Kathleen Hall Posts!!!

Kathleen, author of Winter Embrace, Joins us for a guest post today!

 How to Avoid the Rejection Blues

I wanted to be a published author and no one ever told me how getting a rejection would feel. It’s not easy actually, it can be downright hard. The first one makes you angry – the publisher doesn’t know a good book from bad. The second one is shocking and by the third one, you’re wondering if your book has any merit at all.

If there is feedback, read it and take it to heart. Everyone’s books need editing but if there is an issue look it up, find out what the difference is between showing and telling. Find out what head hopping means. Unfortunately there are a lot of form letters without feedback.

I decided to enter a Romance Writers of America contest. I had to pay a fee to enter but they had judges and provided feedback. However, I didn’t expect a judge to tell me that writing wasn’t for me. I finished third from last. I threw it in a drawer in tears. A few days later, I looked it over. Three different judges provided feedback and I read each critique, this time with the attitude they know better than I. Well- except for the writing isn’t for me part.

They liked the story and concept. It was my writing technique that brought me down and I have to admit I didn’t know rule one about writing. I got busy and looked up every term they threw at me and printed out any information I could find on POV, showing verses telling and passive sentences. The more I read the more I realized that my writing needed help. Next, I read books from newer bestselling authors, techniques change, and I read as an author instead of a reader. I took notice of the changes in point of view, and how authors addressed showing instead of telling.

I fixed my book. I still got a few rejections and then there was finally a yes. Desert Breeze Publishing was willing to take a chance on me. I now have eight books published and one almost ready to go. I have two publishers, Desert Breeze Publishing and Secret Cravings Publishing.

Thank you for joining us!