How to Handle Rejection as a Writer
I’ve spoken to rooms full of writers and have looked into the eyes of many who fear the very real possibility of receiving a rejection letter for their novels or nonfiction works. Writing is an emotional business in which people invest heavily in very personal and meaningful ideas and characters.
Rejection is just about the worst thing a writer can imagine besides publishing a book that is hated by readers and critics. Both possibilities sound pretty terrible, but rejection is the one thing that every writer who hopes to publish a book or article has to face from the start.
Even well-known authors with a history of successful books have to sometimes face rejection. Legendary Christian writer Frederick Buechner has published shelves worth of fiction and nonfiction, but even his latest book, The Yellow Leaves, was rejected by his life-long publisher. He had to take it elsewhere before landing a book deal.
Rejection is a real issue that every writer has to deal with in one way or another.
I had intended to write this series last week, but a few other projects and a persistent head cold pushed it back to this week. Tune in tomorrow, and I’ll discuss the nature of rejection in the business of writing.
Writing: The Good, the Bad, and the Rejected: #3 The Good
I had every intention of wrapping up this series last week. However, we traveled to visit some family on Friday and I forgot to share my final post in this series.
In my last post I shared the down side of writing, but don’t worry. There are plenty of perks and good days as well.
A Flexible Schedule
Many writers will say they enjoy the flexible schedule of writing. Though they’ll have plenty of deadlines to meet, they can organize their schedules as they see fit. This requires planning, discipline, and boundaries (lest writing overtake one’s personal life), but it can pay off when articles can written on a beach or at a lake house. Travel or unexpected visits need not throw a project off course since writers can move their schedules in order to capitalize on opportunities.
Fellow Writers and Publishing Professionals
Fellow writers not only provide invaluable help, they also prove to be friends and colleagues who share your struggles and frustrations. They can generously help with marketing ideas and promotions, as well as with expert advice and feedback. Publishing professionals you meet along the way may connect you with key editors or opportunities. In addition, once you’ve experienced a little success, it’s always a joy to help fellow writers, who are passionate about their work, succeed.
The Creative Rush
Some morning the words fall into place, shaping excellent ideas, apt metaphors, and thrilling scenes. There is a rush that sweeps over writers when everything clicks. While hard times will come, there is nothing like nailing a story, knowing you’ve succeeded in crafting a unique piece of writing.
Helping Reading
While negative reviews and feedback will come, more often than not readers will only contact you to share how you’ve helped, inspired, or entertained them. Creating another world or clearly sharing a fresh idea that helps another person makes writing incredibly rewarding. I keep positive feedback in mind when I set out on new projects because I hope to continue helping readers with each new project.
Next Week’s Series: Why It’s OK for Writers to Fail
Interested in learning more about book publishing?
Check out my new book A Path to Publishing: What I Learned by Publishing a Nonfiction Book.
Writing: The Good, The Bad, and the Unpublished: #2 The Bad
Like any other work, writing has its drawbacks and bad days. I don’t mention these aspect of the profession by way of bad-mouthing it, complaining, or fishing for sympathy. I’m much more interested in helping new writers approach this line of work with eyes wide open and to let fellow writers know they are not alone with their struggles.
Speaking of which, let’s start with the bad news about writing and publishing. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the good parts of writing, but for now, we’ll look at some of the drawbacks:
Excessive Loneliness and Introspection
Depending on your personality type, the solitude of writing can become a bit much if you don’t have enough interaction with other people. While time alone is the daily bread most writers need, they also need the feedback of others and interaction with fellow writers and some non-writers. Writing is a lonely task that can become difficult unless appropriate attention is paid to this aspect of the work.
Rejection and Critique
There are so many reasons why a submission or proposal may be rejected, but even so, writing often means not only the disappointment of rejection, but the lost investment of time in an article or book that may never be published. Even if a piece is accepted, publication is not guaranteed. Even if it is published, editors will surely critique it and may even suggest changes you may not want to make. These are typical for the profession and cannot be avoided, so prepare for it and over time you’ll learn to work with it.
Low to Zero Pay
If you’ve ever looked through Craig’s List for work as a writer, the payment offered sometimes can be insulting. In all seriousness some postings ask for hours of work and offer only $10 or $20 for the whole project. Writers at this point in time have, generally speaking, an under-valued skill set. With the exception of niche web sites such as technology and politics, there isn’t all that much money, if any, to be had with online publishing either (though there are exceptions of course).
