Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer
Careful What You Wish For!
If you read my latest Poetry Has Value update, you saw me (semi-) whining about seemingly slow response times. Well, within the past few days I’ve received three responses on poetry submissions: all rejections.
(Much) Better News for Fig Tree Books Authors
Fortunately, things are looking much brighter over at my day job with Fig Tree Books. First, Jessamyn Hope’s Safekeeping received an awesome shoutout on the NYPL’s “The Librarian Is In” podcast (if you’re in a hurry, go straight to the 6:50 mark).
And then, Ben Nadler’s The Sea Beach Line was named a Foreword Reviews’ 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist.
As I say, things are looking bright over at FTB. (I also happen to be working on the next FTB newsletter; why not sign up, if you haven’t yet done so?
Fingers Crossed
Over the weekend, I wrote a new “writing-about-writing” article and sent it (on spec) to a venue that I think would be an ideal home. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!
It really hurts to have a piece rejected. It hurts when you wait for a response for ages and it comes back with a negative. It hurts when the negative comes back – or seems to come back – by return. When that happens to me my first thought is “Could they possibly have read this piece?’. The next is “Is what I’ve written THAT bad?”. The next is, “Oh, well, onwards and upwards.”
It’s great to see you have moved into phase three of the post-rapid rejection mode, Erika – and let me say again how much I like the poem “Self-Portrait with Root Rescue™” that you have on Silver Birch Press this month.
You’re so kind, Clive. Thank you!