SEVEN GREAT THINGS ABOUT REJECTION, Lynette Rees

You hear the letter box flap going early in the morning, there on the doormat is the envelope you have been waiting for. An article or short story you submitted two months ago has now been read by an editor. You pray for an acceptance. On opening the envelope, the words: 'was not suitable for this magazine' jump out at you. Your piece was rejected. You feel a lump in your throat, and think: What's the point? But hang on a moment, aren't you jumping to conclusions? Who says that rejection is a bad thing? Now don't get angry with me, I've been there, done that and bought the T-shirt. Read on if you
want to find out why rejection can be a good thing...


1. It enables you to improve on your work.

When I look back at some of the short stories I submitted to magazines three years ago, I can see why they were rejected. I made silly grammatical errors, my sentences were way too long, plus my stories were a trifle cliché. Since then I've taken several creative writing classes, locally and on-line. * Tip - Join a creative writing class or critique group.

2. Rejection doesn't necessarily mean your article/story is no good.

It may be simply that the editor has just published a similar piece to yours, so it could be just a matter of timing. Try submitting to other markets and if you get rejected more than a few times then try revising your piece. Another reason for rejection could be that you haven't studied the magazine/website's guidelines or style. This is an absolute MUST. If the editor asks for articles of between 600-800 words then DO NOT submit a piece which is 1200 words in length, no matter how good it is. Check that the article is the right style for the magazine. If it's a dog magazine then write about dogs! * Tip - Always study the guidelines before submitting anything.

3. Rejection makes your writing stronger.

If my earlier pieces of work had been accepted I would have thought they were quite good, as it is now, I revise and edit my work more than ever. Pruning out unnecessary words, to make a stronger piece, without losing my 'voice'. * Tip - Read your work out
loud, any words that jar or stop the flow of the piece, change, until the piece runs smoothly.

4. Rejection is all part and parcel of being a writer.

To have received a rejection letter/e-mail is proof that you have worked to submit a piece of writing. How many writers are so afraid of rejection that they don't submit
anything for fear of failure? * Tip - It is better to have been rejected 100 times than not to have submitted even once. Keep trying, your persistence will pay off.

5. Rejection of an article/story is not a rejection of you personally.

Unfortunately, anytime we have a rejection in our lives, it can remind us of other times when we were rejected in the past. It can knock our self-esteem and our confidence waivers, making us feel like giving up. * Tip - If you find yourself feeling like that, then keep a journal of your thoughts, so you can have some insight into what is causing you to feel that way.

6. Rejection helps us perform our 'groundwork' as a writer.

How many times have you heard someone say "I've always wanted to be a writer, can you give me some advice?" They seem to expect you to tell them all that they need to
know in about five minutes flat. It may have taken you months or even years of 'sweat of the brow' to where you are now as a writer. Yet they try to persuade you to tell them your secret. There is no secret. Writing is hard work. It may have taken you many rejections before you have one article or story published. *Tip - Tell yourself that every rejection you receive is a closer to your goal of getting published. You are doing your groundwork.

7. Being rejected can help you pick up tips from editors and/or find new markets for your work.

Not all editors send out standard rejection letters. If you are lucky, you may be told what was wrong with your article/story and how you can improve on it. Some editors will even suggest other possible markets for your work. *Tip - If you find yourself receiving standard rejection letters and don't know why your work is being rejected, write back
to the appropriate editors and ask. If they have time to reply they may be able to explain that you hadn't followed the guidelines or your story was full of grammatical errors etc.

So as you can see rejection isn't necessarily bad, it can be a good thing. It's about learning from your mistakes and going on to be an even better writer. Now send off that article or story and don't fear rejection, you may even learn something from it.

NARROWING YOUR FOCUS: Research Papers, by Bea Sheftel

If you are a writer and you hear the word research you might think, uh oh, that's the time consuming part of writing. I do research articles on a regular basis for a network of professional writers. I do not find it dull at all or particularly difficult.

One of the reasons I enjoy researching is because I learn something new, or enhance my knowledge of a subject I already know about. The way you do your research is important. If you approach it as a tiresome task, you will soon be bored. You won't do a good job. If you look at it as an exciting way to learn and put your knowledge to use, then you'll do a better job.

For example: you are taking a cooking course in school. The instructor assigns everyone a topic to research and write a paper on. Yours is on the history of croissants. Now you can pick up a cookbook and find different recipes for croissants but that doesn't give you the background of the subject.

