Author: Nicole Simms

It’s me again here to give you your weekly treat, or my weekly opportunity to share my woes with the world. So what do I have for you this week? Well as the title suggests I shall be discussing the issue of planning. No, I won’t be talking about how to plan (If you followed my advice you would be planning until the end of time), I’m going to discuss whether you should plan or not.

I’ve been reading the Stephen King On Writing book, squeezing some pages in before bed more like it. I’m three quarters through, he’s given me some real things to think about, and story planning is one of them. Mr King told me, the reader, that he never normally plans a story he just gets an idea and goes with it, writes and sees what comes from it. This isn’t so new for me, I’ve recently written stories without any planning at all, and I must admit they have been interesting and unusual stories, but that’s with flash fiction. The thought of just writing a novel from an idea leaves me asking how and is that a good idea. Now it must be because Stephen King is doing very well indeed, but does that mean what works for him will work for me or any other writer.

Why does the idea of just writing a novel make me feel so uncertain? Well I’m a planner, plan everything, always do shopping lists, I just love to be organised. Now I must say I’m not a fixed planner I like to call myself a flexible planner, yes, I make plans, but I don’t necessarily always stick to them. I’ve completed many creative writing courses and they say a plan is a good idea, but they are guides only and you shouldn’t rigidly stick to them. However, after reading, what Mr King said I’m a little uncertain whether I’m doing the right thing. “Should I continue planning my novel, or just write it?” Well to help me decide I’ve come up with a pros and cons list for planning, yes I know I’m doing a list, but hey if it helps.

Pros

• Helps to keep you focused on your story
• Helps you to better manage a complex story idea e.g. more than one main character, several sub plots etc.
• You can easily spot plot holes
• Helps to manage characters
• Helps with writer’s block

Cons

• Plot may seem forced or unnatural
• Characters do what you say and not what they would do
• By time you’ve finished planning you might have lost interest in the story
• It can take away creative freedom
• You can end up sticking to the plan too much and miss out on more exciting ideas

So there you have it my pros and cons, I’m sure there’s more, but that’s all I could come up with. At the moment, I’m seeing an equal balance, which doesn’t really help much, but what it does tell me is that you just have to do what’s right for you. As long as you are aware of the risks of planning, I don’t think it can hurt to just have a basic guide. I have random events written on cards, but I won’t go into too much detail I will save that for when I write, I do have a lot of information about my main characters though. I have decided that there will be a cut off point for any planning and research, and even if I don’t feel done I’m just going to get on with writing because like I said before at this rate I’ll be planning until the end of time, which is the wrong thing to be doing. ‘Stop planning start writing!’ that will be my motto.

So for all you folks who, like me, just need to do that planning I hope this helps you to be a bit more flexible and spontaneous. Even though it’s like what I said before what works for one might not work for another, so as long as you have a novel to be proud of how you get there is up to you, just make sure you get there.

So, what are you waiting for? Go write or plan something. Let’s follow this dream!

Following on from last weeks post, I have decided to come up with a plan. A plan of action that will help me get battle ready for this fight. So for all those who have issues with Mr Self Doubt, and lost in limbo unsure of what you are meant to do, this post is for you.

I have come up with 5 steps; yes, the 5 points are back. These points will, hopefully help you beat Mr Self Doubt and achieve your writer goal.

