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Saturday, July 14, 2007

A Susan Gingsburg Infomercial


Sorry about yesterday (Friday 13th). I don't blog on unlucky days. But here's a spot-on rejection from Susan Ginsburg at Writer's House. You can't read the very specific, razor-sharp comments she gave me because now you have me all paranoid about editors and agents tracking me down for a lynching. But take it from me, she is one smart cookie. As it turns out, I *am* instituting nearly all of her suggestions detailed in the letter for how to fix my novel. For me the revision has been a long and uncomfortable journey involving many years of work and therapy sessions and consultations with my writers' groups and new agent, but I realize as I look back today that what I'm doing now is exactly what Ginsburg keenly pointed out in one single, elegant paragraph several years ago. The Gins is like a Ginsu Knife; she is a-okay with me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"You can't read the very specific, razor-sharp comments she gave me because now you have me all paranoid about editors and agents tracking me down for a lynching."

yet, oddly, you're not paranoid enough to black out the only information that could potentially harm you and that countless editors have advised you to black out. interesting.

Anonymous said...

I once received a similarly astute rejection letter from Susan Ginsburg, with an invitation to resubmit if I decided to revise. My book was taken by another agent, but I used her comments for editing.

I personally like that you leave the names of the editors and agents not blacked out. I have enjoyed comparing my rejections to yours and thinking a little bit more about what it all means. In my opinion the professionals can handle your little blog, which is quite funny, but also thought provoking. So, I for one hope you don't listen to the naysayers who want you to black all the names out. I think, for some reason, they just don't understand your project. Nice blog. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Now the writers' groups are starting to act as if they are agents, compartmentalizing information and taking pleasure in writing "rejection slips."

"You needs exceed our group."

Right