IMHO,
a little known fact is that writers are among the strongest people on earth. I’m not talking Arnold Schwarzenegger or
Sylvester Stallone strong here, more the quiet, unrelenting kind of strength
that has little to do with brawn and a lot to do with brain. To keep the actor analogy going, I mean writers
are more like Russell Crowe or Patrick Stewart in the roles they typically
favor—quiet, thoughtful, resilient and, most of all, determined. Writers, too, are
determined. They’re hell-bound to get
that manuscript published, no matter how long it takes, no matter how many
rewrites they have to produce, or what the cost in sleepless nights or dry days
when the Muse has fled.
They will not
give up.
Case in point:
A multi-published author friend recently had a story submitted to a major publisher. She had polished the book until it shone, so
her hopes were high, but realistically so.
After all, she’d honed her craft over the years and earned a good degree
of acceptance in the marketplace. Long
story short, the book was rejected. What
smarted wasn’t the rejection so much but the cold way it was expressed.
On the phone to me my writer friend said, “The only
thing he liked was the typing.” Her
attempt at gallows humor over a book she thought could be her break-through
novel was as gutsy as going 5 rounds. So
what did she do? She plucked what was
usable from the harsh comments and went back to work on the manuscript.
I suspect this tale or a variation thereof is
familiar to anyone who takes his craft seriously. The name of the game is rejection. No wonder we who write have the hides of
rhinoceri. Well, that’s what Oil of
Overcome is for. You slather it on and
keep on writing.
Let the Terminator beat that.
Which leaves me with a question: Have you ever been temped to give up and
throw your manuscript against a wall—but didn’t? Why not?
Jean Harrington is the author of the award-winning Murders
by Design Series. The tongue-in-cheek,
Naples-set stories are available here:
5 comments:
Ha! "Oil of Overcome" -- love it! As for giving up, well, heck, once a year, at least. I look around, realize that millions of people are perfectly happy not writing, and I could try it, too. Never works. I always go back. Good post, Jean.
Thanks, Marcelle, I'm a "back" slider too.
I guess I write because I have to. I'm one of those crazy people who love all my stories. I do wonder why I'm torturing myself with the publishing part. Ugg. Hope your friend saved that rejection so when she sells a gillion books she can let everyone know what that guy said.
I can't help but write...it just feels right!! I have so many stories clamoring to get out, I wish I could write fast enough to keep my muse happy. Alas, I am slow, but as you say...DETERMINED. Great post.
Good for your friend! I think we've all been there at least once.
Pass the Oil of Overcome (love that phrase)
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