God's Provision...even in Rejection

Hey all,

 

I received a rejection on my submitted book yesterday, but that's not what this post is about. 

I'd been asking for direction regarding my writing, specifically what I needed to work on learning this year to improve my craft.

 

I'm a list maker...and I also try to set goals for each year as far as writing, family life, God, etc.

 

So on my writing, I've known my endings are weak, so I've been reading books in my genre and in the line I'm targeting to see how they end. To study the books for author's techniques that really seemed to work. I don't want readers to get let down at the end and be like..."well, the engine took off strong, and the rest of the train chugged pretty good...but that caboose....anticlimactic."

 

Anyway, with the rejection, it made me all the more want to work on strengthening my endings so they're not so abrupt. My stories always end happily, but sometimes the pacing is off, usually because I've run out of word count and I rush. I've got to learn to write leaner throughout and leave readers with a truly satisfying ending.

 

So today, I'm going through a gazillion emails and stumble on this one digest that I never have time to read. It's called Writing Tips. I was about to route it to its folder to be read some other year (lol!) when my attention snapped back to it. 

 

I had this vague, out of nowhere thought, "Don't delete that. It'll help you end your books. You'll learn from it." Then I had the strongest sensation God was saying to me, "I will give you everything you need. Everything." 

 

These thoughts were so vague I nearly deleted the email. On a whim I opened it....and every article that issue was on how to end books! LOL! 

 

This is so cool. God knows my books need SERIOUS help on the hind end. LOL! I really think He directed me to that email. How cool is that? Stuff like this takes the sting of rejection away because to me, it's worth it if I get to know Him and His voice better and learn to trust that He has my best interest at heart. 

 

By the way, the endings weren't the only reason the story got rejected. We're not sure the story or characters are redeemable for the line and house I'm writing for. We'll see, but for now, I'm working on a different book in that series and will try to move it to be book three instead. 

 

That's why it's always good to have something else in the works for an editor, in case one project doesn't work for them. Even if it does, they're going to want to see something else from you if they contract you. So again, I stress...don't be idle. When you submit that sucker...fling yourself fully into another story right away. When my editor asked, I was able to say I do have another proposal ready...although it needs polished and I need to work on the synopsis. We brainstormed it a little today and I'm going to tweak the synopsis and opening a bit to incorporate my editor's suggestions. I wish I would have done that (ran it past my editor first for her thoughts} with the last book....but live and learn, right?

 

The more I learn in this industry, the more I learn I need to learn more. LOL! It never stops, nor should it. Now I know it's better to take up fifteen minutes of her time to go over a story idea before I write it than to write it and make the poor thing suffer for hours or days slogging through 280 pages of poo....er...I mean fertilizer. LOL! Okay those are my words, not hers. She was much more kind and gracious. I'm brutal with myself. LOL! I just wish, wish, wish I could see the flaws in my own writing. I certainly have no trouble picking them out in others' writing. LOL!

 

It's just SO cool to me that GOD ALMIGHTY...Creator of Heaven and Earth...cares about me and something so menial as the endings of my stories. He cares about the things we care about. It was a beautiful reminder to me. I hope it encourages you, too. God knows you and loves you and knows everything you need, exactly when you need it. 

 

Warmly,

 

Squirrel

 

 

--
Cheryl Wyatt   Gal. 2:20   Pouring my vial of words over Him.

www.CherylWyatt.com  www.Scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

A SOLDIER'S PROMISE~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Jan. 2008
A SOLDIER'S FAMILY~ Steeple Hill Love Inspired~ Mar. 2008

www.Steeplehill.com   www.Loveinspiredauthors.com