tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post8595608976847385945..comments2023-07-03T07:26:04.780-04:00Comments on The Rejecter: Cheap Advice to Young WritersThe Rejecterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09087643296072075641noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-70473153344077116272011-12-08T23:42:34.132-05:002011-12-08T23:42:34.132-05:00(Found a link to your blog, Rejecter, and have tho...(Found a link to your blog, Rejecter, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading through it for the past two hours. ^_^)<br /><br />When I first started writing, I went for what I saw was popular in the FF.N community: stories of the "real-world, anime-loving teenage girl gets magically teleported into (insert series here)" variety. I only realized that it was terrible after my parents confiscated my notebooks to see what was keeping me from my homework. They read it, corrected my spelling in several places, and told me it made no sense. I, being the mildly depressed teen that I was then, decided that they were wrong and I was right. That my writing was the best piece of "literature" I had read in the past year. So, now I understand completely how awful it was. My character was a complete "Mary Sue" though she didn't have an Asian nam--wait, yes she did. Dang, I failed!<br /><br />So, may I ask a question? (Err, a question other than that, I mean.)<br />About how often do you see fantasy queries that aren't trash? <br /><br />Thank you for your time,<br />"Anonymous" SavannahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-79861969908967321552008-11-06T20:24:00.000-05:002008-11-06T20:24:00.000-05:00Personally I write fanfiction for the feed back. I...Personally I write fanfiction for the feed back. If there's something wrong with my fic I edit and continue writing. It helps me improve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-4912342902667314802008-02-12T14:52:00.000-05:002008-02-12T14:52:00.000-05:00I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote on fanf...I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote on fanfiction. Lots of people say that fanfiction is like cheating, because you've got a setting and characters ready-made, but in actual fact good fanfiction is quite challenging, because you have to really get inside someone else's characters and write them realistically. Besides which, you can create your own settings and characters whilst still writing fanfiction - and a lot of people do.<BR/><BR/>Many people call fanfiction a 'guilty pleasure' - the first person to respond to this post even said it. But I openly and proudly assert that I am a fanfiction writer, because I enjoy it and there's nothing wrong with it, and moreover I am prepared to defend it if needs be.enchantedsleeperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130043216205118041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-52727425208583851362007-08-27T09:55:00.000-04:002007-08-27T09:55:00.000-04:00Fanfiction can server other purposes besides teach...Fanfiction can server other purposes besides teaching teenagers how to write.<BR/><BR/>Earlier this year, I'd grown so sick to death of the constant stream of form rejections that I was nearly ready to quit. After three books and a total of 67 rejections, I'd finally come up with a book that passed all the tests; that my stable of beta readers loved; that the "Share Your Work" section on AbsoluteWrite thought was terrific. And what did it get me? Four new form rejections. Yeah, four isn't a lot, but after what had gone before, this was four anonymous form rejections too many. I'd just about had it.<BR/><BR/>Then, simply to distract myself from my own despair at ever getting published, I wrote a fan fiction story (based on <I>Eureka Seven</I>, for those of you who follow anime) and posted it to ff.net.<BR/><BR/>Much to my surprise, the readers went wild, dishing out more praise than I'd seen in the past ten years. They <I>loved</I> it, and wanted more. So I followed it up with a sequel, and that produced even more hosannas. And then another sequel, and I found that I actually had <I>fans</I>, who loved what I'd written and were eagerly awaiting the next installment.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, I'm perfectly well aware that good as these stories are (I don't short-change readers, even when it's fan fiction), can't be published. It's been a very long time since I was nineteen. <BR/><BR/>But now I'm certain of something that I always believed but didn't know for sure -- that I can write a damn good story that makes total strangers clamor for more. Whatever reasons have been behind my past rejections (I have yet to get a rejection that actually <I>tells</I> me why the submission is being rejected), it isn't the quality of my work. That knowledge has meant a great deal to me.<BR/><BR/>And so, with the dread month of August quickly sipping away, I'm ready to start submitting again -- and in the meantime, I've been hard at work on my next book.<BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, and I'm rounding out the <I>Eureka Seven</I> series (which has grown to novel length) with a final installment. After all that the readers have done for me, I owe them that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-73878438144655802452007-08-17T03:13:00.000-04:002007-08-17T03:13:00.000-04:00"What starts the process really are laughs and sli..."What starts the process really are laughs and slights and snubs when you are a kid. Sometimes it's because you're poor or Irish or Jewish or Catholic or ugly or simply that you are skinny. But if you are reasonably intelligent and if your anger is deep enough you learn that you can change those attitudes by excellence and personal gut performance."<BR/>--Richard Nixon<BR/><BR/>I welcome your discouragement! The angrier I am the better I'll be. I am happy to have had my naivete beaten out of me. The same cannot be said for most of us. I am grateful for all of you who are obviously more creative than myself. All of you have more personality than I do! This is an obscure place to declare myself humble, but all the more consistent. I should hate to have carried my ambitions into publication. And let me hope, here, quietly, where surely nobody will read, that my words will crawl out of the slush like life did from the oozing early earth. If I cannot conquer the world, at least I can conquer my own thoughts. That is the highest ambition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-30988020986005698092007-08-12T15:53:00.000-04:002007-08-12T15:53:00.000-04:00Great advice and read!Great advice and read!tkkerouachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04401872245064752187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-3865208450803953052007-08-11T16:56:00.000-04:002007-08-11T16:56:00.000-04:00"Helps that Mommy & Daddy had clout in the publish..."Helps that Mommy & Daddy had clout in the publishing industry..."<BR/><BR/>You sound jealous/bitter/pouting. <BR/><BR/>The fact of the matter is a teenager wrote the book, not his parents, and it became a bestseller because other teenagers bought and read the book. <BR/><BR/>Let me guess: If you publish a book and become a bestselling author, it will be because of your own brilliance. If someone else publishes a book and becomes a bestselling author, it will be due to one of the following reasons: luck, mistake, timing, readers' bad taste, stoled your idea, WHO they know, mom and dad, their cat, global warming, or the war on terror.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-34425877786004643332007-08-10T14:25:00.000-04:002007-08-10T14:25:00.000-04:00Just wanted to point out that Christopher Paolini ...<I>Just wanted to point out that Christopher Paolini began writing Eragon when he was 15--he was New York Times bestselling author by the age of 19.</I> -- Anon<BR/><BR/>Helps that Mommy & Daddy had clout in the publishing industry. (Remember what Rejecter said about "If you're a President"? It applies to all Celebrities (TM).) And that after <I>Lord of the Rings</I>, publishers were on a bandwagon to find the next Fantasy Bestseller. If it wasn't <I>Eragon</I>, it would have been some other "Elves, Dwarves, etc". (Or Dragons, or Emo Bishonen Vampires...)<BR/><BR/>Result: A "19-year-old best-selling author" who never learned how to write acquires a bad case of "Bow Before Me! I'm A CELEBRITY!" And because he's an instant CELEBRITY(!) Author, he will NEVER learn how to write. Pity because the kid had enough drive to write 200,000+ words; now all his beginner's bad habits will be reinforced by CELEBRITY!<BR/><BR/>Check out <A HREF="http://community.livejournal.com/antishurtugal/" REL="nofollow">the Anti-Shurtugal Live Journal</A> for more details on that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-15485247947265782852007-08-10T10:17:00.000-04:002007-08-10T10:17:00.000-04:00"Even if you disagree and dislike Carter's views, ..."Even if you disagree and dislike <B>Carter's</B> views, calling him anti-semitic is a boorish, reactionary attempt to avoid the debate." <BR/><BR/>I was actually thinking about Richard Nixon, who made many well-documented anti-Semitic remarks. Whatever...<BR/><BR/>"Just wanted to point out that Christopher Paolini began writing Eragon when he was 15--he was New York Times bestselling author by the age of 19."<BR/><BR/>...And if you'll look back on Ms. Rejecter's original blog about that 19 year-old primadonna, you'll note that Ms. Rejecter correctly says that his writing <I>sucks</I>.Austin Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422616218138298776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-77100064450193763202007-08-07T05:50:00.000-04:002007-08-07T05:50:00.000-04:00Just wanted to point out that Christopher Paolini ...Just wanted to point out that Christopher Paolini began writing Eragon when he was 15--he was New York Times bestselling author by the age of 19. (Seems you 19-year-old writers posting here are getting a late start. Time to panic.)<BR/><BR/>As for mentioning your age in a query... why? I wouldn't mention that I'm 30.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-9485368743077596142007-08-06T18:46:00.000-04:002007-08-06T18:46:00.000-04:00Rob - Bwuh? Fan fiction isn't published book-form,...Rob - Bwuh? Fan fiction isn't published book-form, it's only on the internet. Nobody will come after you unless you're trying to make money off it. <BR/><BR/>I can't say it enough: I think fanfic is the best way to practice writing and have fun at once. I've improved an amazing lot since I started (5 years ago) and I'm finally starting to feel like I might have the skills to write a novel I can sell (we shall not speak of my previous 'novels').Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03045812486170457797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-70905961457717355042007-08-02T13:43:00.000-04:002007-08-02T13:43:00.000-04:00Rob - Fanfiction, as a general rule, can't be publ...Rob - Fanfiction, as a general rule, can't be published. Licensed fiction (such as Star Wars or Star Trek) is usually done by invitation only, by established genre writers or existing stables. Trying to get such things published is honestly an exercise in futility.<BR/><BR/>However, you can "publish" online in places such as fanfiction.net, and get feedback from other fans. If there is such a thing as Teletubby fanfiction, you'll find interest for your Voyager fic. ;) <BR/><BR/>The important thing about fanfiction is to remember that it should not be the end-all be-all of your talent. Don't pigeonhole yourself into the pointless career of fanfiction writing, unless you never intend to write for anything other than fun. You simply can't make a living at fanfic. It's a great way to exercise your writing ability, but I've seen it suck away too many truly talented writers. <BR/><BR/>It is just that... training wheels. Some day, the wheels have to come off. ;)Heather Dudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04186324266078999666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-79363660599656472272007-08-01T17:51:00.000-04:002007-08-01T17:51:00.000-04:00what are some things that a young writer can do no...<I>what are some things that a young writer can do now to improve their writing,</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>Read. Read widely, outside the genre of your choice.<BR/><BR/>Get to know history, if you're not curious then now is the time to develop that habit. Ask questions and dig.<BR/><BR/>Take writing jobs --newsletters, business writing, letters, anything to get you into the habit of honing those words down to a minimum and using them correctly. Some of the jobs you'll take will be volunteer --writing that newsletter for a club can teach you invaluable lessons on editing. But do them and view each experience as one to learn from<BR/><BR/>Good luck! And good for you for asking this question!Kananihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317494343177263398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-28695836743197328742007-08-01T16:28:00.000-04:002007-08-01T16:28:00.000-04:00Rob, fanfiction isn't published per se. It's poste...Rob, fanfiction isn't published per se. It's posted on the Web. It is absolutely an infringement of trademark to use the characters without permission, but MOST shows turn a blind eye to fan fiction as long as the writers don't try to sell their work. Try to sell fan fiction without getting permission from the trademark holders, and you'll get sued FAST.<BR/><BR/>Published novels that are written using trademarked characters are published with the permission of -- and within the restrictions set by -- the owners. Some, like Star Trek, are fairly lenient and open. Others, are very, very, very restrictive -- which is why you see few or no novels done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-42075880473669085582007-08-01T13:43:00.000-04:002007-08-01T13:43:00.000-04:00fanfic can be awesomely good writing. So write it...fanfic can be awesomely good writing. So write it if you like it. I've written some, myself, and had a blast.writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-24833566514647937802007-08-01T11:13:00.000-04:002007-08-01T11:13:00.000-04:00Rob, fanfic writers do not get permission...otherw...Rob, fanfic writers do not get permission...otherwise there wouldn't be any fanfic out there. Just write your best, post it on one of the many sites, and prepare to get lots of feedback if readers feel passionately about your work.<BR/><BR/>And fanfic doesn't mean dreck, necessarily. Didn't StarGate run a novel contest recently, picking the entrants out of the ranks of SG fanfic writers?<BR/><BR/>T2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-90273232764261009582007-08-01T02:41:00.000-04:002007-08-01T02:41:00.000-04:00Anon 4:08, I just went back and read your letter t...Anon 4:08, I just went back and read your letter to Rejecter, in which you brag about your "freakishly" well written book and your good looks. You deserved every slap you got, and more.<BR/><BR/>I'm not embarrassed. You should be, but I'm not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-15679864070291645392007-07-31T20:34:00.000-04:002007-07-31T20:34:00.000-04:00I have a question...It's been said that the majori...I have a question...<BR/><BR/>It's been said that the majority of authors, if had a high school story published, would...uh...die, pass out from embarrassment? <BR/><BR/>But shouldn't authors look back on their first publish piece and want to slap their heads anyway, regardless of when it was written? Shouldn't they be constantly getting better and challenging themselves? <BR/><BR/>What does it matter when something was published if you're just going to look back on it and regret everything you didn't do, the plot you didn't develop, the characters you could have done more with?