Start at home with an internet search. I use http://www.google.com. I tried the word croissants. That brought up pages of recipes but that wasn't what I wanted. I changed my search words to history of croissant. I found a few pages with the information I wanted.

If the instructor allows internet research you can quote from one of these sites and refer to them in your bibliography. If the instructor insists on book research you need a trip to the library or bookstore.

Some libraries are well stocked with new books. You start with a search on the library computer data base. Many public libraries allow access to this data base from home computers. You can get a head start by checking this out first.

Again you'd use the words history of croissants. A list of available books and magazines will come up for you to select from. If your library doesn't have any books on the subject it will give you a list of other libraries that will have the book. You can either go to another library or order the book through the inter library loan.

Bookstores, especially a large one like Borders or Barnes and Noble will have a section of cookbooks. In the French section you'll find books you can use for research. Find a comfortable chair. Sit down and glance through the table of contents, or index. Find croissants. Sometimes the history of this delicate French bread will be included. You'll include the book, author, and page number in your bibliography. Copy the material you need onto 5x7 index cards. Anything you take verbatim you must include in quotes. However, you can paraphrase as long as you include a reference back to the original source.

My research incorporates the internet, the library, and the bookstore. I start on the internet to get a basic outline of the type of material I need. Sometimes there will be a complete article on the subject to which I can refer or even take out quotes. Here is how you set up an easy attribution.

"Croissants were first prepared by Viennese bakers to commemorate the end of Ottoman rule." (1)

In your bibliography you go into the details of your first reference. For example:
(1) http://www.redstaryeast.net/croiss.htm  Red Star yeast quick and easy croissants page.

If you know the author you put his name in the ( ) and refer to it in alphabetical order in your bibliography.

Are there other sources for research? Yes. You can do a written or taped interview with someone who is an expert in your subject. For an article on croissants I'd call a fine restaurant like Cavey's in Manchester, CT. I'd explain the situation and ask if I could speak with the chef either in person or on the telephone. Most restaurants would agree and set up a time when the chef was available.

Whatever your topic is, break it down to a narrow focus. For instance, if the cooking teacher wanted an article on French cooking, I'd ask if I could write specifically on deserts, baked goods, fish, or side dishes. This would narrow your search. If that wasn't acceptable I'd ask if I could write on a specific famous French chef. By narrowing the scope of your research you can do a much more detailed and informative paper.


Bea Sheftel is a former Early Childhood Teacher who is now a freelance writer in Connecticut. She enjoys writing how-to articles, and inspirational essays. Her latest work is published in God Allows UTurns, A Woman's Journey and Cup of Comfort for a Woman's Soul.

TAKING THE PLUNGE, by Radika Meganathan

I admit, it must be very confusing. You know that you love to write, but does being able to write mean you're a writer.

The truth is you don’t have to be a genius to be a writer. Oh yes, there are geniuses who have been writers but being intelligent or super-creative is not a prerequisite to write. You don’t even have to worry about being a non-native speaker of English. If Ayn Rand can give us Fountainhead, in spite of being a Russian with no knowledge of English till she was 25, so can you. All you need is the love to write, some time to write, and loads of
perseverance.

The very first thing to do is to ask yourself the crucial question - Do you really want to be a writer? Many underestimate the writing life, impressed by glossy paperbacks and Oprah Winfrey showcases. Some even assume that simply because they love to read they will be able to write great stories. Just because you like tasty food doesn’t necessary make you're a great cook, does it?

Successful writing takes much more than good English and good ideas. A writer should have the courage to write his thoughts on paper without fearing how others are going to view it, the determination to write it anyway and the will to withstand weeks, months and maybe years of patience and perseverance to find that right reward for his writing. On the technical side, writing needs specific knowledge, a quick eye for details, perfect
structuring, excellent editing skills (or you will have your manuscript back before you blink) and constant research and improvisation.

Being a writer is not an easy job, neither is it a Herculean task. But there are some things you should employ continuously to succeed in this wonderful profession. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Use your senses

You need to tune your senses to perceive things in a way you have never done before. See, think and feel like a writer. A writer should possess keen perception and a vivid visualization - train your senses to be more sharp and lucid.

Have you ever noticed a painter at work? Let’s say he is painting your backyard, the one with those shabby bushes and beautiful tree house. He never paints it as it is. If that’s what is required, then a mere photograph is enough. He introduces a slight variation in colors, texture and lighting, as his mood and hand permits. It is simply because he sees it from his mind’s eye, which gives an extra dimension to the whole picture and this
transmits that extra nuance to the painting.

