Blasted Rejections! ~ by Patricia Toht

In the past few weeks I've seen multiple posts about manuscript rejections. 

Thanks to Charles M. Schulz,
we know how Snoopy deals with rejection!

Why, I wonder? Has there been a burst of replies? Perhaps agents have hit a response window for submissions sent as the New Year began. Perhaps editors are clearing their desks in preparation for spring sales meetings or the Bologna Book Fair. Or perhaps writers have assumed a rejection after sending manuscripts into the Black Hole of Publishing -- "You won't hear from us unless we're interested" -- and enough time has passed to consider them dead in the publishing pool.

Whatever the reason, some terrific advice is being offered in the blogosphere: 

On the Institute of Children's Literature site, Jan Fields welcomes you to her "Pity Party." Among the many fine points she discusses, Jan reminds us is that "rejections are about specific manuscripts in specific situations." 

I learned this lesson at the 2014 SCBWI LA Conference. An editor admitted that she had passed on Pat Zietlow Miller's picture book, SOPHIE'S SQUASH. She just didn't connect with the manuscript. Well, the author was at the same conference, accepting her Golden Kite Award for SOPHIE'S SQUASH, which had been published by Schwartz and Wade and received four starred reviews!


Tara Lazar offers an extensive list of "Common Rejections and What They Mean."  My latest rejection, just last week, was a form rejection. That's my second least-favorite type of rejection, with nothing constructive to offer. (For my least favorite, refer to the Black Hole, above ^^^.) But in the past year, I've also heard "It's too quiet," "It's not right for us at this time," and "I didn't quite connect with this in the way I'd hoped." Tara de-mystifies these phrases in her post. Check it out.

So, how do you feel about rejections? I usually feel like this:

Photo by Lawrence Whittemore.

Often, a wise quote is enough to lift my spirits.

"Fall seven times, stand up eight." ~ Japanese proverb

"So you're taking a few blows. That's the price for being in the arena and not on the sidelines." ~ The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ~ Thomas Edison

But sometimes my funk is deep. When that happens, I often pull out an old buddy of a book to get me through. BIRD BY BIRD: SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON WRITING AND LIFE by Anne Lamott always makes me laugh and reminds me that even a successful writer has a multitude of demons. And yet she also has a path out, step by step, bird by bird.

Recently, I also looked over my copy of
 THE WRITER'S BOOK OF HOPE: GETTING FROM FRUSTRATION TO PUBLICATION, by Ralph Keyes. The author devotes an entire chapter on "Keeping Hope Alive." I love some of his suggestions:


1) Build a Consolation File -- a collection of information about famous writers who were repeatedly rejected, like JK Rowling, Dr Seuss, and Madeline L'Engle. Author websites can also offer insight and reassurance, such as Dan Gutman's rejection letters for HONUS & ME.

2) Study the acknowledgements in novels. Ralph Keyes says that these often confirm that the author was discouraged while writing their book, they received support from encouraging people in their lives, and that support helped them complete the book and get it published. 

3) Attend conferences and courses. Because writers are often so isolated, this will help you see that you are not alone in your feelings and frustrations, nor in your odd work habits. (How many of you write in your jammies? C'mon...be honest...) You can join SCBWI, or meet with a critique group. Be part of a Facebook community. Connect through blogs. Find your peeps. ('Tis the season for Peeps!)

4) Indulge in dubious motives for writing. Do you ever write to satisfy your ego? Do you write to express anger? I admit that I'd love to send a published book of mine to the college professor who told me I was a lousy writer and should give it up. That usually riles me up enough to start working again!

Ralph Keyes offers several other ways to keep despair at bay and hope alive. (Chapter 9 in my edition.)

Rejection stinks. Someone doesn't like your baby. You have every right to feel crabby and blue. Just don't let it derail you. If all else fails, make a game of it. Heather Ayris Burnell has invited the Sub It Club to play Rejection Bingo with Kirsten Larson. Now that's a great way to deal with rejection!

How do you deal with rejection?

Details, Details, Details!

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By Janie Reinart

The power of a story is in the details. Annie Lamott, in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, says all you have to do is write down as much as you can see through a one-inch picture frame.

 I agree. Focus and give the readers something concrete to hold in their mind and to see with their imagination. Ralph Fletcher, in What a Writer Needs tells us, "Writing becomes beautiful when it becomes specific." 
 
Before my young authors write, I ask them to close their eyes and picture a treasure chest. Next, I direct them to open that treasure chest in their mind and take out three things. I mention the three objects should be something you can hold in your hand that remind you of the person or place you are writing about. The possibilities are endless: a ring, a hat, a piece of candy, the scent from a perfume bottle, a musical instrument, or something in nature.

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Before writing her poem, B. told me about the memory of her mom leaving their home. When I asked what do you remember, B. said mom wore a black coat with only one button. That detail helps us connect with the poignancy of her poem. 

Mom  
by B. in 2^nd grade

Mom you light up

Like the sun

I remember you

With your black coat

Your black button

You called me sweet girl

You and me

Cooked pizza

I cried and cried

Til you came back

I love you mom

I don’t want to cry

Some more

Anthony wanted to write about listening to music with his Grand Dad after school. I asked for specifics and found out the kind of music Grand Dad loved.  Anthony's poem helps us to know his grandfather.

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To My Grand Dad 

By: Anthony in 2nd grade

My Grand Dad

Listens to Jazz

Smooth and neat

As a clarinet

Eats steak

So tasty and juicy

It makes his mouth water

Sits outside

Sun bleached

Feeling cozy

Glad because

He has the day off

Open your treasure chest of details and write something beautiful! We would love to have you post your short poem in the comments to share with us.