<BR/><BR/>Just a thought,<BR/>kate<BR/><BR/>oh...and sorry for posting so lateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-58475047416899827282007-07-31T17:17:00.000-04:002007-07-31T17:17:00.000-04:00So you're going to Pennsic! Enjoy yourself, Mme. ...So you're going to Pennsic! Enjoy yourself, Mme. Rejecter, I went for ten years although I avoided the pickle-barrel armies whacking away at each other with rattan swords. No, I preferred to rest up during the day so I could belly dance around campfires at night, surrounded by screaming Hordesmen, Tuchux, Vikings and the occasional anachronistic blond-haired blue-eyed samurai swordsmen.<BR/><BR/>Did it for about ten years - then I earned enough money to go to more exotic locales than Slippery Rock, PA and spent my money going to Europe and the Caribbean instead.<BR/><BR/>Why, it's entirely possible I even ran into you once or twice, as I was at that time living in CT, although you would have been a little halfling back then since I was last there around 1994 or so ;)<BR/><BR/>If you run into a large Middle Eastern doumbek player named Baron Dur (SURELY you know BARON DUR ;) tell him Lady Gisele says hi ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-56282950059262979352007-07-31T16:52:00.000-04:002007-07-31T16:52:00.000-04:00Laura, take a job as a slush reader somewhere--a s...Laura, take a job as a slush reader somewhere--a small magazine will do. Then come back and tell us that 95% is too high! :D<BR/><BR/>If you saw the things I've seen....nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-18155157554226254432007-07-31T16:34:00.000-04:002007-07-31T16:34:00.000-04:00but what about copywrites? Do you have to get perm...<I>but what about copywrites? Do you have to get permission before trying to publish fan fiction?</I><BR/><BR/>The Rejecter is not advocating writing fanfiction to <I>sell</I>, if that's what you mean by "publish". She's saying it's a good training ground for writing, and it's an easy way to write something <I>and</I> get feedback from a wide audience. I suppose you could consider putting fanfic up on a website or posting it to an online community "publication"--and indeed some people do--but fans always/often put disclaimers stating that they're not trying to profit. (It's a much bigger violation of copyright to try to sell fanfic.)<BR/><BR/>Media tie-ins (<I>Star Trek</I> novels, for example) are not exactly fanfic, as they are generally commissioned by the owners of the copyright. I wouldn't write a media tie-in on spec, btw.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-67510009447060130742007-07-31T15:10:00.000-04:002007-07-31T15:10:00.000-04:00"...no matter how anti-Semitic you are." Nonsense...."...no matter how anti-Semitic you are." Nonsense. Even if you disagree and dislike Carter's views, calling him anti-semitic is a boorish, reactionary attempt to avoid the debate. Your writing advice is better than your political ear so I'll feel free to dispense my own advice on the latter: think outside of narrow identities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-34840153994443668642007-07-31T13:13:00.000-04:002007-07-31T13:13:00.000-04:00Do you have to get permission before trying to pub...<I>Do you have to get permission before trying to publish fan fiction? </I><BR/><BR/>Rob,<BR/><BR/>You can't publish fanfiction.<BR/><BR/>There are companies that publish licensed fanfiction - like Pocket Books at Simon & Schuster for example, that publishes Star Trek novels. I don't know what their submissions guidlines are, and if they're even looking for new writers.<BR/><BR/>But you can't ever just submit a fanfiction novel to a mainstream publishing house. The best you can do is self-publish it, which is kind of dorky. (And also might get you in legal trouble.)Kidlitjunkiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604118327281275181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-27376559077509756062007-07-31T11:09:00.000-04:002007-07-31T11:09:00.000-04:00You'd better write us a post about Pennsic!And I a...You'd better write us a post about Pennsic!<BR/><BR/>And I agree with Anon--a million words of crap. A blog will help you learn to structure your thoughts, essays in school help, letters to the editor, and yes, fan fic. My first novel was a thinly veiled copy of the OUTSIDERS but I finished it, by god. I wrote it at age 14 and I still have it. <BR/><BR/>Also, write when you don't want to. That will teach you that writing is 90% dedication to craft and 10% artistic talent. Good luck, kid.ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35623128.post-35663870516391967212007-07-31T08:03:00.000-04:002007-07-31T08:03:00.000-04:00I think good work will rise to the top, even at th...I think good work will rise to the top, even at the New Yorker. People who work as interns or entry level editorial there are readers. They know what's good. It makes them look good to find something.<BR/>I recall reading a famous editor's obituary a couple of years ago. She was elderly. The obit included a note about an author she discovered in the slush pile! That book was Peyton Place. Unfortunately, I don't remember the editor's name, but she made her reputation on that discovery in the slushpile.<BR/>So take heart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com