I hate high school

But it doesn't last forever, so hang in there.

Shady Lane said:

I know neither of them can form a compound sentence to save their lives.

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Sounds like jealousy to me. Someone must love your writing, that's probably why they're trying to bring you down, subconsciously.

(I believe in Karma, Fate, the Devil, and that sort of thing)

Your school has a writing club?

Wow. I dunno whether to tell you to be thankful or get out. I would have never "exposed" myself to anyone's criticism at your age. I was fortunate enough to have one very, very wonderful English teacher who took me under his wing. Honestly all of my early work was written for him, just so he would praise me.

Anyway, I'm sorry to hear your classmates are such idiots. It's a given that, no matter what stage you are in life, the people who have never accomplished anything of worth will try to tear you down. People who don't have goals and drives like the rest of us become petty and spend their lives mocking others to make themselves feel better. You can either be petty yourself and fight back, or you can rise above it and realize that they deserve your pity more than anything.

One thing my dad always told me: "One day, you will be their boss." And you know what? It's true. I make more than anyone but my bosses at work. I make my own hours and I do the work I want to. The losers who mocked me in high school are working at Mervyns and Old Navy, and they will be working at places like that for the rest of their lives. (No offense to anyone who works at Mervyns or Old Navy-- just saying it's not your optimal career choice.)

What's more, we're the creative people. Everyone else is just doing busy work for the boss to make a buck. They're the ones who are making someone ELSE's dream come true. But we're the people who come up with the new ideas. We influence the world with the things we say. We live our own dreams, not someone else's.

Don't worry, Shady. Five years from now you'll wonder why this even bothered you.

On the bright side, gagging and giggling classmates will prepare you for the reviewers and critics you'll encounter in the future. Look at it this way: these are all the first steps of a great career!

I also give you credit for joining a writing club while still in school. I was so painfully shy I would never have had the balls to share my work with my peers. It's easier said than done, but do try to ignore them because there is something about you that makes them jealous, probably your goals and writing abilities. Unfortunately that's life! There will still be people as you get older who still act like they are in high school and will hate to see you accomplish your dreams and goals. I'm an old lady compared to you, and I've just completed my first manuscript after a lifetime of trying, and yes, I know people who think I'm insane and just wasting time. It's my dream and I refuse to let anyone poop on it! Just keep on writing and pat yourself on the back!

Shady Lane, don't worry...

Often times when people feel threatened they will react negatively towards you.

Threatened? Yes. They probably feel your writing is superior to theirs and they don't like it, thus creating bitterness and jealousy. They were confronted with something superior than their own efforts and so the fight-or-flight mechanism kicked into place and they are trying to bring you down.

Or, they just don't like your style of writing. It happens. They probably haven't learned to separate their personal opinions on subject matter vs writing style. There are people that hate first person novels simply because they're written in first person, and it has nothing at all to do with the plot or anything else which they might like if it were written in say, third person limited. Maybe this is one of those things.

Or... your writing really does suck. But I'm pretty sure that's not the case, especially if you're being published.

Just tell them if they don't like it, then don't read it. End of discussion!

(PS - I hated high school too )

Don't let it get you down. Those kids will have to come to terms with their own feelings of inadequacy.

joyce said:

It's my dream and I refuse to let anyone poop on it!

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This is weird, but after I finished laughing at this line, a similar one popped into my head-- "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil." (Romans 14:16)

Joyce's translation is a rough one, but there you have it. Even God concurs. Go for it!

Good job getting published! When I was in high school I almost gave up writing because the only feedback I could get was "oh, that's so great!" I wanted critique to improve, and the bullshit irritated me.

Anyway, keep up with your dreams and ignore the losers. I sit in my house all day and write and goof off, and pay the bills with it. Yes, the house that I own... while I wait for my husband to get home and kiss my pregnant belly. I'm 21. My "peers" are all waiters at the local restaurants and clerks at the local department stores. Life is good.

This is where you will be in a few years, too, sounds like!

You're right, sweetie, high school sucks. (For a minute, I thought my 15-y-o son was posting here--he just vented on me last night on the same subject. )

But like others have said, it ends. And you're getting published. And they're stuck being so utterly jealous of you that they have to cake on more makeup to cover their puke-green faces.

When you have your ARCs, make sure to give one to your writing/English teacher. He/she will hold it up in front of the class, give you well-deserved praise, and then this is what you do: smile modestly, blush just a little, thank your teacher, and out of the corners of your eyes, glance at the catty things.

It's called heaping coals of fire on their heads.

And congratulations!

