Writing and Writers

Back row: Roger Carlson and MC Brooks
Front row: Dottie Wershing, Carol Gladders and Brenda Kay Ledford

In the photo above you see five of the eight students who were enrolled in my memoir writing class this fall at Tri-County Community College in Murphy, NC

Four of these students have taken my classes several times. It is inspiring to see the improvement each has made since that first class. Two of them published this summer. Roger submitted an op-ed piece to his local newspaper and it was accepted. MC Brooks submitted one of her family stories to an anthology, It's All Relative, Tales from the Tree, edited by Celia Miles and Nancy Dillingham. You can find MC's personal narrative on page 29. 

In this class all students were intermediate or advanced. When students come back again and again to take my classes, I consider it a great compliment to my skills and my ability to help them enjoy learning. I was once told that one of my greatest talents was creating an environment of safety and comfort that enabled new writers to share their poems or stories without fear. 

I know that is important because I have been that new writer, that new poet, who felt terrified when asked to read my work out loud to a group. I have been that person who was not sure if my writing had any promise. Sharing writing is a bit like handing off your first-born to a stranger and hoping he will handle her with love and care. 

I also know that even the most experienced, published writer still sweats out each new submission whether it is a short story or a manuscript for a book. No one wants to face rejection. Once I learned that, I became much stronger when faced with rejection of my work. We have to know that an editor's rejection is not personal and we must not have our feelings hurt. The rejection is probably because the work doesn't fit the editor or publisher's needs at the time. 

A beginning writer faces the challenge of submitting work with no previous publications on his resume'. He hopes an editor will read his story or essay and like  it enough to give him a chance. Today we hear that editors Google a writer's name first to  see if he has anything online that shows the editor that he will bring readers to the publication. That seems unfair. 

Some publishers, however, say they don't want to know what you have published, they want your writing to impress them and if it does,  it will be accepted. I wonder if that is the exception.

We write because we love it and sometimes because we can't not write. I know excellent writers and poets who don't care about seeing their work in a book other than for their family. Whether we publish our work or write for our own satisfaction, we write. But to have our work read and appreciated by other people is the goal of most writers. I hope to communicate with readers whether in my family essays, short stories, poetry or on this blog. 

I appreciate your reading my posts. I hope you enjoy them and I love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment or send an email.

Poets, Send It Out Now! Royston Class

August 
Rosemary Royston


Send it Out, Now!
Saturday, August 25, 10:00 – 1:00 PM,  2012

This class is for Intermediate to Advanced poets, or those who write poetry but have not had the courage to submit their work. 

What to Bring:

1) The print journal and/or a printout of your work in the online journal, web address included.

2) 3-5 poems that you are ready to submit.

3) Envelopes and stamps.

Purpose of the Class: You will leave with at least one new journal to which you can submit your finished poems, along with a resource list of journals and websites that are helpful to the publishing poet. The class facilitator will lead a discussion on how to ascertain what a particular journal is looking for, which contests are worthy of your time and money, and the in’s and out’s of good practice in submitting. This will be a discussion-based class, with time set aside to read at least one of your poems

Registration fee: $25.00

Contact Glenda: nightwriter0302@yahoo.com or call 828-389-4441 for mailing information.

How Quickly Can an Editor Say NO?

As I tell my students, rejections are a normal part of writing and we must not take them personally. And, if an editor actually comments on your submission, that is a reason to rejoice.

For several weeks I've worked on an essay for an anthology. The deadline for my submission was November 30. I researched, revised, and sent my essay to my good friend, Ellen, who edited and returned it to me.

She was extremely helpful. I made the changes she suggested. She wanted me to write a more powerful ending and so did I.

While I mulled over my last paragraph, I found I had a fractured vertebrae in my back, visited my sister in the hospital and took dinner to her husband who is recovering from back surgery. That was down in Roswell, GA.

I was about to give up on this essay, feeling I had more important things on my mind. I came home from Atlanta on November 30. It was late in the evening when I decided to try to write an ending that was worthy of my subject, ageism in the writing world.

I hit Send on my computer about 12:20 a.m., and my essay was on its way through cyberspace. I went to bed.
On December 1, I began my doctor's prescription - rest, rest, rest and pain meds every four to six hours.

I opened my e-mail after lunch and there it was. A reply from the editor of the anthology. Wow, I thought. This was fast. They must really like my piece.

But no. My essay was rejected. They had so many submissions and had to divide up the topics, etc. and mine did not make it.

I do believe that was the quickest rejection I have ever received. I wonder if it was even read, but I thanked the editor for reading my work and will take her suggestion to send it out again.


Since I began submitting 15 years ago, my work has been published in about 75 different publications, some journals publish more than one poem or essay. I have my file of rejections and acceptances. I go back and read them occasionally. I have received rejections consisting of one sentence, and I've received rejections written by hand. I've received suggestions on how to improve my poem or essay, but I've never received a rejection or an acceptance within fourteen hours of submitting.

Today's technology - is this a blessing or a curse? I had to laugh.

Have you ever received an acceptance or a rejection that fast?

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