i've been hobbled... please help

Jackfishwoman · Apr 17, 2008

I have written two novels, first one published a few months ago, second one seeking a publisher. When I was on a high from my first book coming out, I started in on my third. I got about twenty pages in when I started getting rejections on my second book. As time goes by my first book is not doing so well with sales and is being compeltely ignored by big journal/newspaper reviewers because it is from a very small press. (Those who have reviewed it have been blown away!)
But here's the problem: I find all of this rejection/being ignored so disheartening that my desire to write has been paralysed. I have not worked on novel #3 for about four months. It's not writer's block - the book & outline were sailing along really well and still could be if I had the motivation to write. I just feel like I am tethered down with this tremendous anxiety & disapointment and it will not allow me to proceed.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Hummingbird · Apr 17, 2008

I've not been published, so I can't help much in that area, but one thing I can think of to help with being disheartened is think about those reviews that you did get and the fun of writing. Even if not many buy your book at first, those people loved it. You've got something good. ^_^

Instead of forcing yourself to work on your novel try just randomly typing up a nonsense story, to help you feel better. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of that one, because it is supposed to stink. ^__^ It's just fun to write! I've actually filed away some of my 'random stories' for novel story ideas when I'm finished with my current WIP. ^_~

Besides, if you like writing, write. It doesn't matter what people think of it as long as you have fun doing it. ^.~

Jackfishwoman · Apr 17, 2008

Thanks Hummingbird. I do in fact do what you suggested: I have been pumping out short stories prolifically in the last few months.
The problem is the novel... it seems like such a huge investment of time and energy and I put so much of my emotional self into them that I don't know if it's worth it anymore.
(get out the violin, I know, I know) But it always helps for me to hear from others who have been through these tough times.

Hummingbird · Apr 17, 2008

I understand wondering if it is worth it too. ;_; One thing that helped me realize that it was worth it was accidently being forced to take a vacation from writing - period. I had to move unexpectedly (disappeared from this site during the same stretch) and all of my writing files and folders and I got seperated. I put so much work into those, that I didn't have a clue where to start and I really didn't like the idea of starting over. So I didn't write.

That lasted for about half a year. Then a story kept nipping at me, and I had no choice to start back up again. It was like a giant weight was lifted from my shoulders. The sheer joy of writing kept me going.
This is a different story than the one I was on before, but over time I have rewritten as many notes as I could remember, and added a bunch I like more. Some day I'll get back to that story, but for the time being I'm enjoying this story.

The above I would suggest as a last resort. ^_~ Lol.
I really felt differently about my writing afterwards though. It feels more important to me to write now since I went without for so long.

Maybe someone else will come along and have a better idea than me. ^.~

triceretops · Apr 17, 2008

Jackfishwoman. I visited your publisher and read your book's blurb/synop. It sounds very heartening and character-driven. Very intriguing--tasteful cover. It had kind of a Valley of Dolls flavor to it, minus the other female characters.

Anyway. Don't let rejections dictate what you love to do. This is not an easy road, to be sure. I know what you mean about the investment thing. But how many rejections have you received? Are they query rejections? Or are they partials or fulls? You do accept the fact that 99% of your work will be rejected? It only takes that one sale, that one "yes", and that's what we're all striving for.

You've got to ignore these little demons and carry on. If it's any consulation, your Amazon numbers are looking much better than mine, and I'm sure I can beat your lack of sales. And not only that, MY Canadian publisher just went under suddenly, and took 50 books and about 30 authors with it. So, can you see and appreciate what you have afterall? You are not looking too bad from where I'm sitting.

Carry on, dear. "No victory with sacrifice."--Sam Whitwicky--Transformers.

Tri

Phaeal · Apr 17, 2008

Like Seymour and Buddy Glass, I keep some lines from the Bhagavad Gita nearby:

"You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work...Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without such anxiety...They who work selfishly for results are miserable."

Do you have something else into which you'd rather throw your time and energy and emotion? If yes, do that. If no, keep writing the novel.

When a story needs your blood, you cut deep or you don't cut at all. If you count the drops, if your fingers twitch to twist the tourniquet, you don't love that story enough, and the story will know.

Hummingbird · Apr 17, 2008

Phaeal said:
When a story needs your blood, you cut deep or you don't cut at all. If you count the drops, if your fingers twitch to twist the tourniquet, you don't love that story enough, and the story will know.