Shady Lane said:

So one of my friends heard these two girls in my grade talking about how my writing is "SO bad" and they can't believe I'm getting published. Apparantly gagging noises were made.

I know it shouldn't bother me. I was in writing club with these girls, and I know neither of them can form a compound sentence to save their lives. And I know this is something I'm going to need to get used to. But still, it makes me so mad. That's sort of hitting below the belt. Like, insult me as a human if you want, I don't care, but lay off the writing.

High school sucks.

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First of all, your friend should have kept that to herself. What good did it do you to hear that second hand.

Secondly, if they're saying this stuff, it's out of jealousy.

Third, yes, HS does stuck. But then it's over and you never have to go back.

Devil Ledbetter said:

Third, yes, HS does stuck. But then it's over and you never have to go back.

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You know, even as an adult, this thought STILL occurs to me. I find myself suddenly thrilled, mentally exclaiming, "It's over! Yippee!!!"

I agree with the others. Ignore the naysayers. People, especially teenagers, often respond out of their own feelings of insecurity and/or envy. You're getting published? Do you like what you wrote? That is an awesome accomplishment! Try to feel compassion for them that they don't have your drive and ambition and are probably rudderless in the vast ocean of adolescence. Poor girls. (Note, this tactic only works some of the time.)

I agree with Jo, I still scream with joy knowing I will never have to walk those halls of high school again!

High school absolutely sucks. Been there, done that.

Just remember someday it will be over. And then there's the reunions to look forward to - where you can be the big shot writer, and those lovely people will be eating their words.

Shady Lane,

I'm 20 years older than you but I can remember the pain of gossip and nasty comments like it happened this morning. What I wouldn't give for the chance to shake my 16 year old self by the shoulders and tell her to stop caring what other people thought about me... and this is coming from a girl who loved high school. I'll bet there is not one person in your school immune from snarky remarks like that. And unfortunately when you achieve something great like you have, you become a target.

When you're 36 like me, you will look back and wonder why you didn't laugh at their comments. It's so obvious they're jealous. I think it would take a very mature teenager to be able to praise you on something so awesome. Why don't you ask them to see their manuscripts set for publication so they can show you how much better their writing is? Oh right. They don't have a book deal. Or better yet, find a way to turn them into some hideous characters in your next book. (OK now I sound like I'm back in high school. )

And bad news -- this kind of mentality isn't limited to high school. Most people in this world don't reach their dreams, so they find great satisfaction in knocking down others who have. At the risk of sounding like your mother, you should be very proud of yourself. Don't let anyone take that from you.

Shady Lane said:

I'd kill for your life.

In a broader sense....thanks, guys. You're really helping.

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So would I. I'm very happy here. And know what else? I wasn't in such a different place than you are when I was your age, although I STILL don't have a book deal You're doing amazing, so just keep it up and watch yourself continue to climb while these girls eventually rise to assistant manager at Mervyns.

I'm in high school. It sucks. I'm praying college will be better. Seriously. If it's not, I'm going to be ticked off.

It's not high school - it's life. I'm sure you've heard people saying the exact same thing about Dan Brown for example: "His writing sucks, I can't believe that he got published!". That's just the way people are; they have opinions and some are a bit more rude when it comes to voicing these opinions than others.

Just remember, that while those girls are completely entitled to think your writing sucks (once you're published and widely read, LOADS of people are gonna think your writing sucks!), their opinions don't matter. The sooner you get used to the idea that millions of people would hate what you write if they read it, the easier it will become for you to ignore those people (they're not your audience anyway!) and learn to truly appreciate those who do like your writing.

Anyway, that's a way of thinking that's helped me a lot. Realizing that no matter what I do, not everybody will like it, made me a lot more relaxed and also confident - not only when it comes to writing, but about life in general.

Provrb1810meggy said:

I'm in high school. It sucks. I'm praying college will be better. Seriously. If it's not, I'm going to be ticked off.

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I was the geek before the term was invented. HS was hell.

College, OTOH, was 95% cool. People grew up, got a clue, and realized their self-image didn't hinge on snarking about those they were jealous of. (From a perspective of 23 years...ouch. I graduated college in 1984.)

"Nasty little men such as yourself always get their come uppance. Always." from the movie The Mummy.

It's called leveling.

When people cannot bring themselves up to your level, they try to knock you down to theirs. Ignore them; they'll buy the book just to burn it, but you still get the royalties.

Success is the best revenge.

Look at this as a great story you can share during your high school reunion, when you're a fabulously successful novelist who has her books flying off the shelves.

And those girls have likely gotten extremely fat and stay at home with their four bratty kids.