1. Get a publishing history: I read somewhere, can’t remember where, that publishers don’t necessarily like to take a gamble on unknown authors. Whether that’s true or not I’m not sure, but what I do know is that, a publishing history won’t hurt, and it could give your submission a better chance. Why? Imagine this, you have two applicants for a job, one has work experience the other hasn’t. They are both skilled to the same level, which one will you choose to give the job to. I would say that you were leaning towards the experienced one. Now I’m not saying that will always be the case, but from my life experiences, so far (especially job wise) that has been the case. A publishing history isn’t only important for success with a novel, it will also prepare you for the harsh world that a writer drops themselves in because I’m sure before you get that publishing history you will have received many rejections, but those rejections (if they offer feedback) can help to improve your work.
2. Build a fan base: This follows on from step 1. Publishers are interested in authors that can sell. So if you come with not only a publishing history but also a fan base who will buy your novel that’s better than someone who will struggle to sell books because no one knows about them. This is however, my thinking and not scientifically proven, unknown authors have been published even without fans or a publishing history, but it doesn’t hurt to have some. How do you build a fan base? Well having a blog or website, which readers can go, to see your other work, and keep up to date with your latest news is a start. You can also self publish your stories on one of those short story sites, such as Shortbread stories. I’ve published on this site, and I got some helpful feedback (folks were also kind).
3. Put self-doubt and fear aside: We all know that once you are consumed with doubt and fear you either stop submitting or even worse writing. This is very counterproductive; you can’t be a successful author if you’re hiding behind the sofa with a bag over your head. When you get a knock back you just got to rise up and attack (not the editor or publisher lol), but throw your story back out there, and if it boomerangs back and hits you in the head just tear it apart and start again.
4. Create the best novel you can: Not every novel idea will be the right one, deciding on your first novel is tricky you have loads of ideas swimming around, short stories begging to be made longer. While you have all these ideas, some will work and some won’t. To find the answer you need to make time to explore these ideas further. What I did before deciding on the idea to work with is list all the ideas I had, and communicated with the characters. It may sound crazy, but the main characters from the novel I’m working on came to me they said, “We got a great story to tell, so you had better write it.” What did help clarify though was sharing my idea with my pal, and hearing myself explain the story, I realised that all the pieces were fitting together. So I do encourage sharing your ideas with someone you trust.
5. Keep writing and keep the faith: This is possibly the most important step that links all the others together. You need to keep that end goal clear in your mind; if it’s you dancing around with your hardback copy of your book then you keep that at the front of your mind. Gaining self-belief is difficult especially after many knock backs, but you will need that self-belief and determination if you ever want your dreams to come true.

So there you have it 5 steps, you might have your own steps or wish to do 10, as long as it helps you reach your goal then it’s all good. I’ve decided to create a poster of the 5 steps, the best place to put it would be on the ceiling above my bed, but because I’m short sighted, it will just have to be on the wall.

So all that’s left for me to say is, go follow that dream. As Ice Cube says, “You can do it if you put your back into it.” I’m sure he’s not referring to determination and hard work, but hey, it still applies.

It’s me again, but this time I don’t have those feisty 5 points. Instead, I wish to share my discovery. It came to me when I sat down behind my typewriter, yes I have one I must admit I’m more impressed with that then the computer. Back to the point, when I sat down to write, it has been awhile, I felt this feeling of coming home. It was so unusual but writing my story just felt so right like this is where I’m meant to be. So I asked myself, “How can this be the unrealistic dream that I call it when it feels right?”

I’ve always shied away from saying what I want. I suppose that’s Mr Self Doubt telling me I’m not good enough to make it. But I, like many of you writers, would love nothing more than to write stories full-time. I’m not after fame and glory, that doesn’t appeal to me at all; I just want to write just for the love of it and have readers enjoy my work, saying that we all have to eat, so a little something helps.

Writing has ignited my passion so much that I just can’t stop. I have stories and characters whirling around my head. While working I have story ideas popping into my head and it grieves me that I can’t start work on it straight away. I have never felt so much passion before it’s exciting, but don’t get me wrong it certainly isn’t the easy option. You need truckloads of perseverance and determination, and armour against rejection. Saying that I have so far never received a nasty rejection, but disappointment is still a b-slap to the face. But even after all that I’m still writing, you see I’ve had a taste of what it would be like and man I need more.

What’s the point of all this waffle? Well I had an epiphany; I’ve been letting doubt tell me that what I want is unrealistic. It won before when I was younger I told myself that this wasn’t a realistic career so find a more suitable one, I did that and look I’m back here again lol. So what makes wanting to be an author an unrealistic dream, when others do it. Why is it not an option if you are prepared to work hard, learn and develop your skills and even when you are faced with constant rejection you keep writing, which you couldn’t stop doing even if you tried to. There is no reason why this dream cannot come true if you are prepared to fight for it.

So before you let Mr Self Doubt work on you, ask him this, “How can this dream of mine be unrealistic when it feels right?” Yeah it may take years, decades (I hope not) but if you keep going, you will one day reach this dream of yours. All you need to do is keep the faith, and let your passion fight off Mr Self Doubt.

I hope you’re all raring to go, well some of you might already be, so all that is left to say is go, go follow that realistic dream, yeah I said it realistic, and I’ll see you at the finish line.

I’m back and this time I’m pushing rejection aside, and moving on to something more exciting.

