Writing

[den]

Should writers take rejection slips personally? Should editors take writer's comments personally?

I've practically given up writing. I still pop out the occasional story but I don't have time to spend on serious writing. Everything I write now, and have written in the last 2 years, has been either academic papers or silly bloody journal entries.

The Novel is on hold. It's a complete story but still needs finishing. There are other stories in my head.

-A fleet of alien ships are wondering what to do
-an anthropomorphic flying fox is tired of having a broken arm
-Mavrik wants all his short stories "joined together."

It would be nice if writing was fun again.

Comments

Writer's Block

[ursuscal.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean.

As for taking editor's comments seriously, I do so only if they are constructive ("I suggest you expand the first section to give more depth to the character.") If it's just opinion ("I didn't like it") it's simply subjective, and is rather unprofessional of an editor to say.

28+ years as a technical writer has given me a rather tough skin when it comes to editorial comments, especially when the typical technical manual is "gang-reviewed" (where 10 or more Chimpanzees -- and marketing monkeys -- take turns giving useless critique). I always chuckle when the first lot makes edits, only to have the second lot undo them. The end result is that the manual stays exactly the bloody way I had it to begin with -- only 8 weeks later. When I get outright pinheaded reviews, like some wannabee journalist who gets irate because I have "too much passive voice," though, I come unglued. I recently reprinted a guide from a prestigious University discussing active versus passive voice, and the first thing it said was: "It's a matter of personal choice. Neither is more correct than the other." I left it on the idiot editor's chair along with a "Have a nice day" note.

I, too, am suffering from writer's block right now. I've been trying to get a grip on my book "Seamy Sacramento: Historical Scandals in the Golden State's Capitol." One imbecile actually had the gall to tell me that it should be "Capital" and not "Capitol," because the State Highway Department consistently misspells the name on the "Capital City Expressway" signs. Sigh. That's actually one short chapter in my book.

I know that if I could simply have a few months to be left alone with Wabbit and my PC, I could get most of the damned thing done. I have already taken most of the photos for it. But, no, the drivel I deal with everyday here at "work" leaves me too tired to work on it when I get home...