Gender Bending
This week, I got a rejection letter that was very nearly a perfect summation of every rejection I've ever received. Bummer, yes. HUGE bummer. But never one to focus on the roiling disappointment of a bruised sky when the weatherman predicted sunny all week, I dug out my telescope and located my silver lining through the rain. A thin lining, perhaps, but definitely something to celebrate.
Nowhere in the 1-page (typed, single spaced) Rejection Letter to Eat All Other Rejections did she mention my hero was too weak to take on my heroine. WOOO HOOOO! Party time! What a nice hurdle to have finally overcome. I know exactly who to thank for that, too, and I'm sure the long-time MaveFave I'm referring to knows who she is, too.
What I loved about her advice and what made it so easy to take is that she "got" my concept and worked with it, instead of telling me (as so many others have done) that I needed to can my beta hero and go with something a little more saleable. Double bonus: not only did she come up with a solution, but she came up with a mindset that I, as the writer, could easily slip into while working on said revision. She said, "Whenever X happens, he needs to think Y. And then he needs to act on it."
Action. Right.
So thanks, Steathly Ninja MaveFave, and thanks to the Mavens for holding my hand through the Revision Letter to End Every Writer's Dreams.
Now, are you all ready for a little Amie Stuart? MaveFave Amie will be guest blogging tomorrow, so wear your Super Friendly hat and come prepared to comment!
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4 comments:
Hugs on the rejection, although it does sound like he/she gave you some great stuff to work with. I just received my first one last night (emailed).
Love the new pic of you on your website!
I would think that a personalized, specific rejection is a good thing. A very good thing. And a sign that you are on the right track.
Yeah, it stings, and it sucks, but hopefully it'll help in the long run! Good luck!
(Hugs) on the first rejection, Vicki, and here's a margarita, too! What a great milestone to have met!
Thanks for the compliment. You're pretty cute, too :-)
Thanks, CM! And good luck to you, too! *high five*
A day late, but hopefully not a dollar short to say that I'm glad you found the positives in that rejection. I still think the entire publishing world is just nuts and wrong not to snap your work up like the treasure it is, but maybe that's why I'm on the writer end of this business instead of the agent/editor end. But I know in my bones, there's someone out there for you and Jonathan and Kitha. How could there NOT be?
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