Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Jaded

Another day, another A-Z challenge post. 

J is for Jaded.

I have a fair amount of writer friends circling the query and submission drains, trying to read way too much into a form rejection. (Shh . . . but I am not the exception here.  I live in that drain!)  Publishing is a hard business to wrap your mind around, one that is filled with more set-backs and more rejections then it is acceptance.

I remember my first rejection, a simple "thanks for the look, but the project is not right for my list"  kind of note.  It stung like a b#%*h.  The second, the third, heck the twelve rejection rolled in not long after, and I was tempted to close myself off, become impervious to the pain of rejection.  It sure would have been easier for my ego, but it would have killed my writing.

How you say?  How did getting all riled up about a rejection . . . how did the well of tears help my writing?  Simple. I took all that emotion, the joy of getting a request to the bitter sting of the eventual "no thank-you" and poured it into my characters.  I infused them with every ounce of emotion I had, letting my pain flow through them and onto the pages.  It worked, and not only did I stay sane through out the entire process, but I created characters with a depth that went deeper then the black ink scribbled on the page.

So although it is easy to become jaded in this creative field, I beg you not to.  Use the roller coaster of emotions to your's and your character's benefits. Channel your anger, your frustration, your joy into them and you will be amazed at what you can create.

18 comments:

  1. You're absolutely right. We gotta find a way to channel when things start feeling and looking negative to us and use it for something valuable. Good post Trisha!

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  2. Great post! It reminds me of all the times I learned more from doing poorly on a test in school than when I aced it.

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  3. The Rejections are bad, but it's the negativity from people you love and trust that's worse! Either way, there's got to be a way to make it work for us. Thanks for the reminder!

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  4. That is great advice, especially since the rejections don't stop, no matter what stage you're at (in some form or another).

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  5. Good advice, if you get a response at all you're lucky these days, keep at it.

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  6. I love this. I have never been good at letting rejections just bounce off me. I try to own it and move forward, but handing the pain off to characters? Good times!

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  7. Your advice is 100% correct. The best scenes in my manuscript are those infused with emotions that I've felt first hand. :-)

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  8. You are very wise!! Found you from the A-Z Challenge, so far it’s been a lot of fun, I’m now following you on GFC and I hope you have a chance to check out my blog!
    Monica
    http://oldermommystillyummy.blogspot.com/

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  9. Really good advice. It is so easy to feel hopeless, but it's just part of the game. Learn from it, accept it, and move on.

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  10. That's great advice, and thanks. I've only had the courage to put myself out there a few times, but I try not to let the rejection get to me and keep thinking, 'everybody's looking for something different.' It doesn't matter how many times you get a rejection if you find a place in the end, and in the meantime, I can work on improving my skills as a writer.

    I'm starting up a 'Critiquing Crusaders' program, where participants in the Second Crusade can find other writers to exchange critiques with or form critiquing circles. If you're interested, come by The Kelworth Files to check it out!

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  11. My first rejection stung too. Fortunately, I am in this game for the long haul. Let the rejections come where they may. I'll find my success in the writing field no matter what, and I suspect you will, too.

    Happy to meet you via the A-Z Challenge!

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  12. Definitely some good advice here, dust yourself off and try again. Great to be visiting on the A-Z challenge

    Amanda
    http://realityarts-creativity.blogspot.com

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  13. Fabulous advice! All that emotion needs to go somewhere - why not on the page? :)

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  14. good advice! We shouldn't let rejections ruin our chances of getting published. In fact, I posted about quitting and querying yesterday!
    Great meeting you through the A-Z!
    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  15. Awesome advice, Trisha. It's so reassuring to have others that understand.

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  16. You're so right. It can be disappointing sometimes, but the worst thing to do is stop and give up.

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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