In addition, many magazines looking to scrape by have had to drop their payments to writers, while book publishers are also under pressure to lower their advances. This means that writers need to think like entrepreneurs who cannot survive unless they also branch into more lucrative aspects of writing such as copywriting, technical writing, or advertising. Others have specialized in social media seminars, speaking on their book topics, and other business ventures to help pay the bills. Very few writers these days are able to earn a full-time living from their writing books and magazine articles.
The Difficulties of Building a Good Platform
And speaking of speaking, many writers looking to publish a nonfiction book will first need a large enough platform to guarantee book sales. Some agents say that this may soon apply to fiction writers as well. There are some easy ways to build a platform, but the most meaningful way to build a platform requires the hard work of seeking out speaking engagements, book events, and other media appearances.
If you think a rejection letter is tough to take, try calling a few libraries to ask if you can speak about your book. While some libraries have been receptive, others have acted as if I was an axe murderer asking to lop off the heads of a few kids during story hour. I understand that most organizations have limited space and capacity, and as such they cannot accommodate every writer who calls looking for an event.
However, writers need to prepare themselves for something worse than the word “No” when they call around looking for speaking events. You will sometimes be eyed with suspicion, doubt, and even annoyance. You will sometimes be told by book store owners that you’re not popular enough, that not enough people are interested in your topic, and that no one gives a damn about you or your book. That is FAR worse than reading, “I’m sorry we can’t accept your book at this time.”
I’m not bitter about these experiences, but I think writers need to speak frankly about the difficulties that come with building a good platform that reaches a lot of readers. While I love speaking to groups about my works, getting to that point will include some difficult and deflating conversations.
Doubt
Doubts haunt every writer, even those who are successful. I recently read an interview with Gregory MacGuire, the author of Wicked and several other bestselling books, and he shared that he is plagued by doubts and the fear of failure at the start of every new book project. Writers tend to fear their current work isn’t good enough, regardless of past success.
It’s Not All Bad
While some of these aspects of the writing life may sound quite bad, take heart. There is a up side to writing. We’ll discuss that tomorrow.
Writing: The Good, the Bad, and the Unpublished: #1 Costs and Rewards
Writing is a tough business with tremendous rewards. It is one of the few professions in which a person can share something intensely personal, expose it to public criticism, and receive rejection over and over again.
There are enormous costs and challenges to writing, and yet many continue to dream about publishing a book some day because the rewards seem to outweigh the costs. In my own experience the rewards and goals can be difficult to quantify at times, and the challenges are sometimes larger and more complex than I could have imagined.
While it is wonderful to read the responses of readers who have been positively influenced by my writing, there are plenty of rejection letters and critiques that come along the way. That strikes me as the norm for most writers, and so it becomes a matter of managing the ups and downs of the writing life.
In addition, writing is a profession in which we can expect to make mistakes. There is a very real learning curve, and some will figure it out faster than others.
This week I want to speak frankly about my good and the bad experiences in the writing and publishing world. I hope that this series will provide a little guidance to those new to publishing, while also letting other writers know they’re not the only ones who have received crushing e-mails and plunged into the seeming depths of despair.
Tomorrow I’ll start with a post discussing the bad parts of writing and publishing.
Next Week’s Series, Writing: The Good, the Bad, and the Unpublished
Over the past few weeks I’ve hit a couple highs and lows, which are to be expected when writing. However, I wonder how many would-be writers or writing hopefuls know what exactly they’re in for when they seek to be published?
Next week I’m turning off the sarcasm control and speaking straight up about my experiences as a writer and what I really think. I hope to share what to expect, how to prepare a little better for the tough times, and why a writer such as myself keeps plugging away.
Without falling into ranting or complaining, I think there is a lot to be said about the lot of writers in today’s economy. In addition, for those envisioning their writing as a kind of vocation or ministry, we’ll touch on that a bit.
See you on Monday.
My Next Book Release: The Lost Tweets of Jesus
It is with great pride that I announce the release of my next book project. Titled The Lost Tweets of Jesus: Uncovering the World’s Greatest Ancient Digital Mystery, this work of carefully researched contextual theology explores the teachings of Jesus in brief, 140-character tweets.
Never before has one book composed such a culturally bound exploration of the words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth, or @NazarethJesus.
Though Jesus never wrote a book, he certainly communicated much to his disciples. If he had Twitter, there is no doubt that he would have used it. This book is committed to a fresh exploration of Jesus through 140-character tweets, uncovering the digital legacy in this work of ancient digital linguistic social media archeology.
