Never Give Up

As a writer I encounter all kinds of people, often very well-meaning, who do or say things that I find discouraging. It might be a critique partner. It might be a contest judge. It might be a rejection letter. Writing for other people, rather than just for oneself, opens up a writer to all kinds of opportunity for heartache.

A friend of mine, after critiquing someone else’s writing, got back the complaint, “I feel like you just told me my baby is ugly.”

Whose fault is that? The critique partner? Maybe. She might have been un-diplomatic or un-gentle about her criticism. More likely it’s the fault of the writer for taking offense and worse, lashing out at her critique partner. If you can’t take criticism, you don’t have any business trying to get published. Sure it hurts. Sometimes, after years of writing, entering contests, and submitting, I still get my feelings hurt. I cry. I pout. I rage. I eat chocolate. Then I roll up my sleeves, take a second, and hopefully objective, look at the criticism, and ask myself if there’s any truth in their words. Sometimes no. Sometimes yes.

The point is to not give up. If, at some point in the race, you fall down and skin your knees, get up, dust yourself off, put on a Band-Aid, get a kiss from your Mommy (or whoever is in your corner cheering you on), and get back into the race.

Persistence will eventually pay off. And sweet victory will follow.

How do you know when to submit your writing?

How do you know then your book, short story or article is ready for submission???

That's the million-dollar question. And I get asked that often. It's probably different for everyone. I have three critique partners I really trust, so when I'm finished with the rough draft, and another couple of passes doing my own edits, I give it to them and let them critique it. While they have it, I totally step away and work on something else. Or read books by other authors. Or read “how to write” books, or take classes on writing. Then when they give me their comments, I read through them, implement the ones I agree with (not always all of them, but usually if there is something I disagree with, but they all said it, I take a hard look at it) and then I do a final read-through. Or two. Then I send it in. Although, often after I take a class, I get it back out and rework it.

I took this amazing class by Margie Lawson called "Deep Editing" that one of my critique partners recommended, and it's changed the way I edit. I wonder how much the quality will change between “The Stranger She Married,” which was not done using the Deep Edits system, and my novella, “Troubled Hearts” which is coming out next April. I’m just finishing edits on my current book, “The Guise of a Gentleman,” using that system, so I know it will be done as soon as I've finished with that system.

The trick is to not edit the life out of your work, otherwise you lose your personal author's "voice" and if you're not careful, letting a dozen critique partners have at it will kill your "voice" too. So find a few really good critique partners who give you valuable feedback without trying to change your voice.

In the beginning, I submitted my work to lots of contests - especially ones that offered in-depth critiques rather than just a score. Many of the judge's comments were extremely helpful as I was newly learning the craft of writing and they have helped me learn much I wouldn't have otherwise. Some of the judge's comments also didn't have a leg to stand on, so deciding what is valid and what isn't is a challenge, sometimes.

I have this fantasy that I've edited so much that it bears little resemblance to the original work. I still haven't sold it, but I keep trying. Recently, I spent a lot of time going over it using that edits system and putting back in the "voice" that I'd let fade due to over-editing. Then I started sending it out again. I'm trying to get an agent for it, but I've decided that if none of the four agents who have it now take it, I'm just going to submit it to my current publisher and write another one to use to break into the big time. I'm just sorta sick of it.

My editor has had to tell me a few times to that she loves that I'm a perfectionist, but I need to "cut the apron strings" so I clearly don't have that all figured out either. You just need to listen to your heart. And if it's beating too fast, go with your gut feeling.

Good luck figuring that one out!

Donna

Scared Witless

Maybe every author goes through this. Maybe I'm not the only one freaking out here. But if other authors ever felt the way I do, they've survived it with better grace that I am.

Tomorrow my first novel, The Stranger She Married, will be released in ebook. I'm excited. I'm terrified. I can hardly breathe.

At long last, a dream I've secretly nurtured since 7th grade is coming to fruition. I can't wait to see my name on the cover of a book. I've finally done it. All those critiques by contest judges and critique partners, all the disappointments and frustrations are finally about to be worth it.

And yet, what if no one buys it? And worse, what if no one LIKES it?

I've read some awful books that didn't deserve to be in print. I've read a bunch of mediocre books that I forgot about a few days later. The thought of being placed in one of those categories makes me break out into a cold sweat. But when I read other books by some of my favorite authors, I KNOW I'm not that good and I wonder what made me think I could ever write? And do I really want to make myself that open and vulnerable by publishing what I write? Will people see too much into my soul? Will they think nothing is there?

Oh, what in the world was I thinking?