AUTHOR'S CORNER;

WHAT DOESN'T KILL ME...

Dear friends, readers and of course, fellow writers!  It may have come to your attention lately that I have not been blogging enough, and the blogs that I have endeavoured to post out have been somewhat depressing!  Yes it is true, I have been having a rough time lately!  Not only has a dear relative been taken ill, but the last two months have seen a conveyor belt of adorable rejections from literary agents; all professing that although my work is good and has qualities, (and I've already got two novels published) they would actually rather pass!  If the story is good and the quality of the writing is good and there is humour and sprite in the pace, then what could possibly be the problem???  Oh yeah, it's different to mainstream.....duh!  Of course the market could not possibly endure something different, entertaining and engaging, no, no, let's stick to the same old, same old!!!! I mean, why not add another romance, or thriller or vampire trilogy novel to the mix?  Nobody wants to see anything new, right?  Wrong!! 

OKAY, THAT'S MY RANT OUT OF THE WAY, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE DECIDED!

After a lengthy period of tearful regression and soggy tissues, followed by nights of gorging on ice creams whilst watching repeats of Friends, I have decided to embrace my period of depression with a new found defiance.  

Because giving up would be a big mistake!  And letting somebody's opinion change mine would be a tragedy!  And sometimes a writer has to accept that although their writing may be good, unique even, it may not be the right time to write that best seller yet!  Here are a few pointers to help my fellow writers facing the rejection conveyor belt:

Don't despair, despair only brings about writer's block and that's not good my friends!  Remember even if they don't know it yet, you know you can write well!

It may sometimes feel like you are literally putting yourself through suicidal hoops trying to become a writer; the agent and publisher being the firing squad, don't think about it in those terms. One day someone will not shoot you down!

Sometimes rejections can make you feel small, idiotic and a bit of a clown.  Please don't doubt yourself; if you had the guts to think you can write, then you probably can, you just need to get someone's attention!

Keep sending manuscripts, keep banging at the literary doors!  Somebody is bound to open, even if it is out of curiosity!

And yes, you may get fobbed off with stupid letters which tell you that your story was just wonderful, but for some unknown reason they will pass! Look on the bright side, at least they thought your writing was good!

  

Remember, most literary agents are literally drowning in hopeful manuscripts and are actually more likely to decline anything different that lands on their desks!  They sort of want to make their jobs easier by having a sure bet!  

And you can get as angry as you like, it will be like pouring water into a sieve!  You need to keep your cool about you, shrug it off and send out more manuscripts!

And no, crying won't help you either!  There, there!

And if only all of us could reply to agents like this!  But seriously, no, don't try this!!

So my advice, be brave, be strong, be fearless!  Rejections will come, by the thousands and acceptance will also come, though maybe not by the thousands, maybe one or two!  But my point is, anyone who endeavours to become a successful writer will tell you that it is a very long road, a competitive one, a road which should only be travelled by the thick skinned!  And remember, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!  

And if all else fails.....