What do you want in a Rejection Letter?

Here’s your chance to voice your opinions - and we all have opinons on this topic, don’t we?

Abby from Blade Publishing has put the question to all would-be authors sending their submissions to Blade for consideration.

Here’s the link: Blade Blog

Why not go over and read her ideas and post your comments…As for me, I’d like the details so I can strengthen my writing and get contract next time around. How about you?

Tags: Rejections

Human Nature? Or Just Negativity?

Deidre Knight made an interesting comment today in response to Mel’s post:

A few years ago we had one of our authors visit during RWA. She’s a nonfiction author, and had never attended the event because, of course, she’d had no reason. But she wanted to meet up with Pamela while the event was nearby and she spent some time at RWA. THis is a wonderful person, btw–warm, caring, just great to work with. Her comment to Pamela after a day was, “I’ve never been around such a negative group of women in my entire life.”

That’s an incredibly sad portrait of what we become when we join together as women. It should be about sisterhood, empowerment. Instead, it seems that a select few resent any success or happiness that comes for others, convinced that it robs them in some way of success on their own.

Sadly enough, I think Deidre is right. There are people who honestly believe that they’ve been robbed every time someone else gets that coveted promotion, pay raise, publishing contract, etc.

I’m not saying it’s wrong to feel a small pang of envy. Hell, I do too; I’m only human. When Jennifer got the call from Samhain, a tiny part of me was envious — because I wanted it too. But I never thought I was robbed or that she didn’t deserve it or secretly wished that her book would flop. You know why? Because there’s no reason to. I was thrilled for her, and frankly, I want my writing buddies and crit partners to be successful.

I think people who are incapable of being happy for other people’s good fortune are like that because deep inside they are miserable and insecure. They’re incapable of being positive and happy with themselves, so their negative energy and thoughts contaminate all their interactions with others and ultimately drive everyone away, including their Muse.

Pre-published v. Unpublished

I hope people would just STOP using the term “pre-published” to describe their “unpublished” status. So many unpublished writers use it, like it somehow makes them more special or something to call themselves “pre-published”.

Pre-published is a very specific word describing a very specific situation in publishing. Nephele Tempest, a literary agent, explains:

Pre-published implies that an author has sold a book, but it hasn’t actually hit the shelves yet.

I don’t understand why people think that calling themselves “pre-published” when they’re really “unpublished” is affirming and positive.

Do you call your friends on diet “pre-thin”? Do you call your single friends “pre-wives” or “pre-husbands”? Do you call people with cancer or other terminal illnesses “pre-dead”?

Surely not.

Calling yourself pre-published when you’re not only makes you sound pretentious and stupid, like you don’t know what the word really means.