Writing Journey Step #2 How to take criticism good or bad and work with it

Ok, I haven’t posted anything since before late spring or early summer but I haven’t forgotten.  As always life gets in the way but in a good way.  I have to work out my time in odd hours.  I quote loosely from a blog I read about Toni Morrison…I write on the fringes of my life. That is awesome and so write…ok no pun…

I need to share. I’ve completed a few things I find fascinating.  I went to a romance writers conference and I pitched my book idea.  She liked it and gave me some great ideas I plan to use.  I had a reader read my synopsis and she didn’t like it and told me why.

The advise was hard to take but I didn’t respond right away but played it over in my head before I could come to terms with what she said.

That’s the hard part.  Acceptance.

I remember a rejection I received from a editor I queried from a publishing house I wanted so badly to accept my work. and I was upset.  I believed she didn’t understand the concept of my novel.  The gall of the woman after I worked so hard, I knew I was right and she was wrong.  I wrote back thanking her for the decision but not before I explained to her my novel, again.  That was stupid.  But at the time I got it off my chest and out there which didn’t help me much because it was still a rejection and I mostly wouldn’t submit to that line ever again.

Step #2 

When receiving a rejection or advise please, please listen and keep an open mind.  Think about it this way:

• Was it good advise?
• How can you learn to adapt or make some changes that can work to having an editor read my work and get excited about it?
• Editors read so many different requests so how can your work stand out?
• What is your targeted publisher or editor looking for?  In other words do some research on the publishing house or editor before submitting because your work maybe good but they may not be looking for work in the genre your writing.
• Be kind and thank them for looking at your work.  They have busy schedules too.
• And finally, don’t stop writing.

Cheers to all the adventures in writing and keep going…