The Resilent Writer: Tales of Rejection and Triumph by Twenty Top Authors

I'm a free-books-from-the-library kind of girl; I want to know I love a book before I add it to my shelf. But after hearing this author at a reading, my sister and I immediately bought one copy, splitting the cost -- I think we only had a few bucks on us at the time. And after a few months of discovering something new and wonderful every time I borrowed it, I bought my own copy. It was worth every penny. Having this book around is like having a funny, wry, encouraging set of writer friends willing to share stunningly honest stories of letdown and success. I highly recommend it.

I believe in resilience as a way to frame most of life's rough spots, so I was attracted to the title of this collection. Gathering multiple interviews about publishing rejection into one book sounds like a depressing task, but surprisingly, the questions asked by Ms. Wald produced an interesting and inspiring book. I will admit that the strict focus on "rejection" was sometimes so rigid that it kept the interviewer from letting the interviewee explore richer ideas. Most authors spoke with candor about a side of publishing that is not typically covered by MFA programs and magazine articles. Small details pop up in conversations between professionals who are comfortable in each others' company and this author captured them on the page for working writers and aspiring writers who have neither the access nor level of comradery with these authors. The interview with Brett Lott, a teacher of writing as well as a successful author was my favorite. He told Ms. Wald that he saw writing as communication, and writing skills were worth perfecting if you wanted to send your most clear message out into the world. Every writer who finds it discouraging to negotiate rejection in their quest to be published or otherwise win recognition will want to go through this collection. It is filled with scenarios few readers are likely to have read about and offers grounded advice for all readers who love to write or have to write!

Perseverance and persistence are two characteristics of every successful writer. Most of us are rejected many times as we learn about writing and the publishing business. The Resilient Writer is encouragement for every writer. When you read about the experiences of bestselling authors like Amy Tan or Arthur Golden, you begin to understand what it will take for you to be published and have your dreams come true. It takes more than crafting an excellent story (which is always a key) but it will involve other types of learning. You can begin to understand these experiences as you read what Catherine Wald has put together in this excellent book, The Resilient Writer. It's the perfect gift for yourself (if you write) or a friend or family member. The chapters are short, enlightening and highly readable. You can either read straight through the book from cover to cover. Or pick it up when you need a dose of encouragement-and from my perspective, every writer needs plenty of encouragement.

Being rejected is an uncomfortable and often demoralizing experience. Writers are on the receiving end of more than their fair share by virtue of simply being writers. Catherine Wald handles the topic with grace and optimism. She has heart-to-heart talks with 23 leading authors regarding their personal experiences with rejection and manages to take that subject and turn it into inspiration. It's comforting to know that rejection has been experienced and overcome by writers such as Janet Fitch "White Oleander," Bret Lott, "Jewel," and Arthur Golden, "Memoirs of a Geisha." Every writer should have a copy of "The Resilient Writer" for those moments when it seems like their next manuscript (or their first) is fighting an uphill battle for publication. I know I do. Dee Power, Co-author of The Making of a Bestseller.