So as you can see from the title, this post is about finding your own writer identity. It’s very common when you start on your writing journey that you look to your favourite author(s) for inspiration. You yearn to recreate their success and wish that you too could write the same. Now while it’s fine to admire an author, I have learnt that you’ll never get anywhere being an imitation. And no matter how hard you try, you can never beat the original. Why? Well it’s simple it’s because that’s their style, their way of story telling. If you ever want the chance of success, you need to find your own style, your own way because remember no one is the same.

You may wonder what inspired this post. Well earlier in my writing journey, after I got my first story acceptance, people would say you’re going to be the next J. K. Rowling, and that sent me thinking. I didn’t want to be the next J. K. Rowling, I mean for a start I’m a horror writer, but it wasn’t just that. J. K. Rowling is amazing, in my opinion, when I first got her books I would be locked away for days reading absorbed in the magical world she created, and even now I still love to reread her books. But I don’t want to be a poor copy. I want to be Nicole J. Simms because that’s the only writer I can be.

So how do you do this, how do you find your true writer identity? Well during my year and a half, I’ve found ways to help you discover your identity, and just as expected, I have come up with 5.

1. Write: This is an obvious point, but sometimes the most obvious can be overlooked. The only way you’re going to be able to identify your style is to actually write, and keep on writing. As time goes on you will find your writing changing, developing but this is ok it takes time for you to find your style, so bear with it. Don’t worry you’re not alone; even now I’m still trying to find mine.
2. Explore: Now while you may be certain that you want to be a horror writer you can’t know for sure until you try other genres. So far, I’ve written fantasy, crime and stories with no specific genre. Horror is still my favourite though but I’m now more open to blurring genres. Genre isn’t the only area to explore there’s POV (Point Of View), some prefer third or first and some even like second. I’ve never tried second myself, might be something worth exploring.
3. Your Stories: This definitely will show you what kind of writer you are. You’ll notice common themes in all your stories. This is mostly down to you writing what you know. Things in your life will inspire what you write. So it is important to just go with that random idea that pops into your head because that is a story idea that is true to you, it’s not forced, it’s natural.
4. Comparison: It wasn’t until I started reading from a wider range of authors that I noticed how different they all write. Not one had the same style, similar maybe but not the same. Some styles I liked, some I didn’t, did that mean that the authors were rubbish, no that’s just my opinion and they are still published authors no matter what I think. So by being able to see how different other authors write, you’ll realise that your style isn’t necessarily wrong it’s just different.
5. Just go with it: This is the best way to find out your true identity. You just need to write the stories you want, the way that’s comfortable to you. Yeah you need to edit, avoid bad habits etc, but you can’t mould yourself into something you are not. You are who you are, so allow yourself to explore, write and compare. Find your voice and tell your stories. Not everyone will like the way you write but hey, you can’t please everyone.

So there you have it, 5 ways to find your writer identity. Hopefully these points will help, they’ve helped me so far but I’m still learning, and still growing.

Final Note: I’ve worked out my author signature; all I need now is a book to sign.

All that’s left to say is, let’s follow this unrealistic dream.

I have a confession to make. I let Mr Self Doubt get me. I know I should lower my head in shame, but the little bugger is so sly I didn’t see him coming. Oh, he’s enjoyed himself whispering away, spreading his poisonous thoughts, and like a fool, I soaked it all up. In my defence I was vulnerable I had taken a punch to the heart, and man it hurt.

What hit me? Well it was a Usain Bolt rejection; no Usain Bolt didn’t reject me. I’m talking about receiving my quickest rejection to date. I know many of you probably have experienced this quick rejection before, and some probably prefer the quick response. For me I don’t like the quick response nor do I like a slow one. Too quick to me means an easy no, and too slow grows anxiety, so I prefer a couple of days at least. I know again, this is the real world; you have to take it how you get it, but man I was knocked off my feet. Actually, I was rocket launched off my feet. Even so I was still able to work on my writing, so yay me.

Okay enough about me. So what’s the point of this post? By going through this dark period, which has probably resulted in a few extra pounds (sadly not money), I have realised the importance of keeping the faith to get back up from a rejection and keep going, this is a fight after all. So how have I done this, or how am I doing this, well I’ve come up with 5 random things that I think might help, if it don’t it’ll give you something to laugh about and laughter is good for the soul.

Readers beware: These points are silly, if you don’t like silly then this isn’t the post for you lol.

So let’s get into these 5 ideas.

