The Three R's in Writing

Yes, I do know how to spell and I can clearly see that there's only one R up there...
The R's I'm talking about are the one's in an author's life, Rejections, Rewrites, and Reviews.

Rejections. Those are tough to take in whatever form they are dished out. But the real thing to keep in mind is that they aren't personal. Subjective, yes. What doesn't grab one editor may thrill another. It's all a matter of taste and preference. It doesn't make it any easier to get the rejection, but it's something to keep in mind. And remember, no matter how many NOs you get, it only takes one YES to get published.

Rewrites. Even once the door to publication is opened, it's not a guarantee. There's usually rewrites suggested. Sometimes it's just simple punctuation and/or clarification. In my own experience, I've run across disappearing Volkswagons and clothes thrown on the floor in one room that mysteriously migrate to the foot of the bed in the other room. Important to fix those things or you'll lose more than just the editor, you'll lose readers as well.

Reviews. After your book is finally under the cover (either physically or digitally), there are reviews. Authors crave them like chocolate and dread them like weight gain. Unfortunately, sometimes reviews are less than stellar. Keep in mind it's just one person's opinion. Take the nuggets of gold from them and toss the rest.

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Ericka Scott is a multi-published, bestselling author of seductive suspense. She's written stories for as long as she can remember and reads anything under the sun (including the back of cereal boxes in a pinch). She got hooked on romantic suspense in her college days, when reading anything but a textbook was a guilty pleasure. Now, when she’s not chauffeuring children around, wishing she had a maid, or lurking at the library, she’s spinning her own web of fantasy and penning tales of seduction and suspense. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. You can find out more about her at www.erickascott.com.