When you Can't Run, Crawl

by Kelly Klepfer

I’m no stranger to discouragement. Likely, you could say the same. How many opportunities are there to find a brick wall, a difficult situation or challenging person in our lives? Yeah, that many. Sigh.
I’m sharing about a trudge through the mud of discouragement I suffered while co-writing my book, Out of the Frying Pan. More importantly, what I learned in that season.

My co-author, Michelle Griep, is far more disciplined and prolific. As a matter of fact, this is her sixth or seventh book release and she’s just contracted for three more.

She’s very good. I mean, the woman can write. We met at an on-line Christian author critique group. She and I hit it off right away. We bantered, shared sarcasm and even began sharing lives. Soon our families got involved and bonded. We became sisters separated at birth and became aunties to each other’s kids.

Michelle plugged away at writing. I played with it. We both got little pieces published and had some bigger successes, too. But I hung on the fringes. Not that I didn’t want to write and be published, but I didn’t want to pursue publishing if I didn’t feel like there was something that I specifically needed to say. I did have an idea for a story. About elderly sisters-in-law who happen upon a murder scene. Michelle loved the idea and we decided to write it together. I was given the task of putting the skeleton together and then we’d each pick main character points of view to write and add the muscle, skin and personality.

Other than the fact that I would drag my feet, this worked well. She would pester me to write a few scenes, I would, she’d write a few. Then I’d suggest she write another book and we’d put it on hold. This novel has been a very long labor. Because Michelle was the stronger writer, I deferred to her. The woman loves to edit, too. At one point she sent me the manuscript so I could get up to speed and I noticed my scenes had been edited to sound very much like her voice. Now picture Pac-Man and that sound he makes when those little ghost things get him. That is the sound my confidence made.

The changes were in rewording some of my stiffly written prose. My heart was still in my scenes but I couldn’t see that. I sunk into a funk. Finally, we talked about it, and she agreed that she could just send me suggestions and I could fix the problems, but the arrows of insecurity and failure had sunk deep into my joy. I told her I needed a break from the story and went to a corner to lick my wounds. I’d love to give you deep spiritual truths and applications revealed by the Lord through my prayer and immersion in the Word in my time of need. But I have to admit that taking this to the Lord wasn’t a priority. My pity party was.

Delighted that Michelle had another project to work on I slowly began to process and deal with my insecurity. I continued to read, review and blog, working on my writing skills that way. But Michelle eventually asked me to pick up where we left off. The story was too good not to tell and we needed to finish it. I agreed and persevered. What I noticed was that the tools, the conference knowledge, the how-to book sense, I’d packed in the back of my brain somehow had come to the surface through the reading and processing I’d been doing which was using those neural pathways.

Since I had shared my heart with Michelle, and my commitment to work on the book was short term and a close family member was hospitalized leaving me hours sitting in a quiet hospital setting I set out to finish as soon as I could. I just wrote scenes on my phone and sent them to her telling her to let me know what I needed to fix.

I will never forget the comment I received from her after: “Did you seriously just crank that scene out in twenty minutes? Because if you did, I hate you. It would take me hours to get a scene that ready.” Another critique partner read it and said I had grown leaps and bounds as a writer.

I don’t tell you this because I think I’ve arrived and am a good author. Far from that. But I share because of what I learned:

1.    Sometimes we have to process hard things. And in the processing we mature. However, if we ignore what we are supposed to work through we get stinky.

2.    A real friend is willing to tick you off, even hurt you to help you deal with something that’s holding you back.

3.    What you’ve learned and poured into your mind isn’t wasted. God has created an amazing brain for each of us and it doesn’t sleep. If something is important to you and you are willing to do the addition and subtraction you will eventually wake up and realize you understand more complex things.

4.    God’s faithfulness to me isn’t dependant on my attitude or choices. He lets me pout in the corner until I come to my senses. And teaches and blesses me anyway.

And on the chance that you are a writer or want to be, take heart. If you plug away and follow the wisdom of those who have gone before and you read good books, books like you’d like to write, you might be amazed at what happens when it clicks.