1. Practice your author autograph: Presumptuous I know but the other day a family relative asked me to sign a copy of the anthology my story is in, and that’s when I realised I don’t have a signature for my author name. Why don’t I have one? That’s simple I barely see myself as a writer never mind a future published author who does book signings. But the real question is, why don’t I? That’s the dream right, to get novels etc. published, and have readers love your stories and want your autograph on their first edition. So I’m putting self-doubt aside and practicing because you never know one day I might need it. So go ahead you practice yours there’s nothing wrong in being prepared.
2. Praise yourself: The one thing I’ve noticed is that I never really praise myself when I achieve anything. I’ve never really realised how important it is for your self-confidence, but it is. Do you remember when you were small and you got a gold star for doing good work, how did you feel? Great hey, I bet you had an ear-to-ear beam, and that’s the reason why you need to praise yourself. Now I’m not talking about praising yourself if you’re getting a novel published, even though that is brilliant. I’m talking about everything you do to fight for your dream. If you’ve finished your first draft, edited and submitted your work. Even if you’ve come up with an idea, you need to praise yourself. “Well done you.” That’s what you need to do, if you want to get yourself a sticker then go ahead, go all out. Going for this dream isn’t easy the knock backs can hurt but if after all that you are still going, still writing, still improving then you really do need to pat yourself on the back.
3. I’m a writer: Now this is a little silly but I’m hoping that after this exercise you might believe what you are saying. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be finding it hard to call yourself a writer. I mean I’ve heard it so many times, if you write then you’re a writer but still I find it tricky. So I’m going to try this exercise, first stand in front of a mirror, and keeping eye contact with your reflection say “I’m a writer!” do this 5 times, and each time you say it will yourself to believe it, try this once a day you never know you might finally start believing it.
4. Do a fake book signing: This links with the first point. With your author autograph finalised you’re going to need to put it into some practice, and what better than a bit of role-play. I known it’s silly, hey I did warn you, but while you’re doing this you’ll remind yourself of your goal, and this is what needs to be at the forefront of your mind, there like a gleaming shield protecting you from the lashes of rejection.
5. Frame your work: Now with this point I’m not referring to actually framing your work, even though that is a good idea. What I’m referring to is taking pride in your work and any achievement that has come from it. From a short story you’ve self-published that has positive comments to your first novel out there for the world to experience. You need to crown your work and hang it higher than any rejection you have ever received because it’s those pieces that will remind you of what you are fighting for. Those pieces that will remind you that you are indeed good enough and a writer (or author) is what you can call yourself.

So there you have it folks, hopefully at least one of these can help you keep the faith. Enabling you to keep going when giving up seems easier.

Final Note: I referred to a story rejection in my previous post; I was confused on what to do with my rejected story. The feedback left me uncertain of which direction to go in (even though I did appreciate the feedback it’s a rare thing to get) and I didn’t want to mess with my plot (stamps foot), however an idea randomly came to me and I was like I think this might work better. So I shall be ‘tweaking’ my story and I’ll see what happens with it next. Hey, I can admit it when I’m wrong.

All that’s left to say is, let’s follow this unrealistic dream.

I never planned to do this post, but after receiving a story rejection this week, I’ve decided this was something that couldn’t wait. Mr Self Doubt it cheering now, but after this, he will get another blow to the head.

Why do another post about rejection? Well this isn’t solely about rejection it’s about your faith in your story and deciding whether it’s a lost cause or not. Now while my rejection wasn’t all bad I had some good comments (sadly I only focus on the negative this is something that needs to be discussed in future posts) my characters are strong and my story is well written, but there is one little problem, apparently my plot is predictable. This left me with a question, if I change my plot, will it change my story outcome. Yes I have written a story about hope and it ends on a hopeful note, you could say that was predictable but does that make it wrong, does this mean I should toss my story aside like a disused dish rag, or change the story so much so that it’s no longer the hopeful tale I envisaged.

My story is a simple tale about a character finding hope in the smallest of things. Even though I mostly write horror due to my sensitive nature, I do like to write emotional tales, especially ones were things look better at the end, now this isn’t a happily ever after kind of ending it’s a we can keep fighting ending. Since reading my previous post about dealing with rejection, one thing does stick out, so far only one editor has said this, and as we know not everyone likes the same thing. While some might find it predictable, others might find it a thought provoking beautiful tale. So this sent me thinking of things to consider before I chuck my story away, and I managed to come up with a list that can be applied to all of my stories.

