Easily, the biggest emotional challenge of being a writer is the rejection. No one likes rejection, no matter the circumstance, but with creative arts such as writing, it is unavoidable and painfully frequent. It’s Hard Not to Take Rejections Personally Since falling back in to writing in 2014, I’ve queriedContinue Reading
Getting a writing rejection is never fun. The email shows up in your inbox. You notice that it’s from a publisher or agent. Your pulse quickens. This is it. You’re half excited, half breaking out in a stressful sweat. The message that email holds will either make your day orContinue Reading
I think the biggest emotional challenge for most writers is rejection. Writing is a competitive business. There are way more authors needing publishers than publishers needing authors. So, rejection is more the rule than the exception. But it’s still hard to take. I usually can’t write at all for aContinue Reading
If you’ve been a writer for any time at all, you’ve suffered from a painful experience. Perhaps several. You’ve had your work rejected. You’ve gotten a bad review (or two). You’ve had your story ignored by agents, editors, and contest judges. You’ve heard from your family that you’re wasting yourContinue Reading
by Anita Kushwaha Ernest Hemingway famously said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.” While this quote might seem a tad hyperbolic, it nevertheless speaks to the costs of leading an artist’s life. The deeply personal investment it takes to share partContinue Reading
Fear is blocking your writing…if you’ve made any of these statements recently: Oh man, I’m just sooooo busy, I haven’t had time to get that story done. Those stupid editors! They don’t know what’s good anyway, so I’m not going to try submitting. Why do I feel so tired lately?Continue Reading
What do you struggle with as a writer? When I asked myself that question, my immediate answer was “marketing.” I’m sure a lot of authors would agree with me. I enjoy certain things I do that are considered marketing—like staying active on social media, maintaining a robust blog and newsletter,Continue Reading
Rejection is a soul-killer that naturally leads to depression, anxiety, self-doubt, isolation, and just plain wanting to give up and crawl in a hole. You’ve heard the term, “Your own worst critic?” That’s me. I brood and simmer and stew for a couple of days, but eventually I pick myselfContinue Reading
Sitting for long periods of time puts a strain on my back, neck and legs. Sometimes my hands cramp or my elbows tingle. My shoulders ache and my neck hurts. I have the opposite of the munchies—if I’m really in the zone, I’ll go until 4:00 in the afternoon withoutContinue Reading
I knew early on that I wanted to write mysteries, but didn’t begin until my two kids were in daycare and I found a little time. We had a connection to the Atlantic City Race Course, so I cooked up a mystery plot and set out to interview people doingContinue Reading