a.k.a writer

a.k.a writer

a written life | Jesaka Long

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Given all of the attention paid to best-selling books that were rejected multiple times, I wonder if an author can have a best-seller without being rejected. Perhaps more accurately, can anyone be a writer without rejection? Probably not. If you’re looking for good company, check out 10 Best-Selling Books That Were Originally Rejected.

October 21, 2011 — 1 Comment

On Rejection

August 2, 2011 — 1 Comment

Rejection is part of a writer’s life. We get that, but what do you do with it? Some use it to fuel determination, such as Kathryn Stockett with her now-famous rejection by 60 agents when she was querying for The Help.

Or you can turn it into inspiration, as did the two editors of Modern Love Rejects: All the Love That’s Not Fit to Print. Writers Kiri Blakeley and Samara O’Shea turned their rejections (yes, plural) from the NY Times Modern Love column into a blog whether other rejected writers—many with impressive clips—can showcase their essays. Even better than the essays is the author introductions, some of which highlight their specific rejection experiences. It’s clever way to turn “no thanks” into community. (Hat tip to Lisa Romeo for introducing me to Modern Love Rejects.)

UPDATE: I just saw this on Debbie Ohi’s twitter feed @inkyelbows and had to share. It’s her story of how a rejection got her a book deal. I encourage you to read the whole piece, but will give you one piece of advice on rejections from her post: “You never know what opportunities they’ll bring.”

What about you? Have you been inspired by a rejection? Please share in the comments. (To post a comment, you’ll have to click on the title of the post and then you’ll get a screen with just that post and a comment box.)

Cognitive Connection, July 9: Rejections, Post-MFA Life and Agent Interviews

July 9, 2010 — 2 Comments

Cognitive Connection. Thinking. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®While my friends in the Pacific Northwest are finally getting some summer sun and my friends on the East Coast are sweltering in the heat, it’s been cool and rainy in Denver. Quite reminiscent of Seattle, really. And it’s been a gift because it’s been the perfect weather for digging into revisions. By the end of next week, I could be kicking off a big copywriting project, so I’m trying to squeeze in as much writing as I can now.

With that, here a few Friday reads for you, including three new blogs worth checking out.

  • Rejected Onion I found this site through the Denver Egoist. Rejected Onion is a copywriter sharing the headlines that The Onion has rejected. A blog is certainly one way to deal with rejection.
  • SlushPile Hell Speaking of rejection, this blog is bound to make you feel better, no matter how many bathroom walls you can plaster with rejection letters. SlushPile Hell is an anonymous blog, with the tagline “a grumpy literary agent wades through query fails.”
  • Tapping into the Wild This is Kate Monahan’s new blog. I originally found her through her Writer’s Digest MFA Confidential blog, where she shared her experiences as a second year MFA student. Tapping into the Wild will be Kate’s chronicle of graduating from her writing program and diving into the “real world of writing.”
  • The Writer’s [Inner] Journey The 5-Question [Literary] Agent Interview: Anita Bartholomew If you’ve read much of my blog in the last few months, you’ll know I am a big fan of Meredith Resnick and her brain child The Writer’s [Inner] Journey. Meredith’s author interviews are always interesting because she asks compelling, thought-provoking questions. And the same is true of her literary agent interviews. If you enjoy this one with Anita Bartholomew, you can catch up on all the The 5-Question [Literary] Agent Interviews.

Your turn. Any opinions, blog posts or articles on writing you’d like to share? Post away in the comments below. Thanks!

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Cognitive Connection, May 21

May 21, 2010 — 2 Comments

Cognitive Connection. Thinking. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend in Denver and what am I going to be doing? Homework. Finishing critiques for a local workshop and diving into the pre-work required for the Aspen Summer Words Writers’ Retreat. At least maybe I can do it while soaking up some Vitamin D.

Here are a few reads for your weekend:

  • FreelanceFolder Would You Hire This Freelancer? It’s likely that you’ve already seen this, as it spread pretty quickly across Twitter. If you haven’t read it, this post is one client’s experience in hiring a freelancer. She shows you two responses (edited to protect the freelancer’s identity and rates) and tells you which one she hired. The shocking part for me was that she hired either one. Both responses had typos and grammatical errors; one was worse than the other. Would mistakes like that fly from a writer? Surely not.
  • Janice Erlbaum NoNaMeWriMo* (* Not National Memoir Writing Month) Although this post of Janice’s is from February, I just read it—and loved it. Any writer can appreciate the experience of writing and then trashing a full draft. It’s especially compelling for those of you working with memoir. And while you’re on her website, be sure to check out Janice’s book trailer for Have You Found Her. It’s one of the best I’ve seen.
  • The Atlantic Building a 21st Century Safety Net Writer Derek Thompson pens a powerful article on why “a 21st century workforce requires a different kind of safety net, with benefits that are more flexible, portable, personal.”

Your turn. Any great reads that you’d like to share with your fellow readers? Print counts, too, it doesn’t have to be something online. If you’re hooked on a new book or loved an article or essay in a magazine, include it here. Please share in the comments below. Thanks!

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I Can’t Hear You. Silence is Not an Answer.

March 18, 2010 — 3 Comments

Telephone rotary dial pictogram. Stock photo by hisks. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®Yesterday’s email began with an essay rejection. And the funny thing is, it made me happy. Why? Because the editor took time to communicate the publication’s decision. Thank you!

Now I’m not picking on publications. Silence in place of a “no” or “no, thank you” is becoming more common each day. Of course, I understand that people are doing the work of three co-workers who were laid off, or are struggling with budget cuts and limited resources. I never assume that someone is using silence to be deliberately rude.

But how hard is it to send even a form email that confirms a company isn’t going to hire you or a magazine isn’t going to publish your writing?

Several months ago, a writer wrote a lengthy blog piece with a title like “reject me, please!” His rant was that he misses the days when writers received rejection letters and emails. Today, he receives silence. The reason I’m not linking to the piece is because, once I read the comments, I realized that he never followed up with any editors. Never. He felt it was beneath him.

That is not my point. Whenever I submit an essay, I always make a note on my calendar to follow up. Why?

  • Because my original email could have landed in spam jail. On more than one occasion, an editor has thanked me for following up, adding that my second email prompted her to check her spam folder—and there I was.
  • Because it shows I’m a professional. It’s usually on my follow-up (either the first or second message after my original submission) that I will hear back. In most of my essay classes, my instructors have insisted that editors look for writers to check in and that it sets you apart from hobbyists.
  • Because it gives me a chance to reiterate I believe an essay is right for that publication, be it online or print.

I also follow up with prospective clients and clients. One of my favorite clients requires an unusually long time to provide feedback. We both know this and work around it. Still, I email one or both contact there every seven to 10 days just to make sure they know I haven’t forgotten them. Some copywriters would say that’s too much to expect of a freelancer. I say it’s worth it in this case. It’s helped develop a strong, lasting relationship.

What about you? Do you follow up on queries or essays? Do you think it’s a writer’s duty to check back with an editor or do you think it’s a drain on the editor? What about clients? Do you follow up on a regular basis or just wait for a response? Please share in the comments below.

(Extra Credit: For you seriously word nerd types, I tend to us AP Style. So let me know if you use it the same way. Follow-up for noun or adjective and follow up for verb.)

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