While thinking of things to consider I realised that I’m probably not alone with this, there’s possibly many writers out there at the same crossroads, so I’ve decided to share my points. As expected it will be 5, I don’t know what it is about 5, maybe it’s my secret favourite number. Randomness aside, here are the 5 points to consider before you either mutilate your story or throw it away.

1. Will making changes affect the story outcome: Even though I have said that sometimes your story needs a tweak, this tweak can change your story in a way you didn’t want it to. So before you dramatically change your ending, or change your main character’s personality (because they have been called dull), you really need to think about the possible consequences. If you feel that a change will be detrimental to your story, then send it to some one else and see what they say. However, if you feel a change needs to be made e.g. grumpy character needs a dry sense of humour to make them more interesting then do so.
2. How many rejections have you received: As I have said previously a rejection doesn’t mean your story is rubbish, it just means that it needs a tweak or needs to find the right home. So if your story has only been rejected once, and it’s not your characters or grammar that’s the issue, then try it again somewhere else. I’ve decided to wait until I have 5 rejections before I decide to do some serious alterations. Yes, I know 5 again lol.
3. Does the story meet it’s goal: If your story does what it’s meant to do, hook readers, tells a story (Start, Middle, End), has strong characters etc then there’s a big possibility that you don’t really need to do anything to it. Yeah some may not like the story, but folks we aren’t going to win them all.
4. What’s the overall response to your story: If your story has been read and you’ve got some emotional responses from it, as long as it’s the right response you don’t want people laughing when you’re trying to scare them to death, then I would say job done. However, you will need to make sure your story is read by someone who isn’t scared to critique your work because what you need is someone to tell you the truth not someone who will lie to make you feel better, this isn’t useful for your improvement. If you are getting the response you desired then all you need to do now is find the right home for it.
5. Do you believe in the story: If deep down, regardless of the growing doubt that you maybe feeling, you truly believe that your story has great potential, that it’s written the way you feel is the best way, that you know it will have a deep impact on your readers then stick with it. Don’t listen to Mr Self Doubt and throw it away allowing that to put a permanent doubt mark on your dream. Keep with it and don’t lose faith, it’s easier said than done but you mustn’t give up.

So there you have it 5 things to consider before you dump your story. Hopefully this has helped you to decide which direction to go in. I know I’m a little clearer, so I’ve had 2 rejections so far so here’s to the next 3.

On a final note, if you have also received a rejection this week then I shall point you to my old post, see below, and according to this I owe myself a treat.

http://horrortree.com/setting-self-doubt-fire-rejection-ugly-word/

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s follow this unrealistic dream!

It’s me again, with my basket load of advice, hopefully you’ve given Mr Self Doubt some punches to the head, and now you are ready for the second strike. This time I’m going to be taking on another challenge that us Writers have to face. It’s one of the things Mr Self Doubt likes to throw at us, and it seems so convincing that we often believe him. What am I referring to? Well it’s the one thing I’m sure you have all said yourself. “I just don’t have time to write.”

Recently I’ve had to deal with this issue myself, which is what gave me the idea for this post. I’ve found myself unsuccessfully juggling many things, and sadly, my writing has been pushed back, not as far as my baking blog I have to admit. Even though I’m writing, I still have a large editing pile to work through, and my novel well I’ve hardly started planning it. It’s a frustrating process you need to work to live, you have chores to complete, responsibilities, family and friends to make time for, and the list is endless. And at the same time you need to spend a fair amount of time on your writing, and when you are working on three short stories at different stages and planning a novel it can be a real fight to fit it all in. As we all know, if you’re not working on your writing your dreams will never come true. Dramatic gasp!

So how do you deal with this issue, how do you learn to juggle? Well I’ve come up with another list; I know me and my lists. I actually have special shopping list paper that’s blue and has a cute pink rose at the bottom. Random I know, but hey, that’s me. Right back on topic. I’ve come up with 5 tips, yes the famous 5; to help you learn to juggle like an over experienced clown, red nose and all.

1. Be realistic and allow yourself some free time: Before we even look at ways to easily add writing to your life, we need to be realistic about what we can actually do. While it may be suggested that to perfect your craft you need to write everyday, this can be tricky to achieve. Sadly, there’s going to be a time where you just can’t fit writing in, no matter what you do. So instead of beating yourself up because you are too busy running around like a headless chicken or your eyes need matchsticks to stay open, just allow yourself to have that day off. However, you must make sure you don’t do this too often because you will find yourself easily trapped in the ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ cycle.

