Comments on: Finding the Will http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/ about the craft and business of fiction Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Maya http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127734 Maya Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:59:28 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127734 I just wanted to share... I wrote the first response to this post, and at the time I was feeling discouraged because I was comparing my first paragraph to the 1600 others then posted at Nathan Bransford's blog contest, and I felt it didn't measure up and couldn't stand out. Well... I'm a finalist!! I'm in the top ten out of more than 2500! I'm going to remind myself of this any time I feel discouraged. My negative judgment of myself just might not be accurate. :) .-= Maya´s last blog ..<a href="http://howtobeisraeli.blogspot.com/2009/08/sometimes-literal-translation-isnt-best.html" rel="nofollow">Sometimes, literal translations don't work</a> =-. I just wanted to share…

I wrote the first response to this post, and at the time I was feeling discouraged because I was comparing my first paragraph to the 1600 others then posted at Nathan Bransford’s blog contest, and I felt it didn’t measure up and couldn’t stand out.

Well… I’m a finalist!! I’m in the top ten out of more than 2500!

I’m going to remind myself of this any time I feel discouraged. My negative judgment of myself just might not be accurate. :)
.-= Maya´s last blog ..Sometimes, literal translations don’t work =-.

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]]> By: Samantha Clark http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127728 Samantha Clark Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:10:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127728 Great post. Thanks. It's a great reminder. I've often thought, I could just continue sleeping and not get up at 5 to write. But every time I do that, I have a miserable day. But I have plenty of those frustrating days, especially right now, like all these other readers. But like you said, the key is persistence. No matter what happens, I know I'll never quit. My satisfaction with life is that much deeper when I make time to be in those stories. And ultimately, it's the telling of the story that is the best part. Thanks again for the post. It's very encouraging. .-= Samantha Clark´s last blog ..<a href="http://daybydaywriter.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/blog-action-day-2/" rel="nofollow">It’s Blog Action Day!</a> =-. Great post. Thanks. It’s a great reminder. I’ve often thought, I could just continue sleeping and not get up at 5 to write. But every time I do that, I have a miserable day.

But I have plenty of those frustrating days, especially right now, like all these other readers. But like you said, the key is persistence.

No matter what happens, I know I’ll never quit. My satisfaction with life is that much deeper when I make time to be in those stories. And ultimately, it’s the telling of the story that is the best part.

Thanks again for the post. It’s very encouraging.
.-= Samantha Clark´s last blog ..It’s Blog Action Day! =-.

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]]> By: Mr. BrainJar http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127719 Mr. BrainJar Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:45:54 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127719 Well put! Fear is the most common inhibitor of productivity. It's okay to know that some looking questions exist--but it's also very rewarding to defeat those fears with a desire to achieve personal gratification above all things! Well put! Fear is the most common inhibitor of productivity. It’s okay to know that some looking questions exist–but it’s also very rewarding to defeat those fears with a desire to achieve personal gratification above all things!

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]]> By: Jenn Bennett http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127706 Jenn Bennett Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:26:41 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127706 Loved this. Thank you for your perspective, Ann. When we're forced to say goodbye to characters--and their worlds--it feels like a part of you dies with them. In my real life, I've lived in multiple countries and several states, never settling longer than a few years in one place. When I started writing seriously, I had to remind myself that I was good at making new friends and saying goodbye--my writing life is just an extension of that. Sometimes I wish I could give up on writing, but, like many others reading this blog post, I'm miserable without it. I reckon that all I can do is thicken my skin and look forward to the next hello. Loved this. Thank you for your perspective, Ann. When we’re forced to say goodbye to characters–and their worlds–it feels like a part of you dies with them.

In my real life, I’ve lived in multiple countries and several states, never settling longer than a few years in one place. When I started writing seriously, I had to remind myself that I was good at making new friends and saying goodbye–my writing life is just an extension of that.

Sometimes I wish I could give up on writing, but, like many others reading this blog post, I’m miserable without it. I reckon that all I can do is thicken my skin and look forward to the next hello.