Based loosely on a few events in the Gospel of Mark, The Lost Tweets of Jesus encounters the life of Jesus through a series of tweets that incarnate the Messiah into today’s technology.
This book is a free download that is perfect for study or meditation during Holy Week. If you’re interested in interviewing me regarding this stunning new release, please consult my publicity kit.
Incidentally, I have also released a free ebook of meditations on the Gospel of Mark titled: Prepare the Way of the Lord.
Five Things I Learned about Writing for Magazines: #5 Read Sample Queries
Today I’m wrapping up my series on writing for magazines with some final thoughts on writing a query letter to an editor…
Whether searching online or checking a version of Writer’s Market, find examples of query letters and study the art of writing a solid query. While you may think that brainstorming a good idea or writing a great article make a query letter an afterthought, think again.
You need to impress an editor, who receives hundreds of these things, with both your idea and your ability to write about it effectively for his/her audience. The competition is fierce, so make sure you stack the deck in your favor.
Don’t send the query until you’ve check it for errors or vague points. I have run through my queries with a fine-tooth comb and still find mistakes and oversights that may have hurt my chances at acceptance. In fact, wait
Five Things I Learned about Writing for Magazines: #4 Start Small
Having sent out my fair share of queries that evaporate into inbox oblivion, I’ve learned that shooting for the stars at the start often leads to poor results. While publishing hopefuls shouldn’t rule out pitching major stories or feature articles, there is an order to the magazine world that should be taken into account.
When aiming for print or online magazines that pay, you’ll be pleased to learn that many of them have established simple ways for writers to break in. So provided you give up on landing your first query on the front page, many magazine guidelines will tell you which departments are most open to new writers.
These may range from a series of quotes, to a short 100-200 page anecdote, to a 500-word “how-to” piece on a specific topic. By writing these short break-in pieces you’ll minimize the amount of time you have to invest in writing queries that may not sell.
Once you’ve established your reputation with an editor, showing that you can write relevant pieces for his/her audience, improves the chances of your future queries. In addition, the process of writing a short piece for a specific magazine will make it easier to write targeted pitches in the future.
Five Things I Learned about Writing for Magazines: #3 Read the Guidelines… Carefully
After you’ve read the magazines you’re hoping to query, make a careful study of their guidelines. These are usually listed on the magazine’s web site.
This is a no-brainer in one sense, but as I write for more magazines, I’ve learned to pay attention to particular clues. Clues that I had been missing when I first started sending queries to the poor editors…
You should already have a familiarity with the magazine’s sections, but while reading the guidelines pay particular attention to how the magazine is organized. There typically will be longer feature articles and then a series of recurring, shorter articles.
Take note of which topics are typically handled by the magazine’s staff, what their current interests are, and whether or not they have a separate theme list. Stay on-topic, give the editors exactly what they want, and follow their guidelines with paranoid precision.
In addition, pay attention to any tips or clues they may provide for new writers. They just may provide you with an easy way to break in—which is what we’ll address tomorrow.
Five Things I Learned about Writing for Magazines: #2 Read the Magazines You Want to Query
If you’ve accumulated some writing credits, you’re ready to begin planning out your queries to magazines that do pay well. Don’t forget about the non-paying, high quality magazines (for example, there’s Patrol and Next-Wave in my own Christian market). They have their place in building your marketing platform if you hope to sell books or to accumulate writing credits. However, you can now broaden your scope.
I’ve heard many editors say that you need to read their magazine before sending them a query. While that makes sense, the typical writer doesn’t have time to pour over the past twelve issues for fifteen different magazines. However, most writers should be able to read at least four or five editions (if not more) of four or five magazines, especially when some of them are available online. Choose wisely as you begin, and then add to your inventory of magazines you read regularly as you query more of them.
Still, the question remains, Why? Does it really make that big of a difference if the guidelines are listed online?
In a word, yes.
Besides simply knowing what a magazine is looking for topically, reading a magazine clues you in on the kinds of stories the magazine accepts, the angle most writers take, and the expectations of readers. For example, after reading about six issues of a regional magazine I began to think of solid story ideas that one editor purchased right away.
When you’ve read a magazine the query ideas will come faster and you’ll write better queries that appeal to editors. Perhaps you could hammer out a decent query after a few hours of staring at the guidelines, but investing a similar amount of time in reading the magazine will result in better queries that are far more likely to be accepted.
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