REJECTION LETTERS: Don't Cry... Remember the Q*Tip!
Everyone from Stephen King to J.K. Rowling has received rejection letters. Congratulations, if you have one, you’ve made it into the exclusive club called “Writers”. Think of it as a right of passage. But why the Q-Tip, you ask?
Quit - Taking It Personally !
After many years in sales, I had a manager that made rejection actually bearable. He explained it so clearly and simply that I’ll share that tidbit with you today.
It’s just that simple. It’s business, not personal. But as writers, our work is personal, isn’t it? No. Bottom line – your manuscript truly is a product. Although we feel like each piece we create is like one of our own children, and no one wants to be told his baby is ugly, we’ve got to take a businessman mentality. Take your ego out of it.
Whether or not that agent or editor gives you personal feedback, or a standard rejection letter, here are the Top Four Reasons you may have gotten your manuscript rejected:
1. Glaring errors (spelling, punctuation, or grammar)
2. You didn’t do your homework – sent wrong genre/age group/word count, etc. to wrong
agent or editor. You didn’t follow the given submission guidelines.
3. They like your story’s concept but didn’t connect to your character’s “voice”.
4. They like your character’s “voice” but the story just wasn’t strong enough/developed
thoroughly.
Lastly, it simply may not have been that editor’s “cup of tea” so to speak. Maybe the subject matter just doesn’t interest them. It’s not you… it’s them! So remember this little acronym next time you’re feeling the rejection blues: Q*Tip!
© Tina P. Schwartz, July 2014
Everyone from Stephen King to J.K. Rowling has received rejection letters. Congratulations, if you have one, you’ve made it into the exclusive club called “Writers”. Think of it as a right of passage. But why the Q-Tip, you ask?
Quit - Taking It Personally !
After many years in sales, I had a manager that made rejection actually bearable. He explained it so clearly and simply that I’ll share that tidbit with you today.
It’s just that simple. It’s business, not personal. But as writers, our work is personal, isn’t it? No. Bottom line – your manuscript truly is a product. Although we feel like each piece we create is like one of our own children, and no one wants to be told his baby is ugly, we’ve got to take a businessman mentality. Take your ego out of it.
Whether or not that agent or editor gives you personal feedback, or a standard rejection letter, here are the Top Four Reasons you may have gotten your manuscript rejected:
1. Glaring errors (spelling, punctuation, or grammar)
2. You didn’t do your homework – sent wrong genre/age group/word count, etc. to wrong
agent or editor. You didn’t follow the given submission guidelines.
3. They like your story’s concept but didn’t connect to your character’s “voice”.
4. They like your character’s “voice” but the story just wasn’t strong enough/developed
thoroughly.
Lastly, it simply may not have been that editor’s “cup of tea” so to speak. Maybe the subject matter just doesn’t interest them. It’s not you… it’s them! So remember this little acronym next time you’re feeling the rejection blues: Q*Tip!
© Tina P. Schwartz, July 2014
SLICE & DICE ARTICLES:
|
Writing in the Car Can DRIVE Your Success!Where do you do your best writing? Is it with a notepad at your local coffee shop? Perhaps you bring your laptop to the library and stare at the blinking cursor in frustration. I find that the best way to work on writing, at least my fiction writing, is in the car. As a mother of three, I’m constantly driving here and there. Most of my time is spent waiting. I can spend three hours a day, just going around my small town, in the same five-mile circuit. That is valuable time where I can work out plot lines, problems with secondary characters, eliminate or create entire scenes. As a writer, you can use “down time” in your car in the same fashion.
The first main KEY is to turn the radio off! That’s right, it’s almost like meditation, in a way. The silence can be deafening at first, but once you let your mind wander, it will start going to that world you’ve created in the form of a novel. Personally, I have a post-it pad that pops out of the holder like a tissue box. I just pull one off, and another one pops up. At a stop light, I can jot down a few words to remind me of my stream of thought. Some people even get a small, inexpensive, voice recorder, or use their cell phones, to record a few thoughts. (Of course, this may not be possible any more with hand-held devise laws.) But still, you can work things out in your mind while driving in silence. Before beginning each novel I write, I have to really formulate a main storyline in my head. I let it percolate before I even write a short, basic, outline. I spend hours writing in my head before I put pen to paper, or touch a single key on my keyboard. So if you’re trying to find 15 minutes a day to write, let alone several hours, don’t wait until you can get everyone in the house settled down, and actually go to a quiet place to sit at a computer. Use the time you spend running errands, road-tripping, or wherever your car takes you, to get that novel going. You may not realize it, but even if you work a typical 9-to-5 job each day, commuting – especially in rush hour – is a GREAT way to get in that much needed writing time. Do yourself a favor, and turn off that radio! Get lost in your own thoughts. By doing that you’ll add hours to your writing time each week, and be done with your story-telling much quicker. If you’ve ever heard of Na-No-Wri-Mo, you’ll know that it’s a “Write a Novel in 30 Days” challenge that many authors do each November. Using the “writing in the car” technique may be just the idea you need to finally succeed! Good luck and happy writing! © Tina P. Schwartz, 2014 |
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions for Tina P.
Q: What was your favorite book growing up?
A: When I was very little it was GO DO GO! By Dr. Seuss; then as I grew older is was THE OUTSIDERS
by S.E. Hinton.
Q: Did you read a lot as a kid?
A: When I grew up I was a very slow reader, and therefore didn’t enjoy it very much. But as I got older I just kept practicing. I tried to find authors whose work I enjoyed, and before I knew it I was reading all the time!
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Pink
Q: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
A: I love to spend time with my family going to their sporting events or playing board games or being outside.
Q: What are the THREE most important things to do if you want to become a writer?
1. It is VERY important to read… read and write every day, train like an athlete!
2. Share your work…Let people read what you’ve written and get their feedback (critique) of your writing. Most of being a writer is RE-writing (or editing) your work!
3. Practice every day. Whether you write in a journal, send e-mails, make a blog, draw pictures that tell a story, etc. Just work on getting something down on paper (or computer) each day.
Q: Can you come to my school to visit?
A: I’d love to! See “bio / services” TAB of website for details!
A: When I was very little it was GO DO GO! By Dr. Seuss; then as I grew older is was THE OUTSIDERS
by S.E. Hinton.
Q: Did you read a lot as a kid?
A: When I grew up I was a very slow reader, and therefore didn’t enjoy it very much. But as I got older I just kept practicing. I tried to find authors whose work I enjoyed, and before I knew it I was reading all the time!
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Pink
Q: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
A: I love to spend time with my family going to their sporting events or playing board games or being outside.
Q: What are the THREE most important things to do if you want to become a writer?
1. It is VERY important to read… read and write every day, train like an athlete!
2. Share your work…Let people read what you’ve written and get their feedback (critique) of your writing. Most of being a writer is RE-writing (or editing) your work!
3. Practice every day. Whether you write in a journal, send e-mails, make a blog, draw pictures that tell a story, etc. Just work on getting something down on paper (or computer) each day.
Q: Can you come to my school to visit?
A: I’d love to! See “bio / services” TAB of website for details!