Marchmadness Day 30-Not Giving up
Wow, can you believe it's almost April? Time really flies by when you're in the revision ditches like I've been! Just got the proofs for NO GODDESSES ALLOWED which means this next week I'll be busy checking and rechecking my story before it goes out to get published!
Yay!
This project seems to have taken FOREVER or like Liz my fab editor at Zumaya likes to say--it has been under the mummy's curse. This is in reference to Jordan's cursed bracelet.
Today I'm going to use A YEAR OF WRITING DANGEROUSLY again! Loving this book that I picked up at ALA12 last summer! Thanks New World Library and Barbara Abercrombie!
#360 On Not Giving Up
Kathryn Stockett got sixty rejections for her bestselling novel THE HELP. Her first rejection read, "Story did not sustain my interest." But it was her very first rejection, so she was actually thrilled with it. She went back to edit her story. On the fortieth rejection, she cried.
She thought like I did after I got this one rejection from my dream agent that even though he would have jumped to sign me on a year ago that he worried that my novel(CROSSED OUT) would struggle in an already saturated market.
I cried.
But I kept on because I had faith that someone would love my novel and I knew it should be out there.
One huge thing I've learned with this biz is that's it's not for the faint of heart. You do develop a hard skin. You have too especially after you do sell your novel and the reviews start coming in.
But one big thing is to be persistent and to not give up!
It took Kathryn Stockett five years and her sixty-first response before she got that 'yes'.
Love this quote from her:
...I can't tell you how to succeed. But I can tell you how to not to: Give in to the shame of being rejected and put your manuscript in the coffin tha is your bedside drawer and close it for good.... Kathryn Stockett
For me it was the seventy-eighth response that lead to that elusive 'yes.'
Also I did a mini happy dance when I got a contract for book two in the GODDESSES series due in 2014!
My question is how do you not give up when it seems like rejection follows you?
Tomorrow is our final day! Don't forget to check in tomorrow with Kelsey Macke at http://www.kelseyiswriting.blogspot.com
Comments
I am also getting better at realizing a rejection is a judgment of my book, not of me as a person. If an editor doesn't connect my story, that doesn't mean I am a worthless human being who is just wasting her time with a pipe dream. She just doesn't love the story enough to put her job on the line for it.
That being said, it's hard not to have discouraged moments. The best thing I think we can do as writers is allow ourselves time to feel that pain. We must just remember to get back up again as soon as we are done. After all, we are writers. This is what we do.
Sometimes the best thing for me is to get angry. In turn that makes me more determined to show them all that I can make it.
You just have to keep on, keeping on.
I loved hearing Stockett's story. Thanks, Kim!!
Also, I'm stubborn, lol. And I've got a habit of sending out another query every time I get a rejection. (Not that I never re-evaluate my query or the project I'm querying...just that I refuse to give myself more than an hour to wallow, heh.)
Checking in with my #wipmadness buddies doesn't hurt, either... ;) (In other words, WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT YOU GUYS?!)
Thanks for posting!
OMG, so very true. This is a business. If an editor/publisher/agent doesn't 'connect' it's not a reflection of you as a writer.
Still, I do admit it's hard not to get discouraged at times. But you nailed it. It's okay to give ourselves permission to feel pain and then move on.
Thanks for posting!
It was the anger of getting the 50+ rejection from CROSSED OUT that made me brainstorm ways to get the attention of the romance editor with another project. It worked! She was so great with giving me feedback and suggestions. She did end up rejecting the project but I later found it a home.
The project? NO GODDESSES ALLOWED which should be coming out within the next couple months!
I also hate the not knowing. I have to find something else to do to get my mind off of it. Or better yet, start another project!
Thanks for posting.
I still remember my mother-in-law, after reading some of my poetry, tell me to just give it up. My poetry was the way for me to deal with the anger that resurfaced with my abuse. When I had my son, she came in on me when I was writing an essay on my experience adopting at age 41. She also told me she thought I was 'crazy' writing really early in the morning. I'm so glad I didn't listen to her. So yes, it's amazing how strangers can be so encouraging while family can not be so much.
I'm also very stubborn and persistent. You have to be in this biz!
Thanks for posting!
Oh, yeah, I'm totally with you here! I give myself permission to do something besides writing whenever I get really down. Once I went on a Roswell the TV series maranthon which helped give me the motivation to dig deeper with my character's love interest. **Max and Liz's love story is amazing!
You'll also be so helpful and supportive to me on my writer's journey. All of you guys have! Thanks so much!!!! This Wipmadness community rocks big time!
