sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Tis the Season for Rejections

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Tis the season for rejections

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

Coming in from all directions

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

Gird your loins and grab your chocky

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam

The writing life is getting rocky.

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn dam!

 

Sing it with me! Or not. Either way, it seems that December is bringing with it the usual flurry of rejections to my writerly friends.  I’m not sure, but I suspect that there are two reasons for what seems like an extra high level of these harbingers of doom at this time of year: firstly,  because it’s the end of the year and the number of new releases drops, there is a bit more time to appraise the slush pile; and secondly, because it’s summer, and a good time to take summer holidays (because duh, when else would you take summer holidays?), there is a need for publishing staff to  do some desk clearing before they head to the beach.

Whatever the reason, every year around this time I notice lots of rejections appearing in the mailboxes of my friends – or myself. As I write this, I have yet to receive one this festive season, but there’s still time, and I’ve probably just jinxed myself.

So, what to do if you get one? Here are five tips.

  1. See the song above. Grab some chocolate, or other comfort food/drink/activity and indulge. You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself. You’ve been working at this game for years/months and rejection hurts.
  2. Vent. It’s fine to vent. Everyone vents sometime. Vent to a friend, a loved one, your writers group, your mum, your mirror. A rider though: I recommend venting in closed circles. The friends I have seen venting online have done so in private groups. This is highly recommended. Much better than venting on a public page, or your blog. Why? Here’s a quick illustration. Imagine that I am blogging about my submissions

ME: Woe is me. My magnum opus has just been rejected by Bippity Boppity Publishers. Don’t they realise what a true genius I am? Did they even read it?

BIPPITY BOPPITY PUBLISHER (in a quiet moment): I think I’ll look at my Google Alerts and see what wonderful things are being said about my books online (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. Sally Murphy thinks I’m a bad judge of quality, does she? She is saying mean things online. I don’t care what she submits to me in future, I won’t be publishing it.

ME (Blissfully unaware of Bippity’s attitude and posting again on my blog): I don’t care about that rejection I had last week. Today I am sending my magnum opus to Hippity Hoppity Publications. Wish me luck everyone. Fingers crossed that I succeed this time!

HIPPITY HOPPITY PUBLISHER (considering my manuscript): This isn’t bad. I wonder what Sally’s online presence is like. It’s important we know she can market herself. (GOOGLES MADLY). Oh. This manuscript has been rejected by Bippity Boppity. Scrolls. And four other publishers. Hmm. Maybe it isn’t as good as I thought. Reads some more. And she said mean things about other publishers. That’s not nice. I don’t think it’s worth the trouble. (Reaches for another offering from teetering slush pile).

You probably get my point.

  1. Consider what the rejection says. There’s a good chance that your rejection letter/email is a standard rejection. This one goes something like: We have considered your manuscript carefully but regret to inform you… If you get one of these, you know that someone has at least looked at your manuscript.   But, if you get one that has been personalised, even the tiniest bit, read that tiny bit. I once had a publisher who sent me standard rejection after standard rejection but, after a while, she started adding a little handwritten note to the lettersr: “This one is getting close” she might say. Or “Cute. But we have enough animal manuscripts at the moment”.  Eventually, she accepted a manuscript, because I had listened to those notes and adapted my writing and what I subbed to her  I’ve had longer rejections which have told me what is wrong with the manuscript. And I’ve read them. What these messages tell you is that someone has looked closely at your work and seen enough promise to encourage you. So if it’s there, it is worth your while to closely consider the advice given – even if your initial thought is that it’s wrong. A publisher/publishing assistant/editor has seen something in your work worth commenting on. Smile and listen. After all, they work in the very business you are trying to break into.
  2. Get your manuscript ready to send back out. This DOES NOT mean you should send it straight back out to the next one on your list. It actually means closely study what the next publisher publishes, what their submission guidelines say, even whether they are open to submissions. Taking the time to do this can save you months of waiting for the next rejection letter – and, of course, increase your chances of acceptance. Another important consideration here is how many times your manuscript has been rejected. If it has been multiple times and you’ve received standard rejections, now is the time to seriously consider whether your manuscript needs reworking. Getting some critiquing advice and revising before you resubmit could be what’s needed.
  3. Be glad you’re not this guy. I’m pretty sure this is the worst rejection letter I’ve ever seen (is it bad that it made me laugh?). After you’ve finished laughing, use your own rejection note for something festive: rip it up and make streamers for your Christmas tree. Or cut it into the shape of a star and hang in on the wall. Or, if you’re in colder climes, use it to start a warming Christmas fire. I don’t keep my rejection letters, or even keep count of them. Why keep a record of failures?  Reycle and do something good for the planet!

