The Society of Southwestern Authors- September 18, 2011 Presenting Shannon Cain Shannon

The Society of Southwestern Authors September 18, 2011
Monthly Forum

10:00am – 1:00pm

Four Points Sheraton SE corner of Speedway and Campbell Tucson, Arizona

Presenting Shannon Cain Shannon will lead a conversation about rejection, public civility, recalcitrant audiences and the writer’s role in the world.

Please see notices below

Reservations: Email: ssabrunches@gmail.com or Telephone: 546-9382 by Wednesday September 14.Pre-registration Cost: $20.00 ($25.00 walk-in) including Speaker and Brunch Buffet.

The Society of Southwestern Authors- August 15, 2010 Writing Forum Laura Schnebly Campbell TURNING REJECTION INTO GOLD

      August 15, 2010 Forum Laura Schnebly Campbell TURNING REJECTION INTO GOLD

      Do you have enough rejection notices to wall paper your bathroom?  Whether it’s the first slump or the fiftieth, for a beginner or a NEW YORK TIMES best-seller, rejection is part of every author’s life. 

      Laurie Schnebly Campbell offers both practical and psychological techniques for dealing with the “No, Nope and No Way” messages that writers face regularly.  Discover what works for you when it’s time to deal with rejection…and how planning your response to ANY setback leave you more in control of not only your writing life, but also your personal life. 

      Laura draws her material from her experience as a counselor and an author who won “Best Special Edition of the Year” over Nora Roberts.  Along with six novels and a “how-to” for fiction writers, she also writes ad-agency scripts and online workshops.  Laurie enjoys working with other writers and recording for the blind at Talking Books. 

      Join us at the Sheraton Four Points Conference Center (Speedway and Campbell, Tucson Arizona) for an enlightening luncheon with Laurie.  As always, you can either call in your reservation at (520) 546-9382 OR email forms@ssa-az.org by the Wednesday prior (in this case, August 11). 

      $25 paid at the door includes lunch and Speaker

      (No Credit Cards- processing fees are too high)

Randy-a writer’s compensation

      Given as a nation the uncertainty of our economic situation some regret…very slight, as I remind myself what’s important to me…emerges about what I could’ve done with my life had I chosen some another career other than writing.   I haven’t made any money from my writing; the small amount that has come in I could have attached to my refrigerator, not cashed the checks, and not miss them. Don’t ask me how much I’ve made.   I would have to say I’ve never written for the money.

      It was my story that I tried to disguise when I started writing.   I must not have thought much of it.   But I had my imagination, already developed; I had a desire to write; I had a big ego.   I stuck to writing without getting paid for it; I didn’t try to sell my work because I didn’t think it was good enough.   Since my work has been rejected, when I have tried to promote it, maybe my feelings were right.   Maybe I couldn’t write well enough, though I hate “maybe”, hate excuses, and reject excuses as much as possible.   But still I can’t totally control my feelings; to try to, I’ve learned, would be destructive.

      I mentally try to be optimistic.   The only thing that I can say for sure is that I love to write.   And then screw those who may say or think I can’t write well enough.   By whose standards am I judging myself?   Am I selling myself short?   I am when I listen to those negative voices, the intensity of them have often been loud.   I was an escapist, someone who would choose the easiest path; therefore I would stop whenever writing became hard for me.   So it’s extremely important for me not to allow choosing the right word or phase to get in the way.   It’s more important for me to make it easy and concentrate on the mood of something than to fret over something I have little control over: my deficiencies as a writer.   That doesn’t mean I don’t continue to try to improve; but I think I can only improve, if I practice.   And if I fret too much, I know I won’t do that.

Good night, Randy Ford