I really like that. ^_^

Komnena · Apr 17, 2008

Where has Jackfish been reviewed?

Jewey Witch Goddess · Apr 17, 2008

Resistance

The book "The War of Art" is a great read for times like this. It's a touch self-helpy, but it talks about the demons artists face. There are some great stories in it that inspire perseverance.

All of life is a choice of perspective...even if you never write another word, you are a success!

rugcat · Apr 17, 2008

It's a really tough one. You're right, the investment in time. emotion, and energy to write a novel is huge. And ideally, we write because we want to, and getting published, although a worthy goal, is not the be all and end all.

But for some of us, if there was no chance of ever getting published, we wouldn't write at all. Shallow, perhaps, but more common than you might think.

But that's the thing -- you do have a chance. You've done it before, which means you can do it again. I know you were sailing along everything with going according to plan, and then Wham! But you're not the first to have your second novel rejected and you won't be the last.

I know of a woman with multiple published books, by a mainstream publisher, who spent two years writing a long and complex novel, only to find no one would publish it.

You have an idea. You have an outline. That's half the battle right there. Think of book three as the one that will be the breakout -- after which, book two may well be in demand.

And if book three can't find a home, there's always book four. Or not -- if you truly get to the point where you don't want to do it any more, that's fine. But you're clearly not there yet.

Phaeal · Apr 17, 2008

Komnena said:
Where has Jackfish been reviewed?

Follow her signature links. Amazon has one of the reviews, also.

Komnena · Apr 17, 2008

The big reviewers may believe Inanna is a vanity press like PublishAmerica. How many review copies has Inanna sent out?

Jackfishwoman · Apr 17, 2008

Thanks Tri & others for the encouragement.
Komena - my book was reviewed on several blogs such as:
http://www.oldmustybooks.com/2008/04/01/sarah-felix-burns-jackfish-the-vanishing-village/
http://ourgaggleofgirls.com/books/2008/02/29/jackfish-the-vanishing-village/
http://ravenousreader.wordpress.com...to-redemption-jackfish-the-vanishing-village/

I am so thankful for these great reviews - don't get me wrong! These grass-roots bloggers are the backbone of who I am. I just feel a paralysis - almost physical - about continuing on when being rejected & ignored by so many agents & publishers.

I put this thread in the novel-writing forum because it really is about continuing on with writing a novel when my creativity/emotions are being so taxed by all the other cuca. I just wondered if anyone else felt that way too.

rugcat · Apr 17, 2008

Jackfishwoman said:
I am so thankful for these great reviews - don't get me wrong! These grass-roots bloggers are the backbone of who I am. I just feel a paralysis - almost physical - about continuing on when being rejected & ignored by so many agents & publishers.

You're not alone.

There have been times where I have literally written one sentence, got up from my computer and not been able to force myself to return for an hour, whereupon I write one more.

It passes, but while it's happening it's hell. My house is cleaner, though.

Komnena · Apr 17, 2008

I can't remember which AW poster it is whose signature has the line that Gone With The Wind was rejected 132 times.
I didn't mean to be discouraging. I looked at Inanna's website and they do seem to be legitimate.

NeuroFizz · Apr 18, 2008

Each work, whether it is a book, a short story, a poem, or an essay, is an individual and unique challenge. It shouldn't play off the success (or lack thereof) of previous works. It's hard to put on those blinders, but your current work deserves them.

As others have said, rejections are just part of the business. Each one is a disappointment, but those little disappointments shoudn't outlast the walk back in from the mailbox. If they do, you'll have to either toughen up or look for a different creative endeavor, because the system won't change.

pilot27407 · Apr 18, 2008

Are you ready to give up writing? For good??
Guess not, especially after tasting that satisfaction of seeing your first ‘baby’ in print.
So, my advise is, plow ahead, write better, write more, but don’t stop.

dawinsor · Apr 18, 2008

Phaeal said:
Like Seymour and Buddy Glass, I keep some lines from the Bhagavad Gita nearby:

"You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work...Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without such anxiety...They who work selfishly for results are miserable."

Fabulous quote, Phael. I hope Jackfishwoman finds it enlightening because I sure do.

