tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post5189518777968548480..comments2023-12-25T00:38:19.500-08:00Comments on Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog (archive): Professional Courtesy...Sarah Stevensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534942492714970282noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-12432573612714672292007-03-07T19:21:00.000-08:002007-03-07T19:21:00.000-08:00Thanks to both of you! I wanted to also reiterate ...Thanks to both of you! I wanted to also reiterate that, as a rant, it was simply an expression of one of the frustrations of being a writer, NOT a personal attack on editors, as one anonymous commenter seemed to feel. I'm sorry he or she felt that way, and trust me, I do understand that editors are swamped and are often subject to just as superhuman expectations as writers. Despite my list of publications being small, I'm not a beginning writer, so I do understand that this is just one of those things I need to deal with; but sometimes ranting just makes you feel a little bit better... ;)Sarah Stevensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16534942492714970282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-62649751006422249852007-02-27T17:59:00.000-08:002007-02-27T17:59:00.000-08:00You are so right to point out how silence can unde...You are so right to point out how silence can undermine a writer's confidence. It happens every day to other writers, myself included, and, if we're not careful, we can fall into the same trap of doubting ourselves and our abilities. <BR/> <BR/>As you know, it's not that far a leap from anger at not receiving a response ... to doubts over one's ability ... to outright certainty that one has nothing to say ... to the deepest fear: that, even if we have something to say, no one will ever read our work.<BR/><BR/>Learning to suffer silence (and rejection) wasn't included as part of the writer's job description when we set out on this path, was it?<BR/><BR/>But I've come to think of silence and rejection like stones that we encounter on our way, hidden until we trip over them or bruise our toes (or egos) unexpectedly. Again and again, we must learn to move past them if we are to continue our work.<BR/><BR/>It's that simple... and that hard... which won't make you feel any better, I'm afraid, but, if you accept these things as part of the writing process, it will make you a tougher, more resilient writer in the end.<BR/><BR/>Why? Because you must learn in time (if you're going to stay on this path) that it's essential that you ignore the silence and rejection, and keep digging (despite the silence) for what feeds your soul.<BR/><BR/>Rarely do we learn why someone fails to respond to our work. The silence is pretty much impenetrable. We can only know when we hear the words singing beneath our pen... and that's about all we can ever know, I think. <BR/><BR/>All the rest--the responses, the outside encouragement, the publishing process--it's all extraneous to our ability to take pleasure in the sound of our own voices, and the music that we hear when we put words down on paper.<BR/><BR/>This is just a longer way of saying what tadmack said: "writer's write" ... and anything that interferes with our ability to write, well, we need to find a way to ignore, if only long enough to get the words down.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing a problem that every writer has to come to terms with eventually, each in his or her own way. Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-28374336449183801802007-02-27T16:36:00.000-08:002007-02-27T16:36:00.000-08:00I wish I could say something to make you feel bett...I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but I'm pretty sure I can't. It seems to me that since the dawn of the 'reality show,' people have become narcissistic to the point of ridiculousness. Most editors and publishing houses are absolutely swamped with more and more people just <I>certain</I> they have THE novel that will set the world on fire. This accounts for the terseness, and what basically boils down to discourtesy.<BR/><BR/>In my opinion, the delete button is too easy to use, so unless there is no other way to contact a publisher, I still use stamps and the post. In my experience, people generally have someone employed to open mail, this at least gives a better chance of my query getting seen. I also think that editors work at home at night (MeiMei is an example of that!) and so if their work email isn't at home, they won't see your query in their after hours - but if it's on paper, it probably gets stuffed in the briefcase.<BR/><BR/>I find solace (of a sort) in reading <A HREF="http://rejecter.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">The Rejector</A>, the notes of an anonymous New York assistant at a literary agency, or in reading<A HREF="http://misssnark.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow"> Miss Snark</A>, the thoughts of an agent. There's a lot of information on what works and doesn't in getting "in" with publishers, and a partial explanation on the discourtesy that seems to be the norm.<BR/><BR/>It is very difficult not to take it all personally, but according to Our <A HREF="http://janeyolen.com" REL="nofollow">Jane's</A> blog, she still gets rejections left and right. Of course, people <I>respond</I> to her in good time now, but as you've seen in my situation -- even having an agent doesn't always help!<BR/><BR/>It's just the business, I guess. And we chose to be here...<BR/><BR/>I know this doesn't help at all, but I still believe that you are an excellent writer, and I still believe that it will happen for you -- if for no other reason that <I>you haven't stopped trying.</I><BR/><BR/>Writers write.tanita✿davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01671822274852087499noreply@blogger.com