A Downside of Being a Writer.

Rejection, rejection and rejection. We're all used to getting rejected. Some writers even collect their rejection slips in a folder or en display them on a wall. It can be disheartening when so many of them are just standard slips. ehe worst examples of rejection I had was form a publisher who had already accepted lots of wok from me. when I was n I was writing g educational material. It wasn't actually a rejection but an expression of doubt about the potential popularity of the resource. So I offered it to another educational publisher and .it became one of their best sellers This just goes to show that you shouldn't worry about rejection. The best rejection I e got was two sides of A4 typed description with more notes scribbled on by hand. This was mainly because another similar resource hadn't sold well. And once the book's out then comet he reviews: anything less than a five star review can also feel like rejection. Then there is self-rejection. Often we cringe when we reread something we wrote several years agor Rejection by yourself can be one of h harshest forms of rejection and leads to imposter syndrome. How dare I call myself a writer when I produce this sort of nonsense?

My short story collections.

I write quite a lot of short stories
In between drafts of my novel I take a look at https://www.fairsubmissions.co.uk/ and have a go at writing something for the first item on the   list. I send h story out in and as soon as 'it's rejected I send it out again. I also add it to a collection. I like collections of short stories to be about 46,000, words.

This is the the  second collection I have  put together. The titles makes the stories hang together. They are all about a different way of living.

Find you copy here.

 

I'm beginning to be able to write againsin and getting out and about to various activies. i'm srillwaiting to  be allowwedto drive again. The  DVLA is waiting  for a report from the  stroke team  I thinkt theyy're having difficulty keeping up with their admin. I saw a member of the the  team in my May and the notes from our discussion have only just been passed on to my GP.

On My Blog

You can a look at the awards I received from the LAA: https://www.gilljameswriter.com/2026/06/awards.html

I have an offer on my two  latest books for children, ww.gilljameswriter.com/2026/06/buy-these-to-books-fo-q000.html  

I also have an offer on my three flash collections: htps://www.gilljameswriter.com/2026/06/buy-all-three-flsh-collecion-o-1500.html

 

Recommended read

This month I've chosen Under Fire-red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean

 

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Four hildn escp bin evacuated duding War II. This isn't one of McCaugherean's usual feel-good stories; it is much more or brutal. In every paragraph something bad happens. This gives a real sense of what it might be like living in a war zone.  Perhaps a warning about the times we're in now.

find your copy here. 

Giveaway  

 

Love and romance can be tough for a compulsive fibber
Archie has quite a reputation as a practised fibber. Normally his lies are harmless but as time goes by they begin to get him into more and more trouble. They lose him his girlfriend, and bizarrely, his hearing as his ears begin to react in a very strange way every time he is less than truthful. Giving honest opinions isn’t enough. Deep truth is called for. But finding that isn’t easy. Some truths are very hard to face. Then numbers become interesting, too.
Fibbin’ Archie, is, however, more than the story of a disenchanted young man. It is also a writing experiment based on a fascinating number series (Fibonacci!) It is a piece of experimental writing, a humorous story of love and sex, an examination of social issues affecting young adults and a story of coming of age. 

Get you free material here:

https://mailchi.mp/3fec0e970e01/get-your-free-books

 

 

 

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All newsletters and groups.

 

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The Bridgetown  Café Bookshop where you can buy my books and books published by Bridge House Publishing, CafeLit, Chapeltown Books and The Red Telephone.  Visit us here.     

 

Gill’s News: News about my writing, The Schellberg Project, School Visits and Events. Book recommendations and giveaways. Find it here.   

 

Pushing Boundaries, Flying Higher News about conferences and workshops to do with the young adult novel. (infrequent postings) Sign up here.  

 

 

A Publisher’s Perspective Here I and some other editors blog as a publisher. Access this here.   

 

The Creative Café Project Listings and reviews of creative cafés. See them here.   

 

CaféLit Stories Find these here

 

Gill James Writer All about writing and about my books. View this here.

 

Gill’s Recommended Reads Find information here about books that have taken me out of my editor’s head and a reminder of the ones I’ve highlighted in this newsletter.    

 

Gill’s Sample Fiction Read some of my fiction here.

 

The House on Schellberg Street All about my Schellberg project. Read it here.

 

Writing Teacher All about teaching creative writing.  Some creative writing exercises. Access this here.  I also invite other writers to provide prompts and work for critique.     

 

Books Books Books Weekly offers on our books and news of new books. Find them here. 

 

The Young Person’s Library The children’s book catalogue. Access it here.

 

Fair Submissions  Find it here.   

Opportunities for writers are added several times a day. Roughly once a month I send it out to a list. If you would like to be on that list, sign up here.  

Happy reading and writing.

 

 

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