Jackfishwoman · Apr 18, 2008

okay... consider my hand *virtually* slapped.
Should have kept my thoughts to myself on this one.

CDarklock · Apr 18, 2008

Jackfishwoman said:
I find all of this rejection/being ignored so disheartening that my desire to write has been paralysed.

I have a system which relies on fooling the brain. It works in all kinds of situations.

Remember, your brain is a machine: it behaves in predictable ways that you can manipulate. And the most predictable way your brain behaves is to put emotion on one side, and reason on the other. The other very predictable way your brain behaves is to optimise responses to known situations. So you need to teach your brain that rejection is a rational process, not an emotional one.

To start, pick a number. Say, ten. Send out that many submissions.

Wait one week, send out the same number of submissions again.

Now wait. As rejections come in, stack them up and count them. When you get ten, send out ten more submissions.

Because numbers are handled on the rational side of your brain, your brain will gradually figure out that it doesn't need the emotional side - indeed, the emotional side gets in the way. So after a few rounds of this, your brain will simply shut off the emotions when the rejection arrives.

The same thing works with other stuff, too, like smoking. Lately, I've started smoking again, and it annoys me. So whenever I want a cigarette, an emotional desire, I think "I can have a cigarette if I go one more hour without a cigarette". That engages the rational half of my brain, and within a couple weeks it will have learned that the emotional half gets in the way - so when I want a cigarette, the rational side will turn off the emotional side and I won't want a cigarette anymore.

This is really a form of long-term self-hypnosis.

NeuroFizz · Apr 18, 2008

Jackfishwoman said:
okay... consider my hand *virtually* slapped.
Should have kept my thoughts to myself on this one.

So sorry if you feel that way. We do want to help, but to be continually rejected on a project, and to have a published work not sell as well as in our dreams, are both realistic aspects of this business for most developing writers. I understand the frustration, and I wish I could say something to get you through it in a way you would like. But really, the most helpful advice I can give (with a truely caring intent) is to tell you to not let this beast beat you--suck it up and get through that latest project. The satisfaction you'll gain by just finishing it under these circumstances will be a personal achievement of huge proportions. And, it will set you up for dealing with all of the future doubt that comes in such a solitary endeavor where we do the intellectual equivalent of standing out on a corner of a busy street, stripping off all of our clothes, and shouting, "Look at me. What do you think?" If you can get through this one, you'll be better equipped to handle the next crisis, and you'll be one step closer to your dream.

windyrdg · Apr 18, 2008

I can relate to what you're feeling. I'm 80% through my fourth novel and it's been like pulling teeth. Some days I give myself a gold star if i get 500 words.

Last summer I set a goal of finishing it by Christmas. Instead, I've had to take blocks of time off for other projects (Polishing and re-writes on another work, etc.) Somedays I think it would be a relief to just dump the thing and forget about it. I hesitate to call it writer's block, because I KNOW what I want to write, I just can't seem to execute.

Charlie Horse · Apr 18, 2008

Here's my advice for what it's worth.

Sit your butt down and write your novel. If you can't force yourself to do that, find another creative pursuit that gets you excited.

Don't mean to be harsh, but that's what this is all about.

Good luck.

ishtar'sgate · Apr 18, 2008

Jackfishwoman said:
The problem is the novel... it seems like such a huge investment of time and energy and I put so much of my emotional self into them that I don't know if it's worth it anymore.
(get out the violin, I know, I know) But it always helps for me to hear from others who have been through these tough times.

Yeah, I've played those rotten little violins too. I have no idea what will work to get you out of your funk but I'm kinda stubborn and when my pity party was over the mule in me took over and I carried on.
Linnea

Greenwolf103 · Apr 18, 2008

Jackfishwoman, I feel your pain. I've done five books since 1993 and none of them have sold in numbers worth remebering. In fact, out of those five, one book has sold only one copy!

But I presevere. I carry on. I keep writing and hoping my next book will be The Next Big Thing.

Truth of the matter is, this is how a lot of famous writers started out. Their first book(s) didn't get noticed until they wrote a bestseller. Then everything else they wrote just flew off the shelves!

Don't let the rejections get you down. They are not anything different than the same rejections you got when you were trying to get your first book published. Keep on keeping on!

(I'd say more but I've got baby on my lap and I'm typing with one hand.)

i've been hobbled... please help

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