Forum / Women! Read this!

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    Charlotte Hamrick
    Oct 08, 08:24pm

    On Dealing With Rejection In Writing

    http://lunalunamag.com/2013/10/05/be-that-woman-rejection-writing-by-leah-umansky/

    I just read this piece on Luna Luna and, hot damn, if it didn't make me think of an earlier thread wherein we talked a little about how so few women are on "best" lists, etc.

    I'm new to the writing game with regard to being published but I feel just like this woman. One day I just decided to send a couple of poems to a lit magazine and damn if they didn't accept them. Well, why not try? I agree with Leah, if you get a rejection just throw it away and submit again. (And I love that she quotes Jeanette Winterson, one of my favorite writers.)

    What do you think? Do you think women approach submission and rejection differently? And is it holding us back?

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    Carol Reid
    Oct 09, 05:14am

    I thought a bit about this...and I don't think I've ever thought that being a female writer was a major factor in having my work rejected.

    Earlier this year I participated in a writing studio in which 21 of 24 were female. Since then, I've kept in touch with most of these writers and an astonishing number have been published, won awards and accolades. Obviously, you have to go for it to have a chance. I know a number of male writers who have a lot of trouble sending stuff out. So, in my experience, gender is not the major factor when putting yourself out there and facing very possible rejection.

    Oddly enough, I used to send my work out more regularly in the days of manila envelopes and International Reply Coupons.

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    Charlotte Hamrick
    Oct 09, 03:09pm

    Well, you know, there have been so many articles about the disproportionate ratio of men to women in literary lists and it does seem to be so. It makes me wonder if part of it is a reticence to submit . I don't know. I think her point is worth thinking about and I'm all for women encouraging women. Personally, I don't have a problem sending out work. I figure nothing ventured, nothing gained. I've only been submitting the past three years and my track record is good. But I'm careful about where I submit and make sure my flavor is compatible and it's a zine I actually like myself.

    Anyway, I just thought the article was interesting.

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    Carol Reid
    Oct 09, 03:32pm

    I wonder if you've heard about this organization and conference, Charlotte--

    http://www.aroomofherownfoundation.org/

    They do some very important work in support of women writers and artists. Worth checking out.

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    J.A. Pak
    Oct 09, 07:04pm

    It seems (at least according to the media) that women need more encouragement than men to pursue their dreams. Which might be true. I remember one woman writer (who was really a good writer) say she was doing a degree in creative writing because the degree gave her "permission" to write. Here's an article about why few women become scientists. Not about writing but about women and the theme of encouragement: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/magazine/why-are-there-still-so-few-women-in-science.html?smid=tw-share

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    James Lloyd Davis
    Oct 09, 07:04pm

    That looks like an excellent organization. Going to forward the link to my wife. Thanks, Carol.

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    Charlotte Hamrick
    Oct 09, 09:29pm

    Thanks for reminding me about ARoHO, Carol. I'd completely forgotten about it.
    J.A., I read that piece the other day. Sigh.
    You might find this interesting
    http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/StateOfWomen-INTRO.pdf

    I'm quite pissed my state is dead last but not surprised.

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    Letitia Coyne
    Oct 09, 10:25pm

    I offer this not so much because it proves anything about women and cave art, but because it points out that in the absence of specific evidence, men have always been assumed to have taken up the important roles in every society. There is a mindset that always considers men first.

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131008-women-handprints-oldest-neolithic-cave-art/

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    J.A. Pak
    Oct 10, 01:12am

    Charlotte, it's too bad Wyoming is a C. They had the first woman judge in the US (Esther Hobart Morris) and was one of the first states to let women vote (if not the first). http://madeinwyoming.net/profiles/morris.php

    Letitia, ever since Zeus overthrew Astarte, it's never been the same for us women...

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    James Lloyd Davis
    Oct 10, 12:12pm

    http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/nobel-prize-literature-20518063

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    J.A. Pak
    Oct 10, 07:52pm

    Just came across a great quote in regard to tech firms not having enough women and non-whites on their boards:

    "This to me is not a gender issue, it's an innovation issue. That’s the cost to Twitter," serial entrepreneur Nilofer Merchant

    I think this applies to arts as well. It's not a gender/race issue; it's an issue of creativity. Here's the link to the story where the quote appeared: http://valleywag.gawker.com/the-boards-are-all-white-charting-diversity-among-tech-1442532538

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