That’s what is required of writers also. If you train your writer’s eye, you can develop your unique style. The ‘unique’ is important but not mandatory, as long as you don’t set out to be the next Wodehouse . But still, to make your writing enjoyable and exciting, there has to be a silent punch (that can be personal, informative or just plain factual punch) in every part of your writing. So, the next time you write, see that it doesn’t just reflect your thoughts, but also your style.

2. Read, Study, Observe

People familiar with books from their early childhood have a decidedly greater advantage than their non-reader counterparts – they have better vocabulary, clearer grasp over the usage of language and sharper sense of perception.

I have never been to China in my life, but I know what ancient Chinese landlords had for their lunch after a heavy day’s hunting. How? Pearl S. Buck. So reading has one more advantage. It makes you know about places and things that might never be in your reach – except in words. And don’t forget, a certain writer called James Hadley Chase wrote hundreds of books about the American life – without ever visiting the States (He went there twice only to give a lecture in a university – after he became famous through his books). It doesn’t matter if you like only Archies or Mils & Boon – the criterion is to know different genre of writing and improve your senses. If you have never been an avid reader, don’t despair. It is never too late to start reading. So next time you visit the library, be sure to read for improvisation rather than for entertainment.

Additionally, you should also begin to study books and magazines. Reading magazines is one thing. Studying them is another. When you read a book, notice the technique of writing and how the writer has dealt with the plot. When you buy a magazine, observe both the visual and structural layout of an article. Look at how the writer has dealt with the content. Find out what catches your eye and what bores you. Prolonged reading over the years hones your ability to differentiate between good writing and bad writing – the one thing that is probably the most important trait a writer should possess.

3. Always carry a small notepad and a pen with you. Many great ideas have been born in life’s most difficult circumstances. You might never know when your muse is going to strike! So always have a small notepad and pen with you. Or, if you belong to the techie world, a small recorder is great, if you don’t mind strange or inquisitive glances.

Handheld Recorders are great! You can start asking questions for spontaneous interviews. I once went for a walk in the park and saw some gypsies selling bead jewelry. I immediately interviewed them and they responded eagerly. It was also quicker because I am sure I couldn’t have jotted down all they said in a little notebook. It just took me four days to structure the feature and I sold it in the very next week! Of course, that’s from an acute commercial angle, but having a recorder means letting your mouth speak instead of your hands, which can be more spontaneous and lucid. You will be able to play it later and compare with what your thoughts were then and now.

4. Time, the Writer’s Best friend (or worst enemy)

Lack of time is one of the biggest drawbacks for all writers. They must cope with distractions and demands, such as working, and writers juggling family obligations and duties have a decidedly harder time. The only way to make time is to prioritize. If you want to write, then you have to find time to write. Don't expect anyone else make time for you.

Taking an hour out of day and sticking to that time is the best way to ‘find’ time. Filter unwanted activities in your daily schedule to find time for your writing. Sleep an hour late, wake up an hour early, miss your favorite sitcom, cut the time on Chat…you should be able to find time for one hour in your day.

Prepare a time chart and post it on your study board or in your bedroom. Looking at a time schedule will boost your activity factor and urge you to act faster, and not procrastinate. Make specific goals, instead of generic ones. Let your goal be to write 10 pages a day, instead of ‘I will surely write everyday’. Start from the bottom step – start observing your neighborhood, develop the flair for identifying and structuring news, aim for the local magazines first and them move up. As they say, slow and steady is the magic formula for writing success.

5. Practice, practice and more practice

You are not a writer until you write. Chant this about 100 times everyday. I know a score of people who can talk hours about the joy and pain of writing, but have never written more than a page in their lives. If you can’t find anything to write about, just start typing about your day in your journal. The only difference between a good writer and a bad one is practice. The ‘practice daily’ regime I told you about could even be your Biology
assignment.

Experiment with your homework. The next time do it with words, instead of information from the study book. Term papers and assignments are an excellent way to improve your writing because they provide you the style’ which will become your unique signature as you mature and give you the practice material for regular material (not to mention praises from your teachers!). Instead of using downloaded or copied reference material for your assignment, first study the info and try writing it in your style, in a slightly different angle.

If you are terribly confused as to what to write, don’t despair. Here are some daily writing Exercises that is sure to provide you with myriad writing practice.

Keep a diary. Write about your experiences and grievances of daily life. Pour out your feelings against the unfeeling parent or indifferent friend.