Oh yes, Ramona, this is familiar to me. I've been thinking of returning to my short story file and my rejected picture books file but am waiting until I get through this novel. Those were wonderfully positive responses so do go back to those stories. You have the writer's wisdom and experience now to fix them and send them out again.
I've been writing nonfiction for so long now I'll have to get into an entirely different mindset where my characters tell the story, but it's kind of exciting to think about. I'm still on steroids so that should help! 😅
I’ve learned a lot from rewriting old pieces. I’m able to see both the promise they hold and the problems I now have the insight to fix. They show me how much I’ve grown as a writer, which sends me back to work feeling hopeful. Just as Monet kept painting his haystacks, I keep returning to the themes that tug at me.
I've said many times before that rewriting is my favorite part of writing, so I'm up for this challenge, too, as long as the bones to the story are good. I found a couple of others I still like very much and may work on them, too. We'll see how it goes. It's been a long time since I worked at building characters instead of being one! 😏
You were in some great company with the Passages North Anthology announcement -- I recognized quite a few of those names. And how fortunate for those two editors to provide you with such in depth constructive criticism on your short story. So much better than, "No, not for us, but wish you luck. . . ".
I sent a short story out once which received the standard rejection slip, but at the top of the first page written in a flowing hand was “Lovely!!” Two exclamation points, even. If it was lovely, why…? Not terribly helpful, but that should have been enough signal to have kept revising it. The best critical advice I ever received on a piece I had sent to one of the old sci-fi and fantasy mags. It said simply, “This is too fantastic even for us.” Lol! That spoke volumes to me, though, when, for the first time, I realized you have to have enough reality to coax your reader into the “willing suspense of disbelief.” By the way, I think your old man in the barn idea is GOLD!
I still think that old man existed, which might make a problem unless I can get over it being real and concentrate on creating a likely fiction.
I love that remark, "This is too fantastic even for us". Maybe you should see that as a challenge. How fantastic can I get and still be believable? I'm guessing the sky's the limit, and that editor had no imagination!
Mona, I absolutely love this! Revisiting your writing from a (long) distance and with a new perspective. I am feeling very tender towards young Mona and her stories. She kept trying, at least for a while. She was stubborn! She was proud! And the misremembering about the man in the barn… pure gold. Will you try to fix that ending—and then post here on Substack?!
Aw, thanks, Debbie. I probably will take a stab at fixing that story, though at the moment I have no ideas. LOL. Still, it’s a challenge. What can old Mona come up with that young Mona couldn’t see?
I feel very tender toward that young Mona, too. If she thinks she’s a bundle of anxiety now, it’s nothing compared to then. I’m glad she’s outgrown most of it now.
I perhaps mistakenly understood you'd rewrite your story to include that possibility of misremembering; a suddenly altered perspective similar to that in Borge's Circular Ruins; one that reveals a new understanding.
Those paper rejection slips look very, very familiar! I have a box of 'em. Recently, I had a story rejected (via email, of course) that I've been trying to get published since the '90s (1990s, not 1890s). This is the only rejection with editor's comments, and boy, were they enlightening. The response to this story was while they found it well-written, it was excerpted from a longer work, and they only publish excerpts that can stand on their own as a complete story. They even wished me well for the work from which the excerpt was taken. Ummmmmm, there is no longer work; this is complete story. Well! I had no idea that the story was being read that way. I went back and reread it, and I think the conflict driving the story isn't apparent to anyone other than me. Time to do a hachet job on it!
I know now we should consider a real note as advice freely given on a busy day and take it to heart, since they've taken the time to try and help. I didn't see it that way when I was young. I was traveling in a crowd with writers who were being published regularly, so a handwritten note didn't seem all that odd to me. I know better now!
Be careful with that hatchet. Maybe consider a scalpel instead. 😉
I think it's pretty great that you dug those stories up and are reflecting on them and your writing. I don't think there are too many people who do that with the intention of seeing how they could improve. The message in this essay can apply to so many things in life, not just writing.