Lastly, I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories of how many times people like JK Rowling were rejected. I’m not repeating those, because, to be honest, when I hear those figures I think ‘hah! I can top those numbers!’ Which probably isn’t the point. But the point IS that every writer gets rejected. And most of us continue to get rejected throughout our careers, even after we’ve had some successes. The rare few who don’t are exceptions, and probably celebrities writing about bodily functions. Or married to someone in publishing. (Hmmmm: I think this is a good point to refer you to my friend Sue Whiting’s awesome post about professional jealousy).

Got a good tip about handling rejection, or a question to ask? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, sing with me:

Dammit dammit dam, dam gosh darn daaaaaaaaam!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happenings at the Backyard Bookfair

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It’s always fun to get out and meet – and speak to – young readers. It’s an added bonus when I get to do with other authors and illustrators, which is just what happened on Saturday when I was part of the Backyard Bookfair at the State Library of WA.  Have a look at the program to see just how deep the talent pool was:

The theater was home to a series of shenanigans presentations, where we each had ten minutes to talk, present an activity, read, or whatever else took our fancy.

I had promised a craft activity, a promise that was made some time ago. And, although I did indeed deliver on this (see right for evidence of the wonderful threading of stars which took place), I also decided that what I do best  is words. SO, as well as the star activity, I wrote and performed a Christmas rap.  I had the audience participate in the chorus and it was a lot of fun.

So, if you’ve never heard me speak, or if you’ve ever wondered what I might sound like trying to rap, here’s the snippet my friend James Foley captured for me.

As well as rapping, I got to hang out with friends like Teena Raffa-Mulligan

and Frane Lessac:

I also met lots of young people and their parents, signed copies of Looking Up, and, of course, watched the other presenters.

Oh, and there were cupcakes!

What a wonderful day.  

PS

There are still 19 sleeps till Christmas. Plenty of time if you’d like to buy a book for the young reader in your life. If you’d like one of mine, signed and posted to you, contact me here. 

Teacher Tuesday: Write a Christmas Tree Poem

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It;s Teacher Tuesday, but with the end of the school year rapidly approaching, I thought I might offer something different this week. Instead of offering teaching activities for one of my books,I am offering a quick poetry writing idea.

 

Write a Christmas Tree Poem

Challenge your students to write  a poem in the shape of a Christmas tree, like this one here:

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For older students they can use my attempt as a mentor text. For younger students you might provide a printed worksheet with a tree outline and lines drawn. Older children can be challenged to write other Christmas shape poems – for example, in the shape of baubles, stockings or presents.

If you’d like a quick craft activity for your classroom, over on the Sage Cookson website, you’ll find a printable template for an antler headband.

This is the last Teacher Tuesday post for this year, but it will return in January in time for the new school year. In the meantime, if you missed earlier posts, you can still find suggestions for each of the following books by clicking on the titles:

Pearl Verses the World

Looking Up,

Toppling,

Roses are Blue,

Do Not Forget Australia,

Meet Mary MacKillop,

Snowy’s Christmas

The Floatingest Frog

and Sage Cookson.

Thanks for visiting, and if there is a topic you’d like covered in Teacher Tuesday during 2018, let me know.

 

Poetry Friday: Christmas is Coming

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It’s Poetry Friday and it’s also December 1, which is both the first day of Advent, and the first day of summer here in Australia.

So, although I keep thinking it’s ages till Christmas, I guess it is now officially close. It’s also a sign that the school year (which runs from February to December) is coming to a close, and in classrooms across the country, kids and teachers alike are looking forward to school finishing. With all that in mind, here’s a little poem about December – and Christmas – in Australia.

