Monday, June 3, 2013

So you want to be a writer? Then you better get a thick hide.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a writer.

And for as long as I can remember I've had issues with rejection.

We all have them, really. But my issue is more pronounced since I was abandoned at birth, and for other reasons I'd rather not share, I feel rejection to the core.

Of all the occupations to long for, I managed to pick the one where rejection is more the norm than the exception. Especially when starting out.

If you want to be a writer, you're going to have to grow a thick hide. You're going to want to be a writer more than you hate the feeling of rejection.

I started submitting stories back in the 1970s (you know, when the ice was just beginning to thaw from the ice age). I received more rejection letters than acceptances. In fact, I'm not sure I received any acceptance letters from any magazines of major importance. But I continued to write. I enrolled in writing courses. I kept practicing the craft. The passion was still there. The rejections hurt, but my unction to write was stronger than that hurt.

I truly believe that it's not the most talented that get published but those that are the most persistent. It's the ones who refuse to give up and who are open to criticism and willing to learn how to master

their craft that make it.

Get yourself in a critique group that will filet you, and you'll learn to write well. It will do you no good to surround yourself with people who pat you on the back. Iron sharpens iron. Pens sharpen pens. Create an environment for yourself that stretches you and demands more from you.

Recently I was asked by a major magazine to do an article. I had longed to be published in such a magazine during the 1990s but my submissions were consistently rejected.

Now the magazine has come to me, not me to them.

I do not boast in myself. I only share this to say that it has nothing to do with my brilliance, but it does have to do with my work ethic and my willingness to learn all I can and to work like a dog. When I'm not doing something else, I'm writing. I'm not kidding. When I'm not writing, I'm usually researching or learning about writing. (I'm also a full-time college student, pastor's wife, Mama, caregiver of a mother-in-law with Alzheimer's...) But when I'm not doing those other things in my "other life," I'm working on my craft. I sacrifice personal free time to do so. (Naturally, in balance with keeping God my God and not putting the writing before Him.)


My point is this: Work Hard. Learn to take it on the chin. Grow a thick hide.

And never, never quit.


This post is cross-posted from Karla's Blog.  
 
 
 



13 comments:

  1. Thanks, Karla, for this encouraging and motivational item. Last but not least, thank you for making this zoo-oholic's day with the rhino picture. Of course, the ultimate questions: Should writers be browsers like black rhinos? Grazers like white rhinos? Or some of both like the Indian, Javan, and Sumartan subspecies?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And by the way, my suspicion is that the rhino pictured is the Indian variety. Those rhinos (and the smaller, rarer Javan) look like they have armor plating as this one does. (You learn something every day, right?)

      Delete
    2. Jeff, I had no idea you were such a zoologist! Rhino armor is pretty fascinating. One of the living dinosaurs. What I wish I could have seen were the wooly rhinos that wandered the ice age. To see them in cave drawings is fascinating isn't it? (France.) And I think I agree that we should graze and browse other writers -- good and bad -- in order to learn. Thanks for reading and posting and for the great zoological lesson1

      Delete
    3. Karla,

      I do remember wooly mammoths more than wooly rhinos. HOWEVER, the closest thing is the hairy and small Sumartan rhino, and they have them at the Cincinnati zoo. (They also have Indian and black rhinos there.)

      Delete
  2. Excellent article, Karla, and right on the mark. For too long, I let rejection letters rein in my submitting, if not my writing. I'm thankful to the Lord for leading me to ACFW and some excellent critique partners who know how to filet a piece while wearing velvet gloves. As you wrote, iron indeed sharpens iron. Thanks!

    Write on!
    Because of Christ

    (BTW, I like the rhino photo, too.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an excellent description of a good critique partner, Sharon -- "fileting while wearing velvet gloves." I love that. I will remember it when offering my critiques! I wouldn't be published were it not for my critique partners. It is hard in the beginning but once you get the hang of it you are so grateful for the input, right? Or should I say, write? :-)

      Delete
  3. Another strategy for easing the pain of criticism: I sometimes read reviews of books by multi-published authors. Some reviews glow with praise. Others bite to the bone. Criticism simply goes with the territory, and if it happens to authors with many books to their credit, then it will happen to anyone. No book pleases every type of reader.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rick, that's such a great idea. Everyone has an opinion about writing. I was reading a best-selling romance author the other day (not inspirational) to see what her "method" was (as she has been a best seller for decades) and the first chapter was nothing but descriptive back story. That sort of writing wouldn't see the light of day today, but because she has a lucrative following she's still published. The trick to accepting criticism is to decide whether it's valid or not. Sometimes I have to really dig deep when it's a subjective criticism to see if I agree or not. But more times than not, my crit partners are right on. Thanks for reading and your input!

      Delete
    2. I'll get on my soapbox with my pet peeve. I've seen books that have negative reviews because they're written from a Christian world-view. My favorite example is one book by Randy Singer, and the four one and two star reviews (a pair of each) all cited his Christian (and pro-life) views as being why it should get low ratings.

      Jeff

      Delete
  4. Great post, Karla! Love the "filet" comment--Were we really that hard?? Keep up the amazing work! Aloha! --Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheryl, everyone in our critique group (aside from me because I'm still learning) are awesome at finding things I need to fix! That's why I said it that way. I want keen eyes on my work and you all have them! Aloha, beautiful lady!

      Delete
  5. Great post, Karla. Congratulations on moving forward with your writing career. I very much agree that the persistent get a piece of the publishing pie and I'm about ready.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Write one, Mary!! Can't wait to see your part of the pie!

      Delete