The Writer's Book of Hope: Getting from Frustration to Publication (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

To be clear: this is not a guide on how to write a book (Keyes covered that in his last volume, The Courage to Write). Rather, it's a tool for writers who have found their courage and now need hope: that their work is good, that it will be published despite the inevitable rejections, that readers will actually buy it. "Frustration is the natural habitat of writers at every level," writes Keyes, a trustee of the Antioch Writers' Workshop, and his goal here is to lead writers out of the darkness of despair and into the light of reassurance. Keyes offers useful advice on coping with "discouragers" (they "can be dispatched by understanding their motives and by putting them to work as goads"); "exorcising excuses" ("I have no talent"); and "rites of rejection." He introduces writers to the strange habits of the "publishing tribe" (they are, he says, slaves to the opinion of their peers), and offers many anecdotes from the experiences of A-list writers such as Ann Patchett and Tony Hillerman. Writers seeking reasons to hope should get a boost from this gently reassuring handbook.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A perfect companion for every writer. Keyes gives you solid information you can put to use while he bolsters the faith you need to keep going." -Judith Appelbaum, author of How to Get Happily Published
-- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1 edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805072357
• ISBN-13: 978-0805072358
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #240,856 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging and Informative, November 29, 2004

By	Ron Atkins "Ron" (California) - See all my reviews

Keyes does a great job presenting the case for finding hope in the writing process. This book specifically discusses: dealing with anxiety, frustration and despair, overcoming the discouragers in your life, exorcising excuses for not writing and pursuing a career in writing, the rites of rejection, the nature of publishers and editors, and how to keep hope alive.

Years ago I had a basketball coach who taught "if you're not getting at least four fouls in a game, you're not playing defense." He didn't like fouls, but his point was, in the process of playing the game aggressively, fouls are going to happen. Fouls are not necessarily indicators of defeat, they are indicators of effort. Likewise, Keyes' approach to rejection is that all successful writers deal with rejection. In his book he provides numerous examples, including Nobel and Pulitzer prize winners, of authors who face rejection even after winning critical acclaim. Rejection is a fact of life, Keyes say, learn to deal with it. Easily stated, but it still hurts. According to Keyes, writers who have not experienced rejection are not sending out enough material; and, writers who don't learn to accept rejection as part of the writing process, are doomed to quit writing altogether.

Keyes is the author of another book titled "The Courage to Write," which I highly recommend. Similar books by other authors which I would also recommend for the aspiring writer include: "On Becoming a Novelist," by John Gardner, and "The Forest for the Trees," by Betsy Lerner.

Ron Atkins is the author of two children's books, Abby and the Bicycle Caper, and his upcoming (January 2005) Abby and the Bike Race Mystery.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for the Hungry Writer, October 1, 2003

By	Bruce H. Rogers "author of Word Work" (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Writer's Book of Hope is an excellent antidote to the discouragement toxins that build up in writers over time. Actually, it's a whole medicine cabinet of antidotes. Anxiety, Frustration, and Despair are part of the emotional experience of all writers, from beginners to established professionals, and Keyes offers a wide range of uplifting and motivating perspectives that will help writers to keep doing the work that nourishes them. This volume is every bit as good as Keyes's previous title, The Courage to Write. Both are highly recommended.

-- Bruce Holland Rogers, author of Word Work: Surviving and Thriving as a Writer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pick Up Your Pen and Step Away From the Ledge, December 26, 2005

By	Gina L. Holmes "www.noveljourney.blogspot.com" (VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Writer's Book of Hope : Getting from Frustration to Publication (Paperback)

The Writer's Book of Hope, released in 2003, continues to be a beacon of hope to those on the long and tumultuous path to publication.

Keyes gives anecdote after anecdote on writer's rejected who went on to become best-sellers.

Excerpt:

"Ursula Le Guin sent out her first story when she was eleven. She got her first acceptance at thirty-three. James Dickey endured years of form rejections before he finally saw hand-writing on one that said, "Not bad."

According to James Lee Burke's agent, 100 editors turned down Lost Get-Back Boogie (including multipe editors at the same house) before Louisiana State University Press bought Burke's first novel for a pittance.

It's a rare writer who doesn't have to hack through a jumble of rejection slips before (and after) getting published. Some of history's best-known books were rejected many times before finally being accepted. The Ginger Man, by J.P. Donleavy--now considered one of the best 100 novels ever published--was turned down by thirty-six publishers before it found a home..."

Besides happy endings to rejected beginnings, Keyes takes us inside the world of publishing. Some of the Chapter titles:

~AFD Syndrome~ (before drinking hemlock)
~Dealing with Discouragers
~Rites of Rejection
~The Publishing Tribe (Why publishing Resembles High School)
and more...

This book is one of the few writing books I can't bring myself to give up. Every so often, I find myself discouraged beyond reason, and this book takes me back from the ledge of despair.

It's a must read for any pre-pubbed writer needing an injection of optimism.

REVIEWED ON: www.firstnoveljourney.blogpsot.com
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