-------
I initially wrote this post for Elaine Stock for the blog tour for Out of the Frying Pan. Michelle, my co-author suggested that I share it here, too. Because writing is 20% soaring and 80% agony, insecurity and angst and anyone in the 80% needs all the encouragement they can get.

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When you Can't Run, Crawl by Kelly Klepfer (Click to Tweet)

What you’ve learned and poured into your mind isn’t wasted.~Kelly Klepfer (Click to Tweet)

Kelly Klepfer had ambitions to graduate from the school of life quite awhile ago, but alas . . . she still attends and is tested regularly. Her co-authored cozy/quirky mystery, Out of the Frying Pan, is the culmination of several of the failed/passed tests. Kelly, though she lives with her husband, two Beagles and two hedgehogs in Iowa, can be found at Novel Rocket, Novel Reviews, Scrambled Dregs, Modern Day Mishaps, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter with flashes of brilliance (usually quotes), randomocities, and learned life lessons. Zula and Fern Hopkins and their shenanigans can be found at Zu-fer where you always get more than you bargained for. 

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He Said, She Said (Using Tags in Dialogue)

He Said, She Said: 

Are you using too many tags in dialogue?

by Linore Rose Burkard

[This post has been adapted from its original version by Linore Rose Burkard on The Writers' Alley blog)

When I look at portions of work by newer writers, it is common to find them doing one of two things when it comes to dialogue tags: Using too many or  not enough. Both tendencies adversely affect writing, make readers cringe, or tell an editor or agent to stop reading. Since we want people to KEEP reading, how we do avoid both pitfalls? 

First, let's look at the problem with using too many tags (A dialogue tag is when you follow dialogue with something like "he said," "she laughed," etc.)  The first rule of thumb when adding a tag is to ask yourself,

Is it Necessary? 
A tag is only necessary when you need to clarify who is speaking, or to show a reaction that might otherwise be missed. If you insert tags when they are not needed, you are using too many. This makes the writing awkward. 

To tell if you are using too many tags, backtrack a paragraph or two when you're editing your work, and try the dialogue WITHOUT the tags in question. Does it still work? Still make sense? Can you easily tell who is talking? If the answer is 'yes' to these questions, then you don't need the tag. Cut it.

What's the harm, you may ask, in making certain your reader knows who is talking? That's what tags are for, after all, right? But here's what happens: Using unnecessary tags makes a work feel stilted; not only does dialogue suffer, but the pace SLOWS.  A reader may not know why exactly, but they'll be fidgeting for you to get on with it. If you do this routinely, the reader will groan. Don't make your reader groan! 

Is Something Missing?

On the other hand, if you fail to give enough clues about who is speaking, this too, will make for unhappy readers. They will feel as though they're missing something, and this is frustrating. They will have to go back and try to figure out who is saying what. When your characters are really strong, there will be occasions when you can omit a tag simply because the spoken words are so distinctly characteristic of that person, it would be redundant to use one. But be sure about this; use a critique partner or two to make sure. If it turns out that readers are confused, then you need a tag. Keep it in. 

Is it Character-Driven?

There are occasions when it's right and good to use a tag even though the reader knows who is speaking.  This may sound counter to what I said earlier, but the key here are the words, character-driven.  This means that it is important for the reader not only to know who is speaking, but to know HOW the character is saying or thinking a thing.  In other words, you want to clarify an emotion that isn't altogether clear from the spoken dialogue. In some cases you may need to specify the tone of voice; or an accompanying gesture the character makes while talking. 

I would caution you not to do this often, and again, use critique readers or beta readers, or an editor to take a second look when there is any question about this.
Also, be sure not to overdo it.  Having a heroine who sighs heavily once a chapter is probably fine; any more than that and the reader will be sighing heavily.  

To emphasize the point of using too many tags,  I leave you with an old poem by the humorist Franklin P. Adams. (He makes the point perhaps a little too well!) 

    Monotonous Variety
(All of them from two stories in a single magazine.)

She "greeted" and he "volunteered";
    She "giggled": he "asserted";
She "queried" and he "lightly veered";
    She "drawled" and he "averted";
She "scoffed," she "laughed" and he "averred";
He "mumbled," "parried," and "demurred."

