Monday, November 14, 2011

Don't give up your DAY JOB!

Ahh the critique. The baring of the soul. Letting a perfect stranger see your hopes and dreams. Being able to say THANK YOU as they gently tell you  - you are ordinary - you are the same as every other artist trying to make their mark -you are bold and brave yet humble and touched. My two hundred page book is just a small idea not big enough to support a real book,  I need to write a big story with my little idea in the middle. So - I have no book, no reserved spot on a library shelf, no movie deal - and no AUTOGRAPH from Wendy Loggia! Plus, I am a year behind on my art projects with nothing new to post on my blog.

But what I do have is an admiration for the writers with big ideas for their big books. An admiration for the writer who can remember 65,000 words ago whether they gave their main character her birthday yet this year, or if her brother's name is Zach or Justin, or was that the Dad's name? or if her bedroom is on the first or second floor of her house. Things we readers think our authors most certainly know!

Plus, I am still a great reader. And those writers with their big ideas wouldn't be so great if it wasn't for us great readers. I still have that!

Honestly - the critique was exactly as I expected, I am a first time writer. And all my first time writer weaknesses were evident. I knew they were there. But writing a novel was on my bucket list and now it's not. And the next time I illustrate a manuscript, I will do it with reverence and awe!

ps - Wendy Loggia was sweet, with true grace she let me down gently without saying those dreaded words - you suck!

6 comments:

  1. Wow ... I am in awe of you anyway. I love to read, and couldn't imagine being able to put even a simple novel together - the concept boggles my mind.

    Don't give up. My mom, who never finished high school, wrote a novel. It took years to write and years of rejects before it finally sold. Since then she has published bunches, and even teaches writing classes at the community college.

    I read some of her early reject letters - they were brutal.

    You just haven't found your niche yet, I think!

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  2. Try, try again. I know a critique is a shot to the ego, but you are doing what you love. Keep going.

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  3. Judy,

    Dr Suess was turned down by 28 publishers.

    and a nice little article about many different authors being passed over by publishers.

    http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/14-best-selling-books-repeatedly-rejected-by-publishers.htm

    Judy if you decide to give up thats fine but don't let someone elses opinion have you decide to give up.
    Sincerely
    A person forever in your corner.

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  4. Don't give up, Judy! You can take all that advice and use it for your next project. Or add to your current novel.

    I admire you for having the guts to do what you did! I'm still a big chicken.

    I'm going to share some advice with you:

    "Remember--dreams are just your future waiting to come true. Keep writing!" ~Judy Grupp

    I kept that note and the card you sent along with your piece of art. Thank you for believing in me. I believe in you!

    Hugs,
    ~Jamie

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  5. Please don't give up. You are a gifted writer. All you need to do is to find your niche.

    Sissy is right, you know. Our Mom sent her first book off 15 times before someone took notice. She was one of the pioneers of Christian Romance back in the late 1970's.

    Don't let it get to you--as Clytie says, we've read some of Mumsie's early rejection letters, and they were not very nice.

    You just haven't been discovered yet, Judy! ((hugs))

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  6. I read this article. I think You put a lot of effort to create this article. I appreciate your work. Viec lam them 365

    ReplyDelete

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