I have an entire filing cabinet filled with pieces I’ve written over the years—fiction, nonfiction, finished, or snippets. Much of it is unpublished, but I go back and read those folders often. Revelations abound! Imagine! I wrote that! Or…I wrote that??
Some of it I use, even now. I tell writers to be careful about throwing their words away. Some of them have a habit of turning into gold over time. Or at least will often become a prompt. They wouldn’t want to miss that.
I'll keep a lookout for the newly revised edition, and for that old man in the barn.
I can't decide if I lack sufficient imagination or if it's courage that's missing, but I can't recall ever dreaming up a work of fiction--long, short, or anything in between. Good for you for having a file full.
Also, I'm really glad the name of this post is about an old piece of writing and not about life in general!
"I tell writers to be careful about throwing their words away. Some of them have a habit of turning into gold over time. Or at least will often become a prompt." Words of wisdom for sure.
Ramona, I love that you shared this. I have occasionally, especially of late, found myself being a little hard on my younger self about having very rarely sent anything out. No worries; I am being loving toward her (I mean, sheesh, no use in harping on should’ve). But I had to smile reading this, as I think it likely I may have felt quite protective of my own pieces back then, despite feedback I would now love. So perhaps this is actually the perfect time for me to start sending pieces out into the world to find possible publication homes. 😁
I just found a story that a publication bought and I was going to post it on substack but I hate it now. It was never supposed to make much sense but it doesn't even have the moody creep factor I thought I wanted
I'd like to read one of your stories; your writing is so clear. I frequently edit in my mind as I read, so awkward or illogical is the construction of many a text. Not your writing; in itself, its clarity is satisfying. I'd love to see how fluidly it could carry a story along.
Oh yes, Ramona, this is familiar to me. I've been thinking of returning to my short story file and my rejected picture books file but am waiting until I get through this novel. Those were wonderfully positive responses so do go back to those stories. You have the writer's wisdom and experience now to fix them and send them out again.
I've been writing nonfiction for so long now I'll have to get into an entirely different mindset where my characters tell the story, but it's kind of exciting to think about. I'm still on steroids so that should help! 😅
I’ve learned a lot from rewriting old pieces. I’m able to see both the promise they hold and the problems I now have the insight to fix. They show me how much I’ve grown as a writer, which sends me back to work feeling hopeful. Just as Monet kept painting his haystacks, I keep returning to the themes that tug at me.
I've said many times before that rewriting is my favorite part of writing, so I'm up for this challenge, too, as long as the bones to the story are good. I found a couple of others I still like very much and may work on them, too. We'll see how it goes. It's been a long time since I worked at building characters instead of being one! 😏
Rewriting is my favorite part of the writing process, too.
You were in some great company with the Passages North Anthology announcement -- I recognized quite a few of those names. And how fortunate for those two editors to provide you with such in depth constructive criticism on your short story. So much better than, "No, not for us, but wish you luck. . . ".
Yes. If only I had listened... 😏
I sent a short story out once which received the standard rejection slip, but at the top of the first page written in a flowing hand was “Lovely!!” Two exclamation points, even. If it was lovely, why…? Not terribly helpful, but that should have been enough signal to have kept revising it. The best critical advice I ever received on a piece I had sent to one of the old sci-fi and fantasy mags. It said simply, “This is too fantastic even for us.” Lol! That spoke volumes to me, though, when, for the first time, I realized you have to have enough reality to coax your reader into the “willing suspense of disbelief.” By the way, I think your old man in the barn idea is GOLD!
I still think that old man existed, which might make a problem unless I can get over it being real and concentrate on creating a likely fiction.
I love that remark, "This is too fantastic even for us". Maybe you should see that as a challenge. How fantastic can I get and still be believable? I'm guessing the sky's the limit, and that editor had no imagination!
Ah, the endless cycle of writing, fixing, submitting, and fixing some more. I've been in that loop forever, it seems.
