THE JOYS AND FRUSTRATIONS OF WRITING

Beginning to feel you might be getting somewhere!  (Temper this with the certain knowledge you will get more rejections but it is so nice knowing sometimes at least the letter on the mat contains good news!).


Encouraged by some acceptance discovering more markets for your stories.


Being able to write something positive on your covering letter to agents/publishers!


Being able to say something positive when someone asks how the writing’s going.  Hint:  always give a quick answer.  Never wait for their eyes to glaze over. Get them to ask. Get them to ask you more about it.


Knowing you can go to conferences etc as a genuinely published author, even if it is only one short story!!!!


When you’re working on a story and you’re struggling to get the right words to express exactly what you mean. The great thing about this is every writer experiences this and maybe because the tale has been harder work than usual, if it does get accepted, you’ll appreciate it more. Of course if it garners rejections, you may not be so surprised!  But sometimes what you think isn’t so good does catch someone else’s eyes. I wasn’t convinced my Life is What You Make It would do anything.  I’d have liked more time on it.  Yet it won the runner up prize in Writers’ News.  You’re not always the best judge of your work!


Holiday time can mean less time to write, which can be frustrating, but I view this time as going out and about, gathering a kind of unconscious research into location description and there are numerous opportunities for people watching.  This is always good for character building.  And you get to see sights you wouldn’t normally. Is there something in there you can use?