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Kathy Temean’s suggestions for dealing with rejections. Kathy’s site is a great resource for writers. Be sure and check out the rest of the article.

http://kathytemean.wordpress.com

Excerpt:

Yesterday, I listed Agent Janet Reid’s honest numbers on the amount of manuscripts she rejected in the last six months of 2009.  Today, I realized that viewing those numbers could be a real bummer for you.  It would be easy to get depressed and want to give up, especially, if you were one of those she rejected.  Heck, even if you weren’t, I’m sure you are sending out submissions and I know how hard it is to open up a letter and read, “You have written a very good book, but it isn’t right for me.” 

Jerry Spinelli says he could have wallpapered his whole house with his rejections. 

Not me, I threw all of them away, when I was in one of those rejection blues mood. 

So what do we do?  How do we stay positive and focused and not end up yelling into the phone like the woman in the picture?  Here is what I came up with: 

1. Use the Susan O’Keeffe method.  In case you don’t know Susan, she is a very successful author.  One day she shared what she tells herself.  “I may not be the best writer in the world, but I know I am going to be the most persistent writer in the world.”  These are words that have really paid off for her.  I think they could pay off for you, too. 
2. You make it happen.  Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses.  Make a plan to work on the weaknesses or decide how to work around them.  Then use the Susan O’Keeffe method and keep submitting. 

*Disclaimer: Stories based on the exact set of words, names and attached graphics are already in the works. 

Rowdy the Rooster crowded at exactly five o’clock in the morning . . . every single morning.  Except for this morning. The little rooster overslept and so did most of the barnyard.

The cows didn’t wake up to give Farmer  Jill her milk for breakfast.

The chickens didn’t wake up to give  Farmer Jill her eggs for breakfast.

Even the most prolific of writers occasionally have difficulty coming up with an idea for a pb. I have found that sometimes the ideas come from the least expected source. With an open mind and a little imagination, the writer’s world is full of inspirations for ideas.

Yesterday, as I helped my eight and eleven year old nephews clean up their bedrooms, my youngest nephew had to have his snake on his bed. He told me all about Snake and their history. He created an elaborate timeline with a multitude of details.  For me, it sparked an idea for a pb.

As we picked up their old and broken toys and placed them in a box, another idea came to me out of the blue. By combining some of the broken pieces together, a character came into being.

Sometimes it is look that they give me. Other times it is what they say.  For those writers who have kids in their lives, like myself, I have learned to expect the unexpected.

How? Who? What? When? Where? and Why? By Peg Finley

A writer ponders How? Who? What? When? Where? and Why?

Who are my main characters and what will they try?

When did they feel sad and start to begin to cry?

Where were they when they feared they’d die?

Why did this all happen? A writer might sigh.

How can they solve their conflict and say good-bye?

            When writing for children, it never hurts a writer to go back and revisit your childhood memories. You never know what ideas can come from those memories. Think back, do you have a time in your childhood that always bring a smile to your face when you think about it? You know the kind of smile that starts small and just grows and grows. If it made you smile, it just might make others smile, too. As you are thinking about that memory, think about the smells, sights, touches, sounds and tastes you had with that memory. Then, use those senses to put your story into words.

In this past week, I’ve had several different points of view about the value of blogging offered to me by some fellow writers. Of course, I have my own view as I blog,  Duh! It wouldn’t be very smart for me to dislike blogging,  now would it?

http://networkedblogs.com/p16402394 Today, I found an article on BookEnds, LLC  A Literary Agency where they encourage blogging.

Don’t take my word for it, read the article for yourself.

What word or words can a writer use when they want to make their story more descriptive without driving up the word count a writer might ask? This is particularly important when a writer has a word count limit to deal with. This is when a good thesaurus is helpful.

For instance, portly, obese, plump give the reader a different visual than just using the word fat and they don’t add any extra words to the word count.

Lean, lanky and emancipated  all work for versions of skinny. For action words such as walked, try using ambled, sauntered, stomped or skipped depending on the context of the story.

for instance,

I am always on the lookout for something new to share with my readers and since I know a few of you are from this part of the world, here’s the link      http://soupblog.wordpress.com/

Meet birds of prey at City of Melville libraries! 26 09 2009.

 If you live in Perth, Western Australia, and you’d like to do something different this school holidays – you can go to the City of Melville libraries to meet native birds of prey! This event is for children aged 5 to 12 years, and only costs $2! (Bookings are essential.) Monday 5 October 2009, 11 – 11.45 am: Canning Bridge Library, 2 Kintail Rd, Applecross. (ph: 9364 0121) Tuesday 6 October 2009, 2 – 2.45pm: Willagee Library, Cnr Winnacott and Archibald Sts, Willagee. (Ph: 9364 0170) Wednesday 7 October 2009, 1.30 – 2.15pm OR 3 – 3.45pm: Civic Square Library, 10 Almondbury Rd, Booragoon. (Ph: 9364 0138) Thursday 8 October 2009, 3 – 3.45pm: Bull Creek Library, 24 Leichardt St, Bull Creek. (Ph: 9364 1250) Friday 9 October 2009, 10 – 10.45am OR 11.30am – 12.15pm: AH Bracks Library, cnr Stock Rd & Canning Hwy, Melville. (Ph: 9364 0115)

There will be more information available soon on the City of Melville libraries’ website. Email us if you know of other cool events on at libraries this school holidays!

Not that I could attend this but as writers in any part of the world it is nice to know that these kind of events take place. As a writer, I always come away from this kind of event with something new to write about.