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REJECTION: The Real Story by Barbara Bretton

By on April 5, 2011 in Write Awesome

No uplifting thoughts on the importance of a handwritten rejection letter, no pious sermons on how rejection is good for the soul.

I’m going to give it to you straight.

Truth #1: Rejection stinks.

Truth #2: You are going to be rejected.

Rejection, unfortunately, is the flip side of writing for publication. Only writers who write solely for pleasure and consign each of their efforts to the lower left-hand desk drawer can manage to avoid rejection.

If that description fits you, congratulations. You’re a lucky person. You’ll never know how awful it feels to be rejected.

And you’ll never know how wonderful it feels to be accepted.
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3 Tips from American Idol for Writers

By on March 15, 2011 in Write Awesome


As one of the many millions of viewers who watch the American Idol selection process, I think that much of the advice given by judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler or Jennifer Lopez to aspiring singers applies equally to writers.

Here are three tips from Season Ten:

#1 Find Your Lane.

Love this phrase, don’t you? Judges frequently counsel a singer to find his/her “lane.” From a writer’s perspective, it means write what best suits your voice, style and interest. Don’t force yourself to write in a genre that’s uncomfortable to you just because it’s currently what’s popular or you feel you’ve a better chance of making a sale. An old axiom is “write what you read.” That’s a good indicator of your “lane.” Of course, it’s not always this easy because it might–like many of the American Idol singers–take more time and experimenting before you settle into a genre or writing style that best suits you. Take a risk, don’t hold back and keep pushing yourself to experiment with your writing until you do find this lane. If you keep this wonderful phrase–Find Your Lane–foremost in your mind, it will help you to know when you’ve found it.
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