Wil A. Emerson WHo, Where, How, When

Wil A. Emerson: Who, Where, How, When

Notes on Writing


 
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Wil Emerson       As you can see by this photo of me in my "work" mode, writing isn't exactly a glamorous profession. In fact, it is hard work!

       But it's also been an exciting adventure. After the release of Taking Rosie's Arm, published by Five Star, I had the pleasure of promoting my first sale in various states, at wonderful cozy book stores and at several conferences. The most heartwarming experiences were the visits with two book clubs who wanted to meet the author and discuss the book's prime categories. It was an out of body experience...they seemed to know Taylor and Rosie better than I and talked about the author's intentions as a third person. What great insight for me...how readers feel, live with the characters they love!

       My novel Fatal Mistake and my short story "Oh Henry" were featured at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, which was held in Raleigh, NC October 8-12, 2015. A convenient place for me to attend. The fun is listening to other writers who have inner voices and put them on paper. And...we aren't prescribed anti-psychotic drugs for doing so! So, all you writers and want-a-bes...just do it, put your stories on paper and enjoy the music of your words. (For more information on the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, please see: http://www.bouchercon.info/.)

       The various conferences, with many authors in attendance, convinced me that an author can never let her guard down...there's a lot of competition out there. And many talented writers with great books to sell. One can never learn enough about the writing experience or diminish the impact it has on readers.

Rejections

       The R word is the least favorite word in a writer’s thesaurus. But it can be used to our advantage. Often a form letter states: "Thank you but your work does not meet our needs at this time. Good luck with your writing." Okay, that goes in the file. Eventually it will be discarded but I keep the rejection letter on hand as a reminder not to send the same manuscript to that particular editor again.

       When I receive a personal rejection letter that highlights the submitted material, I sit down to savor the response. Sure, I’m looking for "send a revision and we’ll reconsider" but if an invitation is not offered I don’t trash the personal letter. I take it to heart. This editor or agent has paid attention to my manuscript. If he/she offers advice, I consider how to improve the manuscript.

       Rejections are just another tool for my workshop. I don’t hit myself in the head, don’t feel like I’m been shoved down the drain or lashed with a thorny whip. I learn from each and every rejection.

Acceptance

        What can be more fun than a letter that begins with "Thank you for submitting your manuscript. We would like to publish your work in...." Wow! Better than a birthday cake, better than losing ten pounds, better than a day at the beach. Wow! Every acceptance calls for a bottle of champagne.

       I've been lucky. After my Rosie publication, Crimson Dagger picked up "Dog Gone," Senior News published "Fragrant Blossoms" and Silver Moon released "Bone Music." "Temporarily Detained" was picked up by Crime and Suspense and subsequently several other short stories have been published with SmashWords.com. You can find details and ordering info about the latter on my SHORTS page.

 

Don't Worry Bee Happy

 

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Photos , Painting © Copyright 2011, Wil A. Emerson. All Rights Reserved.

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