Also, if there are days that you want to relax, go out, or spend time with family and friends then do so, we all need a life otherwise where are we going to get our ideas?

2. You don’t need to write for hours: While we’d like to sit and spend hours lost in our own worlds, which can be more interesting than our own, there just isn’t enough hours in the day. So instead of trying to cram hours in do small chunks instead, for example an hour a day, 30 minutes, or even 10 minutes 3 times a day. No matter how long you spend, you’ll still be moving forward and heading towards your goal.
3. Make the most of your time: Do you really need an hour lunch? Is it necessary for you to spend 3 hours getting ready? Yes, I’m referring to you guys too. Do you really need to spend hours watching Soap Operas? No you don’t, you could easily take back some of that time and use it for your writing. Have 30 minutes lunch and use the other 30 for writing. Switch off the TV and get some writing done. If you think about it, you’ll find that there are times of the day that you are wasting time. Don’t feel bad though, I do it too.

Also, while travelling to work, as long as you’re not driving of course, you can read and even edit your stories. If you don’t hate mornings (I do I hate them so much, well anything before 8am), then get up an hour earlier. I’ve never tried it, but it might be interesting writing in the morning when your mind is fresh rather than the evening when you feel like a zombie.

4. Cut down the workload: If you’re anything like me, you’ll be working on multiple stories all at the same time. While this conveyor belt approach can work (plan one, draft one and edit one), if you stall on any of the stages you will find yourself with a serious backlog. Over the summer I wrote stories, but never edited them, so my editing pile just got bigger and bigger, and I’m crazy because I just keep adding to it. I have however decided to try a new approach, this may not be new to you, I’m going to work on one story at a time. So that’s plan, write, edit and then submit. Also, if you are like me and have a huge editing pile it might be wise to concentrate on just the editing, at least for a few weeks.
5. Give yourself a deadline: This I have to admit is important because when you don’t have a deadline you’ll find yourself forever saying I can do this tomorrow. Then you’ll find yourself with either a pile of half-finished stories or a pile of unedited stories, and when you have this let’s just say if you can’t juggle, you’ll crash from the load.

There you have it 5 tips to help you to successfully juggle. I hope that one of these will be of some use to the stressed out writer. I must admit writing this post has given me loads of ideas, and now I think I might be soon getting back on track.

On a final note, remember a well-rested and balanced writer is a better writer.

So, what are you waiting for? Go write something. Let’s follow this unrealistic dream!

I’m back and I hope you all have your boxing gloves ready because it’s time for round one (Ding! Ding!). To start this fight I’m going to start with Mr Self Doubt’s favourite pal, yes we will be facing REJECTION.

Rejection is possibly a writer’s worst nightmare; it’s definitely mine. It can be like a Mike Tyson’s blow to the gut when it comes knocking on your door. However, while rejection is a painful experience it’s one we, as writers, have to learn to defend ourselves against. Without that defense this bullet can possibly kill your writer’s dream.

So how exactly can we defend ourselves? Firstly, we need to understand the reasons for rejection, and this may come as a surprise, but a rejection doesn’t necessarily mean your story is rubbish. To help you believe me (I bet Mr Self Doubt is whispering in your ears now) I’ve listed some of these reasons.

1. It’s not the editor’s cup of tea (personal preference): A lot of the time your story will be read by one person, and we all know not everyone likes the same thing; we are all individuals after all. So on some occasions a story rejection is just down to personal preference. So before you submit a story try to see what has been published before, this will give you a clue to what kinds of stories the editor likes, I say editor it could be anyone who reads the story. Many submission calls do go into detail about what they DO and DO NOT want, so pay close attention to that. I like to remind myself that sometimes it’s just a case of finding the right home for your story.
2. You just needed another edit: I find when I read a story I’m automatically drawn to any spelling or grammar mistakes (I wish I had this skill with my writing), and this too will be the case when others read yours. It can be frustrating that even after several edits you still miss a little something, but before you throw your rejected story away just give it another once over, then resubmit it.
3. Too many stories not enough space: There’s so many of us (writers) out there submitting stories and a lot of the time there’s only a limited amount of space. So rather than your story being rubbish consider the fact that hundreds of stories might be submitted for 3 spaces, add that with your story being one of the last ones submitted, and you get rejection. “First come first served.” as the saying goes. This is why it is imperative that you create a story that not only stands out of the crowd, but leaps out, and sets off party poppers.
4. Story isn’t suitable for the readers: This links to point one in a way because even though you submit to a horror publisher it doesn’t mean that your story will always be suitable. For example, you have a story that has people being brutally murdered, you describe it all, you know the sort of stuff that could seriously traumatize a person, and you send it to a publisher that has a young audience. That story will not be published no matter how good it is. So as I have stated above always make sure you are sending your stories to the right places.