She "languidly responded"; he
    "Incautiously assented"; 
Doretta "proffered lazily";
    Will "speedily invented"; 
She "parried," "whispered," "bade," and "mused"; 
He "urged," "acknowledged," and "refused."

She "softly added"; "she alleged";
    He "consciously invited";
She "then corrected"; William "hedged";
She "prettily recited";
She "nodded" "stormed," and "acquiesced"; 
He "promised," "hastened," and "confessed."

Doretta "chided"; "cautioned" Will;
    She "voiced" and he "defended";
She "vouchsafed"; he "continued still"; 
    She "sneered" and he "amended";
She "smiled," she "twitted," and she "dared"
He "scorned," "exclaimed," "pronounced," and "flared."

He "waived," "believed," "explained," and "tried"; 
    "Commented" she; he "muttered";
She "blushed," she "dimpled," and she "sighed";
    He 'ventured" and he "stuttered"; 
She "spoke," "suggested," and "pursued";
He "pleaded," "pouted," "called," and "viewed."

O syonymble writers, ye
    Whose work is so high-pricey.
Think ye not that variety
    May haply be too spicy?
Meseems that in an elder day
They had a thing or two to--say.

So-do you struggle with proper use of dialogue tags? Or have a pet peeve about them? Share your thoughts in the comments with the rest of us! 


Linore Rose Burkard (a.k.a. L.R.Burkard) wrote a trilogy of genuine regency romances for the Christian market before there were any regencies for the Christian market. Her books opened up the genre in the CBA. She writes YA Suspense/Apocalyptic fiction as L.R. Burkard, not only to keep expanding boundaries for her readers, but to explore deeper themes. Married with five children, she home-schools her youngest daughter, preferably with coffee in one hand and wearing pjs. Her latest book, PULSE, takes another leap from the usual fiction of CBA writers with cutting-edge apocalyptic suspense.

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When Writers Block Becomes Writers Talk

From Steve Laube's blog, used with permission:

I came across an old post by Seth Godin where he wrote: 

No one ever gets talker’s block. No one wakes up in the morning, discovers he has nothing to say and sits quietly, for days or weeks, until the muse hits, until the moment is right, until all the craziness in his life has died down.

What a liberating concept! It reminded me of a great book by Joel Saltzman If You Can Talk, You Can Write.

Of course there are times where it feels like the well is dry and that you have “nothing to say.” But that isn’t really true is it? You can sit down with your spouse, your best friend, or your writers group and talk about your lack of inspiration. It is in that expression where you can find the spark of creativity.

The key, of course, is to write something. Anything. Even if it is bad. Kevin J. Anderson suggests you should “dare to be bad and then fix it.”

Still don’t feel like you have anything to say? Just imagine a topic and think of what you would say if asked the question while sitting with a panel of experts. And then write your answer. [Today’s post came from imagining a panel discussion about “writer’s block.”]

I have one client who held himself accountable by pledging to pay two accountability partners $50 each, for every week he did not hit his pre-determined and promised word count. That is motivation! He only missed his deadline once. (I’m impressed that his friends took the money! A sign of a true accountability partner.)

It would be interesting to hear what you do to get past any sort of “blockage” in your writing life. Please post your thoughts below. 

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For Your Consideration: Should You Co-Author? ~ Jennifer Slattery

Five Questions to Consider Before Co-Writing

by Jennifer Slattery

Why would an opinionated, bullheaded, self-isolating author initiate a collaboration project? How does that even work? Especially considering she and her partner have strong yet vastly different voices?

These are the questions I’ve been asked on numerous occasions, and I suspect ones you, yourself have contemplated if you’ve ever considered working with another author. And yet as one who’s done this not once but thrice, I can tell you, it is possible, and I believe, even beneficial. But it’s not easy. In order to avoid computer-smashing fall-out and mid-project break-downs, there are things writers must consider pre-collaboration.

Are you theologically compatible?

