Cintia asked Susanne Dunlap:

I'm an aspiring writer, but I'm dealing with two things: I get discouraged every single day because 96% of manuscripts are rejected, and I haven't had an idea for years, literally. There's too many people wanting to be writers, and knowing there's so much competition just kills me a little every day. When I get motivated, immediatly something appears about the industry that kills it. Any tips on how to deal with this?

Susanne Dunlap Hi Cintia,

I hear you. Unfortunately, rejection is just part of life when you're a writer. That doesn't mean you shouldn't write, though! The best thing you can do is not worry about what the industry's doing, just work hard on being the best writer you can be. Read lots of books about writing. Be super critical when you go back and look at what you're writing. No one writes like you, and it's impossible to predict what the market wants. Editors want good stories they think they can sell. Simple as that.

Concentrate on the story: what's the journey your character goes through, and why should the reader care? I can't stress enough that starting with a really strong story with a unique perspective that inspires you to work really hard is absolutely the only way to have a chance of being published.

I get discouraged all the time, but I just keep writing. And I keep trying to be a better writer: I take workshops, I read about writing, etc. etc. It's really important.

Thanks for asking the question!

Susanne

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