Mona, I absolutely love this! Revisiting your writing from a (long) distance and with a new perspective. I am feeling very tender towards young Mona and her stories. She kept trying, at least for a while. She was stubborn! She was proud! And the misremembering about the man in the barn… pure gold. Will you try to fix that ending—and then post here on Substack?!
Aw, thanks, Debbie. I probably will take a stab at fixing that story, though at the moment I have no ideas. LOL. Still, it’s a challenge. What can old Mona come up with that young Mona couldn’t see?
I feel very tender toward that young Mona, too. If she thinks she’s a bundle of anxiety now, it’s nothing compared to then. I’m glad she’s outgrown most of it now.
I perhaps mistakenly understood you'd rewrite your story to include that possibility of misremembering; a suddenly altered perspective similar to that in Borge's Circular Ruins; one that reveals a new understanding.
Wonderful, inspiring story and such precious mail to keep!
Thank you. I love the idea of keeping our mail!
Those paper rejection slips look very, very familiar! I have a box of 'em. Recently, I had a story rejected (via email, of course) that I've been trying to get published since the '90s (1990s, not 1890s). This is the only rejection with editor's comments, and boy, were they enlightening. The response to this story was while they found it well-written, it was excerpted from a longer work, and they only publish excerpts that can stand on their own as a complete story. They even wished me well for the work from which the excerpt was taken. Ummmmmm, there is no longer work; this is complete story. Well! I had no idea that the story was being read that way. I went back and reread it, and I think the conflict driving the story isn't apparent to anyone other than me. Time to do a hachet job on it!
I know now we should consider a real note as advice freely given on a busy day and take it to heart, since they've taken the time to try and help. I didn't see it that way when I was young. I was traveling in a crowd with writers who were being published regularly, so a handwritten note didn't seem all that odd to me. I know better now!
Be careful with that hatchet. Maybe consider a scalpel instead. 😉
I’ll use a scalpel with the parts that can be salvaged. 😉
I think it's pretty great that you dug those stories up and are reflecting on them and your writing. I don't think there are too many people who do that with the intention of seeing how they could improve. The message in this essay can apply to so many things in life, not just writing.
I have an entire filing cabinet filled with pieces I’ve written over the years—fiction, nonfiction, finished, or snippets. Much of it is unpublished, but I go back and read those folders often. Revelations abound! Imagine! I wrote that! Or…I wrote that??
Some of it I use, even now. I tell writers to be careful about throwing their words away. Some of them have a habit of turning into gold over time. Or at least will often become a prompt. They wouldn’t want to miss that.
Great rejection!
I'll keep a lookout for the newly revised edition, and for that old man in the barn.
I can't decide if I lack sufficient imagination or if it's courage that's missing, but I can't recall ever dreaming up a work of fiction--long, short, or anything in between. Good for you for having a file full.
Also, I'm really glad the name of this post is about an old piece of writing and not about life in general!
To your last point: me too!
"I tell writers to be careful about throwing their words away. Some of them have a habit of turning into gold over time. Or at least will often become a prompt." Words of wisdom for sure.
Ramona, I love that you shared this. I have occasionally, especially of late, found myself being a little hard on my younger self about having very rarely sent anything out. No worries; I am being loving toward her (I mean, sheesh, no use in harping on should’ve). But I had to smile reading this, as I think it likely I may have felt quite protective of my own pieces back then, despite feedback I would now love. So perhaps this is actually the perfect time for me to start sending pieces out into the world to find possible publication homes. 😁
I just found a story that a publication bought and I was going to post it on substack but I hate it now. It was never supposed to make much sense but it doesn't even have the moody creep factor I thought I wanted
https://open.substack.com/pub/marlowe1/p/three-early-cheever-stories?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=sllf3
They’re fine! Try not to apologize for your early stories. Your readers don’t need a nudge not to like them!
Maybe, instead, rewrite them and then post the new version. It might be fun to see what you can do with them now.
I'd like to read one of your stories; your writing is so clear. I frequently edit in my mind as I read, so awkward or illogical is the construction of many a text. Not your writing; in itself, its clarity is satisfying. I'd love to see how fluidly it could carry a story along.