First and most important, do you agree doctrinally. This is perhaps the most important piece of any collaborating relationship, whether you’re writing fiction or non. Because our worldview always leaks out, and what we write speaks loudly of us and our faith. Unfortunately, many doctrinal differences aren’t readily apparent. Because of this, it’s important to discuss faith matters thoroughly, determining what issues are nonnegotiable.

Even then, unforeseen issues may arise later. This will be less likely if the collaboration grew out of a strong relationship. That’s what happened with author Eileen Rife and I, a writer I’ve worked with on two projects now, the first initiated by her, the latter by me. We’d been critique partners for some time, which allowed me to see her heart and faith. With each novel I critiqued, our relationship grew and our similarities became more apparent.

Do you share similar passions?

More than that, we appeared to share a very similar calling—revealing God’s love and truth with a broken world. Though we can enjoy light-hearted novels, neither of us feel called to write them. Rather, we prefer to write “issue-driven” fiction, fueled by our passions for the impoverished, orphan, spiritually lost, and the broken. We also share a strong belief that only Christ can heal and transform a heart.

These similarities unite us in purpose and passion and help ensure a cohesive manuscript we can both feel good about.

Are your work ethics similar?

Deuteronomy 22:10 says, “You must not plow with an ox and a donkey harnessed together” (NLT).

Both of these beasts had a place in ancient agriculture and performed their job well. United, however, they were completely incompatible, varying in strength and size. One would be continuously striving to faster and harder, held back by the smaller creature, while the donkey would be dragged along. Similarly, when a faster or more diligent writer pairs with a slower or less motivated one, there’s bound to be frustration and hurt feelings. The faster writer may feel held back, or, pushing ahead, as if they are doing the brunt of the work. Meanwhile, his slower partner could begin to feel unappreciated and insecure. Guaranteed, both will feel frustrated; maybe even frustrated enough to bail.

Can you share openly?

If you butt heads while critiquing, you’ll do so even more while collaborating. There will be times when you and your co-author feel strongly about something your partner vehemently disagrees with. You may even hate-hate-hate a portion they wrote, and they may hate yours. You’ll need to be able to hash these things out in an open yet loving way.

Can you bend?

This is an area I struggle with most as I can be insanely, jaw-clenching stubborn, especially when it comes to writing. Sometimes this is a heart issue, and God has to whack the back side of my head, reminding me to surrender the project to Him. Most often, however, my stubborn arises out of insecurities. It’s always easier to write something that originated in our brain than someone else’s.

But when I remember God’s in control of our partnership, our writing, and the finished product, it becomes easier. I remember my partner has strengths I lack, and vice versa, and that God paired us for a reason. The best results come when we maximize one another’s strengths while remaining united from brainstorm to final draft.

Collaborating isn’t for everyone, and it’s not a partnership to start lightly, but with ample prayer, relationship building, and forethought, authors can develop strong collaboration projects.

Beyond I Do:

 Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more. Ainsley Meadow’s encounter with a woman, her child, and their abuser sparks a passion that threatens her engagement. Will seeing beyond the present unite her and her fiancé or tear them apart? Raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignites a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

***

Jennifer Slattery writes Missional Romance for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. Her debut novel, Beyond I Do, is currently available for preorder at a 26% off discount. You can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-I-Do-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/1596694173/

Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.

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Intense and Marketable Novels? A Simple How-to - by Jennifer Slattery

Writing Intense and Marketable Novels

by Jennifer Slattery

Does the following make you cringe?

“Your story’s too heavy.”

“Too dark.”

“Readers are looking to escape reality, not read about tough issues.”

It was 2009, my first large writers’ conference, and quite a shock to my newbie ego. I came pumped and a bit over confident, one of those naïve storytellers who knew just enough craft to elevate my pride but not enough to justify such an elevation.

Needless to say, I left with a more accurate view of myself and my abilities. Unfortunately, I also began to question not only what I wrote, but who I am. Appointment after appointment, I heard that my writing was too intense. One solution was offered, again and again: Write something light, more humorous, to get your foot in the door.

Everything in me said, “No!” Because although I can enjoy light reading, I don’t feel called to write it. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t called to write or that I’d never be published.

