Whatever made you decide to write?

[marylahree]

April, somewhere I read that Steven King became discouraged (like you) and tossed his story 'Carrie' (as in the famous movie) in the trash after he ripped it up. Aren't we all so grateful that his wife had the wisdom to dig it back out and use tape? She thought it just needed fleshed out some, as I recall. You've come this far, what's another query package, or two, or .....?

[aprilg]

Hi Marylahree,

Thanks for the good vibes. Yeah, sometimes I think it's basic "I can't be bothered" tinged with fear. I get rejects on my short stories all the time, and I'm too lazy to send to magazines that don't have electronic submissions. That way I can sit down and in one afternoon get them all out after a bunch have been rejected.

I could just send query packages only to the publishers that have on-line submissions. That would cut down on the whole print out, xerox manuscript (and they all have a different takes on what they want, first three chapters or first 60 pages) have return postcards ready, and then haul them all to the post office.

I did set a goal for myself to research and locate at least 20 more publishers. Ugh. I'm the type who likes to finish what I started, although I kissed my Ph.D. thesis goodbye a long time ago.

And there's this question of whether I should submit to a place that won't pay me an advance. I don't trust them, but at least it would be published.

Maybe if I keep visualizing that first book in print.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement!

[marylahree]

Aprilg, I posted back to you about this earlier and for some reason my reply does not seem to have taken. I can understand how a writer can get to feeling a little down at times. I wrote what I believed was a good, informative article, was supposed to be paid for it on one of the net websites. Wow, I was paid a whole $00.08! LOL But it was an effort to overcome my reluctance to let outsiders read my work, and it was an experience. I can laughingly say in honesty now, that I am a published (internet) author.

Okay, you've gotten 14 rejection letters and if you tried again you might get 14 more. But you might not - and that's what to focus on. At least that's the feedback I tend to see here, and I think it's probably right. Because, won't it be great when you can pull your work off of your local library's shelf? Not everyone wears knit sweaters. But some do. Those are the one's you're looking for.

I'm curious, did you ask trusted family or friends to give you feedback as you wrote your novels? I believe that can be helpful in letting a writer see areas of strengths and weaknesses, and in assuring a writer when a work really is good. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see that as the same as editing, not unless editing is also to determine a work's ability to hold interest throughout.

[marylahree]

Oh, now I see my original post - and your reply to it. I'm glad to read that you haven't given up. I don't believe you should. Is there a way to check about the integrity of the places that don't pay in advance?

I wonder, do you edit professionally?

Smiles, Mary

[aprilg]

marylahree said:

Aprilg, I posted back to you about this earlier and for some reason my reply does not seem to have taken. I can understand how a writer can get to feeling a little down at times. I wrote what I believed was a good, informative article, was supposed to be paid for it on one of the net websites. Wow, I was paid a whole $00.08! LOL But it was an effort to overcome my reluctance to let outsiders read my work, and it was an experience. I can laughingly say in honesty now, that I am a published (internet) author.

LOL. That's great

Okay, you've gotten 14 rejection letters and if you tried again you might get 14 more. But you might not - and that's what to focus on. At least that's the feedback I tend to see here, and I think it's probably right. Because, won't it be great when you can pull your work off of your local library's shelf? Not everyone wears knit sweaters. But some do. Those are the one's you're looking for.

I'm curious, did you ask trusted family or friends to give you feedback as you wrote your novels? I believe that can be helpful in letting a writer see areas of strengths and weaknesses, and in assuring a writer when a work really is good. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see that as the same as editing, not unless editing is also to determine a work's ability to hold interest throughout.

I did have a support network for my second novel because I was writing it while taking on-line classes with Gotham Writing Workshop.

I'm used to feedback. Before dropping my writing for 13 years, I took writing at The New School and was part of a writer's workshop composed of people who had taken the class.

My re-entry to writing four years ago was as a popular Harry Potter Fanfic writer. And I received tons of feedback from my readers. But for original works, you can't post them on the internet if you ever wish to sell them because they are then considered already published.

I did three semesters of Gotham writers and had a yahoo group composed of alumni, but they wrote less and less and after a while I felt like I was talking to myself. However, I have one very good friend who reads everything I write, and another friend who is still interested in helping me polish my query package for the novel which I did get quite a few people to read.

Thanks so much for your taking the time to write to me about this. I was able to complete two of the short stories I started so long ago, and I think I will do the Nanowrimo again this year!

Hugs!

[aprilg]

marylahree said:

Oh, now I see my original post - and your reply to it. I'm glad to read that you haven't given up. I don't believe you should. Is there a way to check about the integrity of the places that don't pay in advance?


I think there's a group which keeps a list of publishers that have burnt writers. But I don't know where it is.

I wonder, do you edit professionally?

I'm the Editor for our parenting group's electronic newsletter, but I don't get paid for it so I don't think I'm a pro. I used to beta other fanfic writers so I have had experience though.

Smiles, Mary

April

[Steven Barnes]

Self doubt kills more dreams than insomnia. Write a story about a writer plagued by self doubt, and see how you resolve their problem...

[aprilg]

Thanks for the idea, Steve. Will do!

[Steven Barnes]

Write because you love it, or because you absolutely have to. I can think of no other reasons that make sense.

[nancylebovitz]

AprilG, stories published online can and do get picked up by publishers, with _Old Man's War_ by John Scalzi being the most striking example.