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I first started my story “Conduit” with the idea that I wanted to create a new kind of alien invasion story. One, not about green people invading earth or ripping from the chests of helpless victims, but one more about how everyday people would cope with an apocalyptic event involving beings from another world.

With that approach I began thinking about what characters I would want to include. I had an overall base of what personalities would be in the story and even the beginning and the end of my book. I toyed with my idea for some time and went through periods of shelving it to revisiting it later followed by shelving it again. There was a piece missing to it all. How do the aliens invade?

Sure, I could use the standard militaristic invasion, but that whole scenario doesn’t fit with me. My reasoning is this: if aliens are smart enough to have discovered a way of space travel, I would expect that they would have figured out a way to conquer us through other methods then through weaponry. Why not instead use us? Why not find a way to tap into our minds and control us. Discover a way for each of us to pass the alteration ourselves, much like the flu. No warfare would be needed and the world is theirs for the taking.

Stuck on that idea, I shelved my idea once more. I liked it, but I didn’t know how to implement it. That was until I remembered an article I had read some time ago. It was scary to me when I read it:

Zombie Ants (National Geographic)

And that’s when it all came together.

Yesterday, I found this article as well:

Zombie Bees (USA Today).

I find that to be creepy stuff and the creepiest thing of all, it is real. Now what if this could be made in a way to affect humans? Yikes!

In my last post, I wrote about how it helps for a new author to look for the positive message, if any, hidden in a rejection then to focus solely on the fact that their work had been rejected by an agent or publisher. The truth is though that it can get to be draining when all that seems to come of one’s hard work are negative responses. Not only through whomever work is submitted to but also through feedback from test readers. It is a never ending onslaught of different opinions, comments, and there is always that hidden thought that keeps getting pushed away that perhaps the story is not good enough. So what keeps a newbie author motivated?

Beer

No, but beer does help. There is one thing that helps me the most, much more then beer ever could. I know it won’t sound like rocket science, but if one is planning on getting their story out there, they will need support. Whether it is from friends or family it really doesn’t matter so long as there is someone to lean on.

When it all seems pointless, sometimes all that is needed is a nudge to help one to realize what they have accomplished so far and that they have done something many other people out there have tried and gave up or gave up before they even started.

Many successful writers give advice not to seek feedback from their families or friends. I think that’s a bunch of hogwash. Sure, they may be biased, but given what an author faces – especially a new and unpublished author, any ally to offer their support is a huge benefit. I know that without the support of my family and friends that I have shared my endeavor with have kept me going in the hard times. When I find myself at my wit’s end with it all and want to give up, they are there to give me the nudge I need.

I’m sure there are those that think they can “go it alone” and maybe they can. I for one am glad I have the support I have. So thank you to everyone that shares my dream of turning my story into a success.

In one’s never ending quest to getting published, one learns to seek any positive signs in the many rejections that pour into the mailbox. When I first started submitting to agents, I had no idea what I was starting. I wasn’t even sure how to write a request for representation. So obviously I scoured the internet for templates and advice on how to format my request. I thought there must be some common format that would catch the eye of some agent.

No, there is no magic formula – or at least I haven’t found it yet. Most of the rejections I received were form rejections. Every now and then I would receive one where someone took the time to sign. That was like gold. I would stare at the signature and think, “Wow! They must have liked it.” That motivation faded fast.

Having given up on the whole process, I received an early Christmas present – a rejection of course. This one was different though. In this one, the editor took the time to respond with a personalized rejection. This leads me to believe that my letter must be getting closer to catching some interest. Here is the response I received:

“Thank you for giving Candlemark & Gleam the opportunity to consider your manuscript, Conduit. We’ve looked at your manuscript sample carefully and we appreciate its many merits, but unfortunately, we’re going to have to pass on publishing it. You may wish to consider adapting your novel as a screenplay; from the jump-cut pacing and subject matter, it seems as though it might make a better fit for a visual production than for print publication.

We wish you the best in placing it elsewhere, and we hope you’ll try us again in the future with another of your efforts.”

Why am I happy about this? For newbie authors out there like me, it helps to make a game of the rejections and see how many ways one can twist a rejection into a positive message.

1) It shows that my story was actually reviewed.
I don’t know how many times I’ve received some sort of rejection explaining how my story was reviewed in great detail but wonder in the back of my mind if it was even looked at. Where the editor took the time to provide some advice shows to me that my book was in fact read.

2) My story isn’t garbage
OK, I’m making a leap here, I know. It’s that little guy in my back of my head building the wall to soften sting of the rejection. But they must have liked it right? If they took the time to respond with advice and encourage future submissions there must have been something in there they liked. Plus, that voice in my head keeps telling me so and he never lies.

3) It had “many merits”!
Sure, it’s likely part of the standard form rejection. But you gotta pick the positive pieces out of the rejections and ignore the negative pieces or you get depressed fast.

4) My story may be a good candidate for a visual production
That sounds really cool to me. I’m not sure if I should be sad about it though since translating my story to a screenplay is a daunting task. Not only do I not have any clue about screenplays, I really believe my story to be a good novel as well. But it’s nice to know that someone thought it would make a good visual production. So I’ll look at it that way instead.

5) They would like to see more of my work
Well, who wouldn’t get a boost from that? That little voice behind the wall is talking again and telling me they don’t include that line in the form rejection letter!

In all honesty, this letter did make me happy and has given me a little more hope in getting my story published. I will keep trying and when I’m on my last leg once again, another rejection will come in that offers some words of encouragement. It will take more then a signature now though.