It did mean I had a lot to learn about writing intense stories effectively.

You see, it’s not that there isn’t a market for the intense. I can think of numerous, very popular novels that deal with some very dark issues, such as Mary Connealy’s Calico Canyon, Kathi Macias’ Freedom Series, the Hunger Games, Maze Runner (all books I LOVED).

The issue was, I needed to learn HOW to write about intense or heavy issues without overloading or depressing my reader. Because here’s the deal—we all want real, and real can be tough; intense. But reality is handled best when it’s peppered with lots of humor and tact and sprinkled with a heavy dose of hope.

When writing about intense issues, consider:

1. Adding humor at strategic points throughout the novel. Some novelists will create an eccentric character specifically for this purpose. I’ve done this, but more often, I like to bring out the goofy in my main characters. Because we all have silly, less-than-brilliant moments inherent to our personalities. Find ways to exploit and expose those quirky traits, most especially following tense or dark scenes.

2. Know the whys behind the boundary lines, and when pushing them, your whys for doing so. Does your why have purpose enough to override the whys of the boundary lines? A dark or intense novel with graphic violence or vulgarity might be pushing things too far. To find the reader-gripping balance, one must constantly keep their reader and their emotions in mind.  

3. Continually remind the reader of hope. The darker the scene, the more necessary this will be. This can be done numerous ways such as showing the determined inner strength of a character, by showing a possible solution, or the help and support of a community.

The more I write, the more I realize there aren’t very many set rules in the CBA market, and even those are changing. It really comes down to knowing the craft, writing with skill, and always considering the effect each scene and the story as a whole will have on your reader.

Jennifer Slattery writes intense, intensely funny, and heart-pattering sweet missional romance for New Hope Publishers. Her debut novel, Beyond I Do, will release in the fall of 2014. She also writes for Crosswalk.com, Internet Café Devotions, is part of a jibillion blogs (according to her handsome railroader) and has a slight obsession with Facebook. When she’s not writing or gabbing, she enjoys going for long, leisurely walks with her husband and giggly shopping dates with her hilariously sarcastic teenage daughter. You can visit her online at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Jenslattery.

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Expect an Adventure by DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills is an award winning writer who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She currently has more than fifty-five books published. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won placements through the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Carol Awards and Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards. DiAnn won the Christy Award in 2010 and 2011. She is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also the Craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

Writing is a tough profession. The competition in today’s publishing world makes the strongest writers think twice about their commitment to excellence. Those of us who are lured by the magnificence of story are committed to creating a world where our readers slip into the shoes of our characters and are whisked away to an amazing thrill filled with uncertainty.

A writer has a gauge by which she measures her stories, the one she is currently writing and the future projects that are being shopped at publishing houses.

My personal barometer is for each reader to Expect an Adventure. This aspiration is a two-way street. If I don’t have the adventure of a lifetime while I’m writing the story, then how can I expect a reader to feel the same exhilaration? When I laugh, cry, hate, love, argue, discover, run for my life and leap high mountains, I expect my readers to take the same plunge. Oh, the span of emotions that expands the human heart.

Each book has to have deeper characterization than the previous novel, a more intricate plot, a setting that challenges the storyline, and more emotive conflict. No pressure there!

Once I establish my premise, my quest for dynamic characters begins. I insist upon an unlikely heroine

—a woman who is qualified and able to solve a problem. She’s a feminine creature, capable of feeling a variety of emotions, and she’s mentally strong, a woman who uses her wit to meet each new challenge. This woman may or may not be Christian at the beginning of the story, but she will learn to solve her problems through a Christian worldview.

The hero is a strong man who appreciates many aspects of the heroine. They differ in views and argue, but they learn to work together while they step from one danger to another.

The villain is motivated by greed. He’s highly intelligent and charms his followers with power, money, or wit.

Premise, characterization, and plot are tightly women. My plot must parallel the heroine’s chosen profession and put her into danger as she reaches for an impossible goal. She flexes her muscles and goes to work.

Plotting involves asking questions. What is the worst possible thing that could happen to my character? How can I raise the stakes in every scene? How can I keep the reader on the edge of her seat and glued to the pages of the book? My personal standards must meet the demands of today’s readers.

