I was reading a few tweets from a friend and mentor of mine, and one of his writing tips reminded me of a acting technique I used to say to students.  When they were having trouble “finding” the character, I would tell them to list the items in the top drawer of the character’s nightstand.  Well, the truth is that tip really isn’t an acting one, but it helped them; it was a really a writing tip for character development.  So, as I read his tweet, this thought came to mind. 

Developing characters can be difficult.   A well develped character provides more to the reader in subtle ways, and the only way to present these subtleties in your writing is take make sure that you know the character well, which is where the writing tip comes  in.  To know your character well, list the items in his/her top drawer of the night stand.  It doesn’t matter whether or not those things make it into the story.  The importance is that those items enter your knowledge of the character, and if they are in the back of your mind, the characters will develop easier for you. 

My mentor’s advice, “Writing tip #25: Could you apply for loan/job as your characters? Then maybe you don’t know them well enough to tell their stories,” follows the same idea.  A good character doesn’t fall onto the page.  A good character takes labor.

Rejection is a common occurrence for writers. The more we submit, the more we feel its sting. However, we shouldn’t let rejection be a deterrent to writing or submitting our work. While rejection hurts initially (we are human after all), it doesn’t have to get you down. Here a few tips on how to deal with rejection as a writer.

1. Don’t take it personally.
   Editors, agents and their staffs are people, meaning the same daily tasks and annoyances influence them just as they influence you. Plus, they have a job to do. This job requires them to use their own judgment and biases to sift through material. As with any working professional, they are busy; therefore, a form letter is usually the easiest and most productive communication to use.
2. Know it is not a statement on Your Talent.
   A rejection doesn’t mean you are not a good writer. What it may mean is that your piece didn’t fit the idea of what that particular company or agent was wanting to find. Even the most talented and commercially successful writers had a hard time finding the right publisher for their first work.
3. Celebrate it and keep writing.
   One of the writer’s groups that I attend occasionally celebrates rejection letters. Why? It means they are submitting their writing not just writing. So see the letter as progress and submit to another place.

These same ideas apply even if you are a corporate writer. A business may have an idea of a certain style or a specific background. When you are passed over for another writer, it doesn’t always reflect on talent either.

Keep writing, keep looking. Eventually, there will be a match.

Recently, I attended a writer’s group meeting. The guest speaker for the meeting was an editor, and the topic of the meeting was how not to kill your manuscript.  I wanted to share some points I learned from that meeting.

The following is a list of main points from the meeting.  

·         Nine in ten manuscripts are rejected with a majority due to using improper fonts or paper, having bad grammar/mechanics, or sending to the wrong agent (sending a romance novel to an agent that specializes in mysteries). Times New Roman in 12 point may be boring, but it is an industry standard and a safe choice.

·         The first page makes the impression, make sure it shines.  You want your manuscript to make it past the first stage of reading.  If the initial reader doesn’t like it, then it will definitely be rejected.

·         Good content in necessary, but something unique and fresh in invaluable.  Remember the adage there is nothing new under the sun, and plots are included.  What will make your story different is having a fresh approach to a tired plot. 

·         Avoid generalities. Be specific in your word choices – clichés and adverbs detract.   Don’t forget that images can be just as much of a cliché as phrases.

·         Evoke a strong emotion and use vivid images.  Remember it is better to show than to tell, and showing through dialogue can be the strongest choice in some situations.  A good journalist knows that quotes tell the story, and the same can be true in fiction. 

If you follow the advice in these bullets, then your manuscript has a better chance of standing out. 

In the coming posts, I plan to elaborate more on these notes and some of the others that I have left out of this post.

Feel free to comment with your thoughts and experiences.