Encouraging words

popmuze · Jul 5, 2006

When I was 19 I took a writing class at San Francisco State University where the teacher said of one of my stories (I'm paraphrasing): "You have an eye. You have an ear. If you have the determination, you will make it as a writer."

About ten years later, I got an incredible full page rejection letter from The New Yorker praising, among other things, my "energy, wit and considerable skill." I still have that letter, laminated.

I often refer back to both of these comments in times of form rejections, low sales, vague reviews, and unresponsive agents. And I'm wondering of the readership here: what's been the most encouraging comment you've gotten about your writing thus far?

blacbird · Jul 5, 2006

"We are not accepting submissions at this time."

caw.

sassandgroove · Jul 5, 2006

I was told by a scriptwriting teacher that I had the soul of a poet... not sure if that is good for scriptwiritng, though... I had another scriptwriting teacher who I am sure thought I was a total flake since I blew off most of the assignents. We were supposed to have a final script at the end of the 12 week course that all the little assignments supported. I procrastinated of course and wrote the script in three days. The week after I handed it in, he saw me in the hall at school before class and said "where have you been hiding all quarter? This is good." (me all shy, rubbing my toes together and looking down... "gee thanks." ) He did have some suggestions and I see now in hindsight how his assignments would have solved those problems. But his "where have you been hiding?" made me feel good.

In 7th grade, we had an assignment to use all our vocabulary words in sentences. I wrote a story. (I'm a geek.) I tweaked it to put in a school wide contest, which I won. But what meant the most to me was that my teacher, Mr. Tabb, liked it so much, he read it to the class (with me, sunk low in my chair, nervous as heck.) , then called me a wonderful girl to another teacher, and at the end of the year he gave me a certificate infront of the entire 7th grade for it.

pconsidine · Jul 5, 2006

A comment on my first screenplay from someone who worked for Dreamworks:

"Well, I'd go see, but I'm not sure who else would."

KTC · Jul 5, 2006

Wow...I only receive form rejections from New Yorker. Congrats!

My best was from a framer. I think I told this story here before. My wife wanted to get my first national newspaper piece framed. She explained to the framer what she wanted done, etc...then hauled out the piece-a personal essay published in the Globe & Mail. The framer calls someone from the back and says, "Can you believe this!" The day before, they had read the piece and had a little crying session. It really touched both of them. They actually framed it for free and told my wife to make sure she tells me how much my piece meant to both of them.

drevil915 · Jul 5, 2006

I once wrote a screenplay and got a request for the whole thing...when I was in the 7th grade. Not a children's writing contest, but an actual agency. And that's what puts me to sleep at night. I know I can make it because in 7th grade I must have been doing something right...whether it was the story, the query, or the actual thing.

After the agent read the script, she returned it with suggestions and asked me to send it again in a year or so. Nothing materialized out of that, but yeah, that's what keeps me going.

maestrowork · Jul 5, 2006

I wrote about it here:

http://itheauthor.blogspot.com/2005/05/letter.html

popmuze · Jul 5, 2006

Maestro,
A deep bow.

To me, to have the gift of talent as a writer is something akin to having your own sound as a musician (tone). Once you've got it, and can summon it almost at will, to do almost anything else with your time is a complete waste.

That being said, these days if I get in three hours a week of writing that's an amazingly prolific week. (On the other hand, I do put in a good hundred and forty four hours a week of waiting for responses).

LeeFlower · Jul 5, 2006

I've had people compare my dialogue to Joss Whedon's before... that's always flattering.

And then there was the Creative Writing prof who said "I get one like you in every class... a smart kid who writes well and who'se never going to make it because they insist on wasting their time with Science Fiction and Fantasy nonsense instead of writing real stories."

It's too bad Tolkien, Asimov, Bradbury, and LeGuinn never had anybody to set them straight about that... they really could have made something of themselves if they'd written 'real stories.' Not that I'm claiming to be in their league or anything, but sheesh. At least he called me smart. I'll take that.

Sassenach · Jul 5, 2006

LeeFlower said:
And then there was the Creative Writing prof who said "I get one like you in every class... a smart kid who writes well and who'se never going to make it because they insist on wasting their time with Science Fiction and Fantasy nonsense instead of writing real stories."

That's a great anecdote. But I think you made it up.

sassandgroove · Jul 5, 2006

Jeez, apparently I'm not writing real stories either. I'm glad you took it for what it's worth, and didn't get frustrated instead.

LeeFlower · Jul 5, 2006

Sassenach said:
That's a great anecdote. But I think you made it up.

nope. Professor Sam Blate, Montgomery College, Maryland. I may have gotten the exact words a bit off, but that's what he said. I certainly didn't answer him, though. All I said was something like "thanks." He hadn't turned his grades in yet, and even if he had, I'm a chicken.

I blogged about it at the time (for sufficiently liberal definitions of 'blog,' I suppose). I actually have several fond memories of that class. There were some really good writers in there.

ChaosTitan · Jul 5, 2006

I took a screenwriting course several years ago, and the professor was a produced screenwriter named Chris Young. He was the first professional writer to tell me that I had the talent to make it as a screenwriter (so why the heck am I writing novels? Not a clue....).