Are my readers breathless? Filled with excitement? Do they sense the danger? Are they swept away in a romance?

What setting interests or terrifies my heroine? I believe in research to validate my setting, and that means stepping into unfamiliar territory. I’ve been to Sudan, rode the line with the Border Patrol, interviewed treasure hunters, and made friends with the FBI.

If the passion for story will not let you go, I challenge you to take the plunge and write the adventure!

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Rejection: Overcoming the Hurt, Recognizing the Blessings ~ Nava Atlas

Though Nava Atlas is best known as the author of many books on vegan vegetarian cooking, she also produces visual books on women’s issues, most recently The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life (2011). This lavishly illustrated book explores the writing lives of twelve classic women authors in their own words, with commentary on the relevance of their experiences to all women who love to write.

Rejection and the Literary Ladies: Overcoming the Hurt, Recognizing the Blessings

Rejection, we’ve been told, is part of the path to publication. We’re told to grow a tough hide and accept that most rejections are nothing personal. Even so, rejection can sting—even the bland “not looking at this time,” or “not right for our list.” It’s difficult to separate the rejection of one’s work from the rejection of one’s self. Every “no,” however bland, plants a seed of self-doubt. Occasionally, even in longtime relationships with publishers and editors, I’ve had book proposals quashed as not having enough commercial promise. Though I understood these to be purely business decisions, and not about my ability, my immediate reaction was always a resounding “Ouch!”.

 

In my book, The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life, I explore the writing life through the experiences of twelve classic women authors. How comforting it was to learn that, even among classic authors, the experiences of self-doubt, fear of failure, and rejection are universal. A few of the Literary Ladies were spared the blows of rejection, while others were positively hammered by it.

Madeleine L’Engle’s early literary life was famously marked with rejection. Her most iconic classic, A Wrinkle in Time, beloved by generations of children and adults alike, was rejected by some forty publishers as being too dark for children. Her faith in the book held fast. After nearly giving up, it found a home and sweet vindication in the form of millions of copies sold and numerous awards.

Charlotte Brontë was as peeved as any author would be when her first novel, The Professor, met with outright rejection or cold silence as it made its way around the London publishing circle. Galling as this was, she didn’t sit idly by. Instead, she busied herself on her next project — as every sensible writer should. When a publisher finally saw enough merit in The Professor to invite Brontë to submit a different work for consideration, she had Jane Eyre at the ready. The publisher printed and published it in mere weeks, whereupon it became an immediate sensation, and a best seller.

L. M. Montgomery, best known for the Anne of Green Gables series, wrote in her memoir, “At first I used to feel dreadfully hurt when a story or poem over which I had laboured and agonized came back, with one of  those icy little rejection slips. Tears of disappointment would come in spite of myself...But after a while I got hardened to it and did not mind. I only set my teeth and said, “I will succeed.” I believed in myself, and I struggled on, in secrecy and silence...”

Gaining courage from eventual acceptance of shorter works, Montgomery began submitting her first full-length work, Anne of Green Gables. Demoralized after a slew of rejections, she stashed the manuscript in a hatbox, and left it to languish. After a year or so, she steeled herself to try again. Though she struggled mightily with depression, Montgomery was clear in her mission to bring joy to others through her work, and that she did accomplish, not only with her most iconic Anne series, but her subsequent books as well.

Years later, musing on her path to publication, Montgomery recounted how a book she wrote early in her writing life, but clearly not from her heart, was soundly rejected. Though it hurt at the time, in hindsight, she recognized how lucky she was to have escaped getting locked into a niche that was wrong from her.

To be rejected for not being yourself, as Montgomery found out, can be a valuable gift to a writer, especially one just finding her voice. From Brontë’s experience it’s clear that it’s wise to continue working, rather than pining away for acceptance (in her case especially wise, as The Professor was published only after her death). And from Madeleine L’Engle’s experience we can take away a message that perseverance, coupled with faith in our work (accompanied by absolute honesty about its merits) is a path to eventual success.

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