riding the same train. 

Re-starting Agent Search

 

I’ve been agented before, and I’m going to be honest here— I loved having an agent.

What I didn’t love was the process of knocking on agents’ doors.

Reminder to self before embarking on this road:

A.     Queries need to be succinct

B.      Invest in every query, but not too much because…

C.     …Most will either be ignored or rejected with a form email

D.     Treasure the replies that ask for more materials, revision, or invite future queries, for…

E.     …Those are the only ones worth investing in and the only ones that count.

 

The query landscape has never been more crowded, and thus most voices are drowned by the multitude’s noise.

 

Got to have faith in my equanimity, my manuscripts, and my ability to weather this trek.

All experienced advice welcome 👍

Here we go---