Christmas is Coming

Christmas is coming.Aussie Christmas

We’ve stopped learning stuff at school

except how to sing Jingle Bells

whilst standing straight and tall

so the folks can get good piccies

at speech night;

and how to get glitter to stick

to a polystyrene ball

to hang on the Chrissie tree;

and how to make a gazillion cards

one for Mum

one for Dad

and two for the grandmas;

and how to carry home

all those scrapbooks

and artworks

and dead textas

and how to concentrate

on all this

even though it’s 40 degrees

and our classroom isn’t airconditioned

and all we really think about

as that Christmas is coming.

 

(Poem copyright Sally Murphy)

 

Today’s Poetry Friday roundup is at A Reading Year. Head over there for lots more poetry goodness.

What I Read in November – and Confessions About My To-Be-Read Pile(s)

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December tomorrow? How did that happen?  When I started recording my monthly readings back in January, it seemed like a year of reading was spread out ahead of me  in an endless array of possibilities. Now, there is only one month until it is no longer 2017. How did that happen? That means it’s almost time to tally up how I went for the year. As I look at my bulging to-read pile, I wonder if I can go without sleep for the rest of the year,just to whittle that down to something manageable. But who am I kidding? First, I like sleep almost as much as I like reading. And second, my to-read pile is never-ending. And, in fact, it isn’t a pile at all.

There’s the review pile, which is two shelves in my office,currently home to perhaps books (and, I suspect, likely to grow int he next few days as is wont to happen at the start of a new month). There’s my Borrowbox App on my phone, which has just three unread audio books on it, only because I have a limit of five and I returned two this morning. (if you don’t know about Borrowbox, ask your local librarian. Or ask me.) there’s the pile next to my lounge chair which has perhaps ten books I’ve bought and promised myself don’t need shelving until i have read them. And, in the back bedroom (which I once envisioned becoming my office – ohh how naive is a mother of young adults and a revolving front door), there is a special bookshelf of unread books which I simply must read, and which used to be a pile until it threatened to reach the ceiling and so was designated a bookcase.  And that is just my to-be-read pile of books I’ve actually acquired, because I also have lists (several) of books which I MUST borrow/buy and read as soon as possible.

I guess what all this means is that my to-be-read pile is NEVER going to be something manageable. But, you know what?  I don’t really mind. because that means that I live in a world filled with wonderful books. And that’s a wonderful thing. But, one of my goals for December IS to tackle the review pile, because there are some titles int here that I cannot wait to read – and share with the world.  So, hopefully, my December list, which you’ll have to wait a month for, will be longer than this one. In the meantime, here’s what I read in November.

If you want me, I’ll be curled up with a book, in between all the December madness.

Picture Books

I Just ate My Friend, by Heidi McKinnon

Koala, by Claire Saxby and Julie Vivas

Do not Open This Book Again, by Andy Lee & Heath McKenzie

Rodney Loses It, by Michael Gerard Bauer & Chrissie Krebs

Scarface Claw Hold Tight, by Lynley Dodd

A is for Australian Animals, by Frane Lessac

The Sloth Who Came to Stay, by Margaret Wild & Vivienne To

Children’s Books

The Pink Snowman, by Alan Horsfield

How to be Good(ish), by Karen McCombie

Ivan the Terrible, by Anne Fine

Young Adult Books

Gap Year in Ghost Town, by Michael Pryor

Books for Adults

Abundance Now, by Lisa Nichols

The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs, by Carmine Gallo

Hello, Goodbye, by Emily Brewin

The Next Big Thing, by Anita Brookner

The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown

The Unmumsy Mum Diary

Succeed With Me, by Selwa Anthony

Teacher Tuesday: Using Sage Cookson in a Year Three Classroom

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Welcome to the  ninth edition of Teacher Tuesday, where I match one of my books to a year level, and offer some activities for sharing the book in the classroom. In previous weeks I shared activities for Pearl Verses the World, Looking Up, Toppling,  Roses are Blue, Do Not Forget Australia, Meet Mary MacKillop,  Snowy’s Christmas and The Floatingest Frog.

This week, I am focusing on the Sage Cookson series. There are now six books in the series, including  the newly released Sage Cookson’s Christmas Ghost. At this stage in the school year, sharing some short, unchallenging chapter books  is a great way to keep kids reading – and writing. And, with recipes included and the potential for simple Christmas crafts, you can craft lots of varied lessons.

