As a novice writer I used to think I HAD to read every book about writing out there OR I might miss the one single piece of information that would push me over the top into the Land of Great Writing. Here I would gain membership into the Talented Writers Club, where authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harper Lee, and Mark Twain are members. Although I am pretty sure Mark Twain would want to rip out the shinbone of several authors in this Club (like Jane Austen and James Fenimore Cooper) and beat them over the head with it in sheer disdain for their written words. Consequently, I would not sit next to him at the monthly meetings. (I probably would be assigned a seat in the far back anyway…)
As a result, over the years I’ve read multitudes of “how to write” books. Some I liked (blogs dated 9/12/09 and 10/15/09). Some I didn’t. What made the difference? Simple intuition. If the information/recommendations felt right. If they made sense. If they inspired me. For instance, one of Elmore Leonard’s rules about writing is: “Try to leave out the parts that readers tend to skip” is a bull’s-eye for me. I get that.
The decline of my reading “how to write” books has been inversely proportional to the rise of my self-confidence in my writing ability. But occasionally I do pick up one of these books.
The latest book I have read about the writing life is The Resilient Writer: Tales of Rejection and Triumph from 23 Top Authors, by Catherine Wald. The topic of rejection has always intrigued me, which is why I selected this particular book.
Perceived rejection triggers one of the strongest emotional reactions in the brain. You feel rejection the same way you feel physical pain. It hurts. Which is why you would want to avoid it. However, if you want a writing career, it comes with the territory.
When it comes to my writing life, I don’t use the term “rejection.” It is too negative. Why would I put that label on myself? Instead, if people reject my writing, I look at it as a difference of opinion. And of course my opinion of them drops tremendously. At the end of the day, I remain standing—not them.
The format of this book is the author interviewing 23 “top” authors (half of which I had never heard of). Each chapter is a Q & A with one of them and begins with a quote underneath their photo. A few of the quotes are good, such as:
“You don’t need to be published, you don’t need to be accepted, you don’t need anybody’s seal of approval to write.” – Janet Finch, author of White Oleander (an excellent book and an Oprah Book Club selection)
“If people find something that they’re passionate about, and stick around long enough, great things happen.” – E. Lynn Harris, author of 10 consecutive NY Times Bestsellers
Most of the quotes (and subsequent interviews) were not particularly informative, meaningful, or inspiring. The book was published in 2005, which means it was probably written and researched in 2003-2004. That’s a lifetime ago in the publishing industry. There’s a heavy emphasis on the traditional publishing model (agents and a NY Publishing House) but the paradigm of that scenario shifted long ago.
So save yourself and few dollars or a trip to the library and spend your time on something more valuable. (A long nap? Clean out your junk drawer? Work on the Great American Novel?) Here are additional quotes from the book that I think you can live without:
“When I don’t get any negative feedback I think I’m not really doing my job.” YUK.
“Rejections are all in a day’s work.” ICK. And no, they aren’t.
“No one decides that we should answer the call of the muse. If you answer the call, that’s your responsibility.” Huh?
Personally, I think you just keep writing. That’s what writers do.
P.S. If I had been in this book about rejection (as a “non-top” author), under my photo it would say:
“Yoo Hoo, Negative Nabobs of Negativism, hit the road, Jack!”
Or more eloquently stated:
“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
