You Can't Bore People

I was reading a magazine the other day on a flight to California. One of the contributing writers, Michael Cunningham, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award, wrote,

"Telling a good story is always hard - - it's a funny combination of creativity and puzzle solving."

Later, he adds that the one fundamental principle that guides his writing is that, "You can't bore people - - ever. I'm always aware that I'm writing for someone at least as smart as I am, who is busy and has a job, and a mate, and a whole life going on. You have to give them something you believe is worth their time."

The Word Girls heartily agree with Cunningham. So, in a nutshell:

1. Be creative when storytelling. Approach it like you do a puzzle.

2. Never bore your reader.

3. Write about something you believe in.

Five Writing Secrets

Over the weeekend The Word Girls consulted with a burgeoning author. During our impassioned, creative conversation with her, Five Writing Secrets emerged. We share them here - with you - as a gift! We hope they will help you, Writer Friend, as you hone your craft and continue on the writing journey.

1.

Include sensory details.

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, always ask yourself, What do I want the reader to see, hear, feel, smell, experience? Sensory writing will draw in your readers and vivify your work.

2.
Honor your voice.

Remember that YOU are the one writing your book. No one else can tell your story with the particular tone, pace, rhythm, details and slant that YOU can. Never write what you anticipate the reader wants or expects you to write. Dig deeply into the soil of your soul and write exactly what you feel, think, believe, perceive. Your particular slant on a subject is what makes it interesting, saleable, worth-while, intriguing and unique.

3.

Include details instead of assuming the reader will 'get' it.

It is dangerous to assume that your readers will make a conclusion or connection that seems obvious & unmistakable to you. Sketchy sentences or sometimes even an elusive paragraph of ideas can sometimes leave a reader in the dark. Take the time to unpack, describe, explain, delve into concepts or thematic elements that are quintessential to your story.

4.

Take your time.

The publishing world moves at glacial speed. So, try not to worry or impose false deadlines on yourself. Sit with your ideas. Walk with them. Give them space to live and move and breathe. Give yourself time to write and revise and bring your manuscript to its brightest best before you submit it to an editor.

5.
Seek Advice from experienced writers.

We know it can feel intimidating, scary, even diariaha-producing to have other writers reader your work. But, we strongly suggest that you do! You'll be surprised what a fresh pair of educated, trained,experienced eyes can offer your work. When you share your pieces with other writers they'll offer encouragement, editorial suggestions, and perhaps even well-researched and informed ideas for where to submit your work.

All of these reasons are why we developed The Word Girls Writing Studio. So, if you're yearning for mentorship and guidance from a couple of writers who've experienced gut-wrenching rejections as well as heart-palpitating publishing successes over the last decade, then we welcome you to visit our Writing Studio: www.thewordgirls.com. Blessings on your writing journey, Writing Friend!

Sharing the Journey

love
The glory of writing lies in the fact that it forces us out of ourselves and into the lives of others.

-Madeleine L'Engle

10 Tips for Dealing with Rejection Letters

1.

Cry . . . just let it out. But, don't wallow in the sadness and injustice of it all. Give yourself what you think is the fair amount of time to mourn the loss. (One day for a fiction manuscript, one hour for an article, one minute for a poem?) Let the tears cleanse and renew you, then move on. Write on!

2.

Use the anger, frustration, discouragement that comes from rejection as motivation to get more ideas out there. Revamp your old query, get it out to a new batch of editors, agents and publishers. Generate fresh ideas, write more queries; get those out there, too!

3.

Make paper airplanes out of any snail mail rejection correspondence. Take the airplanes to your front yard or a park and fly them with your kids. If you don't have kids, borrow someone else's. Get some fresh air, play, laugh it off with a little bit of fun and frivolity.

4.

Pray. Ask God to help you regroup and heal the hurt that comes from rejection. Trust his sweet Holy Spirit to redirect and refuel you. Trust that God will give you the strength and stamina and inspiration for the next leg of your writing journey wherever it takes you.

5.

Call a friend who cares about you. Tell her about the 'evil' editor who did not see the value in your words. Your Girlfriend will band with you against the Evil Forces of Editor, and maybe she'll even take you out for a time of ice cream and mourning, too.

6.

Take a long brisk walk or run. Pound out your frustration, then write. Writing Coach Rochelle Melander has created a philosophy creatively monikered, Walk-Write-Win. Check out her blog about the benefits walking has on your writing career: http://walk-write-win.blogspot.com/

7.

Don't take it personally. When the rejection comes, realize that selling books, articles, poetry and prose is a very competitive, subjective business. Acquisition editors buy what they think will sell. For whatever reason, at this point in time, your piece did not work for them. That doesn't mean that it won't work for someone else at some other point in time.

8.

Never give up hope. Every seasoned and good writer knows that rejection is a big part of the writing journey. So, don't let the rejections divert you from your publication goals, and your personal writing hopes.

9.

If you've collected a bunch of rejection letters, consider creative, green ways of recycling them: use them to wallpaper your bathroom, fold them into origami and decorate your office, or potty train your new puppy on them.

10.

Keep your chin up. When the rejections come remember that God, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith is also a Lifter of Heads. So, let him lift your head at least high enough so you can see your computer screen again; and get on with the journey that is writing.

Writer's Live Twice, a quote

We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.
-Anais Nin

Tip of the Week

Everything you do, everywhere you go, you can gather ideas. Train yourself to keep your eyes and ears open at all times. Tune in your sense of smell, your sense of taste. Keep all your senses acute and listening. Write all the time. As artists, you must train yourselves. The more you write, the more you paint, the more you practice your instrument , the more you live constantly this double way. You keep asking yourself: How do I write it? How do I paint it? How do I put it into music? You are constantly, in small ways, getting ideas.
- Madeleine L'Engle