Using Sage Cookson in a Year Three Classroom

Sage Cookson Series (Sweet Escape, Ring of Truth, Fishy Surprise, Singapore Sensation, Literary Launch and Christmas Ghost, by Sally Murphy

Published by New Frontier Publishing
Format: Paperback chapter books, RRP $9.99

Blurb:  Sage Cookson is a ten year old with a pretty different lifestyle. Her parents are television chefs with, unsurprisingly, a passion for food.  They spend a lot of their time travelling Australia and the world sampling the food, learning new cooking techniques and then sharing their new knowledge with their massive television audience.  For Sage, this means she gets to embark on adventurous travels with her parents.

Sally’s Recommended Grade Levels: Year 1 – year 5 but these suggestions focus on Year 3.

Themes/Topics:

  • Cooking/Food
  • Travel
  • Adventure
  • Friendship
  • Resilience
  •  Mystery

Dedicated website with activities, recipes and sample chapters HERE.

Curriculum Links:

The following ideas link the enjoyment and exploration of Sage’s adventures with learning requirements of the Geography strand of the HASS Curriculum.

Year 3 English  and HASS

1.Discuss how language is used to describe the settings in texts, and explore how the settings shape the events and influence the mood of the narrative (ACELT1599).

  • This activity uses the first book of the series Sage Cookson’s Sweet Escape. This book can be shared as a read-aloud over a few sessions.
  • During or after reading, focus on the description of setting on page 8, page 26 and page 27-28. As a class or in groups, identify words used to describe the setting. Discuss what mood these words evoke.  How do these words echo what is happening in the story, and Sage’s feelings?
  • Activity: Have students write two descriptions of a familiar setting (eg the classroom/their bedroom/ a shopping centre), evoking two different moods in the same setting.
  • Create Word Bank Posters for classroom display boards. As students read other books in the series, have them add words describing settings to the word banks. Word banks can be themed by mood – eg happy, exciting, fun, scary or by location – inside, built environments, beach, nature etc.

2.The location of Australia’s neighbouring countries and the diverse characteristics of their places (ACHASSK067)

  1. The similarities and differences between places in terms of their type of settlement, demographic characteristics and the lives of the people who live there, and people’s perceptions of these places(ACHASSK069)
  2. Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over textstructures and language featuresand selecting print ,and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose (ACELY1682)
  • Use the remainder of the Sage series to discuss travel to other states and countries. Read back of book blurbs and try to identify where each book is set.  Use a map to identify which parts of Australia/the world the books are set in. Discuss the use of a food item or group in each book. Have students predict which food might be featured in each book, and discuss which foods are closely tied to the places Sage visits (eg fish at a coastal setting) and which could be connected to other places (eg chocolate in SW Western Australia) .
  • Ask students to contribute places they have visited, or lived, or that family members are from. Locate on the world map, and brainstorm what class members know about the place.
  • Students to choose one town/city they have not visited and research: location, climate, languages spoken, population, geographical features, cusine etc. This could be a short task, with oral reports, or be used as a report-writing or multimedia task, depending on your time availability and other objectives.
  • Creative writing task. Students to plan and write a new story featuring Sage Cookson travelling to the place they have researched. Guiding questions for planning: how would Sage and her parents travel there? What kinds of food might they be researching? What could go wrong in that location?

 

Other suggestions for using Sage Cookson books  in your classroom include:

  • Each book includes a back of book recipe. Using these as examples, discuss the elements of a recipe. As a class, compose a recipe for a good narrative. What ingredients should a narrative have? What steps should you follow?
  • Art and craft: Make a chef hat. Instructions are on the Sage Cookson website here.
  • Email the author (that’s me!) Your students can write to me through this website, and share their responses or ask questions.

Related Books

Mostly, I’d love to remind you that while I love to see my books used in classrooms, I also love to see kids just enjoying them. Reading a book should be pleasurable – whether it’s being used in the classroom or not.  So allow your students to enjoy reading the Sage Cookson series.

If you find this useful, or have any suggestions or comments, do leave a comment. And, if there is a particular book or year level or topic that you would like covered in a future edition of Teacher Tuesday, let me know.