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]]> By: Lorna Suzuki http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127705 Lorna Suzuki Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:04:08 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127705 Excellent post, Ann! It's not an easy profession to choose, but sometimes, it seems to choose us. Only with time, perseverance and continually crafting our writing skills that it eventually works out, but only if you don't give up. I can't think of one author, even one who eventually made it onto the best seller list, that didn't struggle with their share of rejection notices. As you said, Ann, just because you receive a rejection letter it's all subjective and has much to do with personal taste. Excellent post, Ann! It’s not an easy profession to choose, but sometimes, it seems to choose us. Only with time, perseverance and continually crafting our writing skills that it eventually works out, but only if you don’t give up.
I can’t think of one author, even one who eventually made it onto the best seller list, that didn’t struggle with their share of rejection notices.
As you said, Ann, just because you receive a rejection letter it’s all subjective and has much to do with personal taste.

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]]> By: Karen Amanda Hooper http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127703 Karen Amanda Hooper Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:45:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127703 Yes. I write because I love it. And I know rejection is just part of the process. I'm new to all of this so I haven't had to handle too much rejection yet, but I know there ill be plenty of it in my future. But that's okay because there also be a lot of writing. :) Yes. I write because I love it.
And I know rejection is just part of the process. I’m new to all of this so I haven’t had to handle too much rejection yet, but I know there ill be plenty of it in my future. But that’s okay because there also be a lot of writing. :)

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]]> By: Laura T http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127701 Laura T Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:38:36 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127701 I'm going to print this out! I really like everything you said. Im not sure how I handle life's dissapointments, but so far with writing I write more. It helps, and is fun. I might try something different, or I might go back to my favorite characters. But, I am still afraid to send something out again, and it takes another finished manuscript or two until I am ready to jump back in lol. I’m going to print this out! I really like everything you said. Im not sure how I handle life’s dissapointments, but so far with writing I write more. It helps, and is fun. I might try something different, or I might go back to my favorite characters. But, I am still afraid to send something out again, and it takes another finished manuscript or two until I am ready to jump back in lol.

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]]> By: Michele Lee http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127699 Michele Lee Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:50:35 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127699 Individual rejections don't really get to me anymore, but you reach a point where you've exhausted your target agent list, or you mention your book in excitement and no one else seems to care...you know those moments. They come hard and out of nowhere some times. But when it comes down to it I have too many stories to write to give up now. Maybe give up trying to get published? But that's silly too, seeing as reader and editor response clearly says I have a good chance and am close and the only thing I'm investing in submitting is usually time (thanks to the myriad of e submissions these days). So why not keep submitting, because the worst you'll get is a no, and you might get a yes. But if you don't send it out at all you're guaranteed to get nothing but nos. So I logic myself into continuing, because I'm going to keep writing and keep trying to write better anyway, so what does it hurt to try to make a bit of money off it? Individual rejections don’t really get to me anymore, but you reach a point where you’ve exhausted your target agent list, or you mention your book in excitement and no one else seems to care…you know those moments. They come hard and out of nowhere some times.

But when it comes down to it I have too many stories to write to give up now. Maybe give up trying to get published? But that’s silly too, seeing as reader and editor response clearly says I have a good chance and am close and the only thing I’m investing in submitting is usually time (thanks to the myriad of e submissions these days). So why not keep submitting, because the worst you’ll get is a no, and you might get a yes. But if you don’t send it out at all you’re guaranteed to get nothing but nos.

So I logic myself into continuing, because I’m going to keep writing and keep trying to write better anyway, so what does it hurt to try to make a bit of money off it?

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]]> By: Kim http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127698 Kim Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:29:16 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127698 This post was so timely for me. I'm going through the querying/submission process right now and just had a rough day, rejection-wise. I needed this. .-= Kim´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/perfectlycursedlife/oEpa/~3/lYmnA7TbDt8/" rel="nofollow">Baby Think It Over</a> =-. This post was so timely for me. I’m going through the querying/submission process right now and just had a rough day, rejection-wise. I needed this.
.-= Kim´s last blog ..Baby Think It Over =-.

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]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2009/10/14/finding-the-will/#comment-127697 Kathleen Bolton Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:23:28 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=1629#comment-127697 "If you’re like me, no milestone I’ve passed holds any satisfaction, no matter how long I worked for it, because I’m always looking toward the horizon, looking for the next achievement." Yes. This is me. There is always another hill to climb, better, faster, and higher. Great post, Ann. “If you’re like me, no milestone I’ve passed holds any satisfaction, no matter how long I worked for it, because I’m always looking toward the horizon, looking for the next achievement.”

Yes. This is me. There is always another hill to climb, better, faster, and higher.

Great post, Ann.

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