Hope to see you all on my blog for some Aoril wipmadness!
I got finished my nonfiction revision yesterday and got to start on a fiction revision today! It made me feel so light and free and HAPPY! Man, I love writing.
By sheer coincidence, I watched 'The Help' last night. Of course, I was engaged by the story so I kept returning my attention to it rather than work. I intend to read the book, as well, but I multitasked my way through my prep for April.
I'll remember this and all the great lessons learned at March Madness.
Aww, now I'm getting all misty-eyed, and it's not just because my downstairs neighbor decided to barbecue an entire farm on his balcony. My room's been enveloped in a BBQ-scented cloud. I shut the window and there are still wisps and curly-Qs dancing in front of me!
#wipmadness forever,
Tonette
Ditto here. To me writing is a huge part of me. I can't stop even if I try!
Can't wait for this coming month! For sure will be stopping by your site for April Wipmadness!
Yes, that would rock big time if readers thought the same thing about our own writing! I had a taste of that with my one Skype visit. Felt so surreal to have teens actually ask, "When is your next book coming out?"
Thanks for posting!
When I was at ALA12 last June, I was wandering through the aisles and came across the book. The author and it looked like either her editor or publisher were there. I saw the book and got really excited and asked if I could have one. The author said, "Yes! Please do!" Great reference book!
Yay, you with finishing your nonfiction revision!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by! And yes, all these posts this month have kept my writing motivation a going! Great to hear it's helped you too!
"Syrio says that every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better."
When I feel like giving up, I like to read that quote back and remind myself that whatever snag I've hit is an opportunity to learn and improve.
Got about 6 hours of writing/revising in today. Exhausted, but feeling nicely accomplished. Can't believe March is nearly over. Time flies during WIP Madness.
- M
I have a couple great books that offer encouragement and inspiration, but I like the sound of A YEAR OF WRITING DANGEROUSLY and might have to look it up. You can never have too much inspiration, right?
I'm pretty philosophical about rejections, but have to admit I don't query very much so haven't accumulated many. Only one shook me up, and that was from the one agent I really, really would love to have worked with. My disappointment didn't stop me from writing, but it did make me put querying on the back burner for a long time and work harder at making my stories and synopses better.
Whenever I get discouraged I remember that every journey is made one step at a time. I'm not much of a jogger, so I'll just keep plodding along.
I hope everyone's last March Madness day is filled with lots of Easter blessings and one last bit of #wipmadness achievement.
Oh, so very, very true! You can't grow unless you do fail at some point. It's just hard when you do get those rejections. But I really do think I've learned from those rejections and hope that with each book I continue to grow as an author!
Thanks for posting!
I've been there too. After so many rejections, I think lately I've been not pushing myself as hard as I should to get this revision done. Why? I just remember not once, twice, but three times how many rejections I got. I really thought I'd have an agent by now. I almost did sign a couple times but they didn't work out. I just need to do it. Finish revision and start the whole process all over again. If anything it's been some of my NYT bestselling author friends who told me it wasn't that first, second, or even fifth book that was the 'one' but later on. One author friend summed it up, "I was a 10 plus year over night success."
Understand where you're coming from about today. I spent the day shopping for new washer/dryer/oven and also clothes for both son and husband. Busy day! Sometime you need to give yourself time to do other things. Then go back to writing!
Thanks for posting!
Then a beta reader gave me a great compliment along with her comments and I'm back in the saddle again, energized by a single person thinking my writing has merit. What a subjective business this is!
Yes, my mother in law hasn't been supportive of my writing but I realized that I'm writing for me and not her or anyone else. My own family though has been very supportive and encouraging.
It took me a while to realize that I don't need to have approval from any family member. If it's important enough for me, that's all that matters.
Cyber hugs to you as I totally know what you went through.
Yay on the positive feedback! All it takes is that one to give you that push to get back on the whole writing wheel. How exciting!
Thanks for posting!
Yes, the publisher had a small area. I almost missed it but saw the cover and was intrigued enough to stop, pick it up and ask if I could have one. I thought I had to buy it and I would have too. I'm almost pretty sure it was the author's editor who told me "Yes, please do take a copy!" I even spoke a little with them. I was excited as the author is a writing teacher at a college extension program similar to the one I went to for my own writing classes. I attended UC Irvine and totally LOVED my teacher.
Very exciting to hear about your own nonfiction book. I'm hoping to get a YABC review of your one nonfiction book up soon!