So there you have some reasons for rejection there are probably loads more, but for now, that’s my lot. I’m afraid it’s now time to talk about rejection when your story isn’t as good as it can be (not going to say crap this only fuels Mr Self Doubt). I have reread stories, especially my earlier ones and I have to admit they have made me cringe. Does this however mean that you should give up, no it just means that you have some ‘serious’ work to do, and to help you on your way I’ve found 5 reasons your story has been rejected.

1. Bad Beginnings: I’ve done this; I’m sure many have. Sometimes you can forget just how important the start of a story is, but without that attention-grabbing opening, you won’t be able to hook your reader. I remember when I started out I would write long descriptive paragraphs where nothing much happened, now with a novel you have more space to hook a reader (not much more probably a page) with a short story you have the first paragraph, well more like the first line. So how do you make sure that you have a killer start? Well firstly, you make sure something is happening; it could be as simple as a boyfriend breaking up with his girlfriend (through dialogue) to someone having their head cut off. Secondly, you need to take off your ‘writer hat’ and put on your ‘reader hat’, you can actually wear hats if this helps. With your ‘reader hat’ on you can now read your story as a reader because after all this is who the story is for. We all know how it feels to get hooked by a story so this is important that you approach your story this way, it’s not easy sometimes the ‘writer hat’ puts itself back on, but you need to stop being in love and start being critical.
2. Wordiness: This is where you go crazy with the adverbs and adjectives, and to show off your impressive vocabulary you throw in some unnecessarily big words. I have to admit I’ve done this one too, you see I’m a waffler, but what helped me to cut all that out was trying my hand at flash fiction. By forcing myself to write a whole story under 1000 words, I was able to learn how to cut out the junk and use only the words I need. So if you too tend to go on a bit try flash fiction, it’ll drive you a little crazy but trust me it’ll help.
3. Too much back-story: The problem with back-story is that it slows down the pace, readers want action and they only want history if it is relevant to the story. So even though you might know your character’s whole life story it’s not necessary for your readers too. Just imagine sitting with a friend as they tell you everything they ever did from the day they were born to now, not fun right.
4. Flat Characters: From all the creative writing courses I’ve done they all say the same thing a story needs characters that a reader cares about. Would I have loved Harry Potter so much if I didn’t care what actually happened to Harry, no I wouldn’t. So we all need to make sure that our stories have characters (at least the main) that are well rounded, have good qualities and flaws, and that grow and develop throughout the story.
5. Unoriginal plots: This I also have to admit I have done. Editors and readers are tired of the same old same old; I wrote a vampire flash fiction, which I have only just admitted to myself, was unoriginal. This doesn’t mean that I should give up; it just means there needs to be more thinking outside of the box. We have creative freedom, come on let’s let our imaginations run wild.

Even with all this advice there is still a little problem, we still need to learn how to deal with rejection. I read a funny post while researching for this, it said, “You will get rejected”, which is true it’s part of life in general not just writing. It was then suggested that you frame your rejections or pin them up, there’s a quote from the Stephen King’s book ‘A memoir of the craft’ that I found amusing “The nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and kept writing.” From this quote alone, I’ve decided to get the book.

As you can see when you do get that rejection you need to still keep going, you will improve, you will get better and if you keep going you will get published just as long as you are prepared to fight for it. To help you on your way I’ve shared with you my dealing with rejection process.

1. Allow yourself time to grieve (no longer than day), this normally involves me buying or making myself a treat, man I love that I can bake.
2. Put your story aside and work on others
3. Reread, re-edit and resubmit
4. Never stop writing and never stop submitting, you can’t get published if you don’t submit

On a final note just remember the reasons for rejection isn’t ‘I’m a rubbish writer’, it’s ‘my story needs to find the right home’ or ‘my story needs more work’.

So, what are you waiting for? Go write something. Let’s follow this unrealistic dream!