Monday at The Writing Barn, and it’s a cold one. But that’s okay, because we have a new rejecting rejection piece to read while snuggled up by a fire with a cup of coffee. This week’s Rejecting Rejecting with author Holly Green helps us remember that sometimes the most motivating and inspiring aspects of writing a book are the critiques. Happy Monday everyone. From everyone at The Writing Barn, have a great week.
Blessings in Disguise as Rejection
by Holly Green
I have spent eight years writing the same book. EIGHT YEARS. Writing it over and over and over.
When I started, my creative writing education consisted of a distance learning class. And I didn’t finish. But in 2006, during NANOWRIMO, I sat down and started writing. I had a beginning for my book and I had an ending, and no idea how to fill all the pages between. Ummm…what if her sister gets sick? How about they have a Sadie Hawkins dance? I should put her on a mountain bike. My word count didn’t hit 50K that November, but I was pretty pleased with 25K. And I kept going.
I joined a critique group. We met once a week to critique scenes. They were a huge help motivating me. My writing improved. They steered me away from really weak plot ideas. How about she thinks the room above hers is haunted?
Each time I had a full manuscript, the feedback was one of two things:
- “I didn’t finish.” (sob)
- “It’s just not there yet.”
Friends would suggest that I take a break from this story and work on something else. And as much as I knew that was good advice, I couldn’t stop. I felt like I was so close. This next draft would do it. I was frantic to get published.
Finally, after a consultation at a conference where an agent spotted a huge character motivation problem from a two minute conversation, I realized I needed professional help. I started a mentorship with Bethany Hegedus. She immediately spotted that my book lacked an emotional core (along with a lot of other things). I rolled up my sleeves, dropped down to part time at my job, and worked with Bethany for six months.
In the end, I had a draft that three agents offered to represent. I had a brilliant book, and I had finally arrived.
A year later, after revising with my agent, we went out on submission. At about the same time the Rejecting Rejection series started, and I offered to write a post. I was going to tell the story above and have a book sale as the cherry on top.
Work hard! I did it! You can too!
So you know where this is going.
The first editor rejection didn’t hurt. She liked it, but didn’t love it. The second one stung a little. The third one a bit more. The worst part was that everything the editors didn’t like about the book seemed so completely fixable. And obviously I don’t mind revising. I mean…EIGHT YEARS.
I was pretty crushed when we didn’t even come close at any of the houses. But I rallied. I would revise! It would be even better! In six months, I would have my sale!
So I dug down and spent five more months revising.
Except, my agent didn’t think it was any better. In fact, she very kindly said she thought we should shelve it.
And all the disappointment I’d kept at bay, all the frustration I’d pushed through in the past came crashing down on me. My agent and I decided to go our separate ways. I was devastated. Obviously, I’d just wasted eight years of my life. I could have become an architect. A doctor. An engineer. Started my own business.
But all along the way, even as drafts have been sub-par and plot lines have failed, friends and critique partners and my husband have always believed in this story. And fortunately, there’s another agent who believes in this story, too.
I am shelving the book—for about six months—to work on a second book. A book I can’t stop thinking about. I’m researching and writing and even taking canoeing lessons. And I still believe that sometime in the future, both books will find their place on the shelves.
Holly Green was five years old, she decided she was going to write a book about a girl named Mary who goes through a maze. She cut up sheets of paper and stapled them together to house her story. She just didn’t know how to do the writing part yet. Fast forward a few decades and Holly lives in Austin, TX with her husband, daughter, and one-eared cat. She enjoys traveling, kettlebells, the outdoors, is a lousy gardener, and is still figuring out this crazy thing called writing.