My film professor, senior year of college, also told me I was a talented writer. Actually, he said it in front of my parents on graduation day, so it was both flattering and embarrassing.

I always think back to those two people when I'm feeling down about my writing career (career, what career?) thus far.

pconsidine · Jul 5, 2006

chaostitan said:
My film professor, senior year of college, also told me I was a talented writer. Actually, he said it in front of my parents on graduation day, so it was both flattering and embarrassing.

That actually reminded me of a much earlier compliment I had received when I was in 3rd grade. The woman who ran the school writing program had printed a story I wrote and gushed over it in front of anyone and everyone. At the time, I was so afraid of being singled out for anything, instead of encouraging me to keep writing, it made me quit.

Now that I think about it, the same thing happened with the viola. My music teacher wanted me to be the featured soloist for a performance and so I quit that as well.

How stupid is that?

(Sorry to derail the thread with my own mental meanderings.)

Branwyn · Jul 5, 2006

This came today...

Today's market is a demanding one. We receive hundreds of submissions
a year, and can only take on a small percentage of them. We enjoyed
reading about your project, but the consensus is that we won't be
successful in placing it.

Could be complete bs, but it was nice to read.

silentpoet · Jul 5, 2006

"You write like a dream" In response to a paper in my neuroscience class.

ChaosTitan · Jul 5, 2006

pconsidine said:
Now that I think about it, the same thing happened with the viola. My music teacher wanted me to be the featured soloist for a performance and so I quit that as well.

How stupid is that?

Not stupid at all. Sometimes flattery can do the opposite of its intention, especially if the receiver is an introvert, or does not agree that they should be the recipient of such a compliment. Pre-college, I was terribly shy, and hated being singled out for my achievements (awards day at school was especially traumatizing, because I had to go get my awards in front of my entire student class).

Now I don't mind attention, as long as it's the right kind of attention.

Arden · Jul 5, 2006

I'm new to fiction; I've spent my professional life writing non-fiction so I think it's different for writers like me...

The greatest compliments I get are not about me, or even that I'm a writer at all, but people who have read my books or stories stop me (even on the street) because they want to talk further about the subject. Knowing that I can inspire interest in something I feel passionate about is a great compliment.

On a personal level... I write historic true crime and often get to the bottom of things... I've had elderly grandchildren of murder victims hug me and thank me for bringing the truth to light. Money means nothing compared to that... I realize again that I have a calling and not a job.

MikeAngel · Jul 5, 2006

I've had several readers compare my hardboiled stuff to Chandler and Spillane. Of couse they're out of their skulls. Most readers aren't qualified to understand the sub-genre. I might add that I paid them to say that.

Shweta · Jul 5, 2006

I had an English teacher in 9th grade who told me "you could be a writer". I cherish that, even though the story he said it about was really really bad.

I got a really nice rejection letter from Strange Horizons saying "this isn't our thing, try Polyphony" or something liks that. But now I can't find it. Sadness.

And chronologically last, but possibly most important: Pthom has said some really encouraging things about a story I've shown him, and even more, spent ages helping me figure out what's wrong with it and get it right. That means the world to me.

AnnMB · Jul 5, 2006

Encouraging words? Well, I have 5 agents right now competing for a chance to represent my work, each one certain that I am the next Stephen King or Dean Koontz! As a matter of fact, I . . . wait a second . . oh, yeah. That was just a dream I had last night. :poke:

My brother said my book was a good read, but then again he has to--he's my brother.

Writing Jedi · Jul 5, 2006

1. 2nd grade teacher who asked to keep my story so that she could show it to all future grade 2's as an example of what they should strive for. It may be lame to you, but I'll never forget Miss Clark. It was the first moment of true pride in my life.

2. The high school English teacher who handed me a story I wrote with the simple words, "Forget the career guidance classes, you should be a writer."

In the ensuing years I have rarely had the guts to show anyone my work so that will have to about do it for now. Although I cannot forget...

3. My husband who said. "Wow. I thought it would really suck but I liked it!"

LOL.

Siddow · Jul 5, 2006

1. 2nd grade teacher who asked to keep my story so that she could show it to all future grade 2's as an example of what they should strive for. It may be lame to you, but I'll never forget Miss Clark. It was the first moment of true pride in my life.

That's beautiful.

Flapdoodle · Jul 6, 2006

popmuze said:
I often refer back to both of these comments in times of form rejections, low sales, vague reviews, and unresponsive agents. And I'm wondering of the readership here: what's been the most encouraging comment you've gotten about your writing thus far?

I've had heaps of rejections of the form "good story, really liked, original, etc, etc" Just not suitable for our magazine. I used to know someone who edited a magazine, and he said that 99% of submissions were garbage, then out of the remaining 1%, .9% were good, well written stories - just not really what he wanted, and the .1% were what he wanted.

Flapdoodle · Jul 6, 2006

AnnMB said:
Encouraging words? Well, I have 5 agents right now competing for a chance to represent my work, each one certain that I am the next Stephen King or Dean Koontz! As a matter of fact, I . . . wait a second . . oh, yeah. That was just a dream I had last night.

My brother said my book was a good read, but then again he has to--he's my brother.

Luckily you woke up - Koontz is a hack!

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