{"id":515,"date":"2013-02-22T13:41:44","date_gmt":"2013-02-22T18:41:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hometeamproductions.tv\/stephaniesilberwordsworks\/?p=515"},"modified":"2013-04-07T11:01:25","modified_gmt":"2013-04-07T15:01:25","slug":"one-year-of-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hometeamproductions.tv\/wordsworks\/one-year-of-no\/","title":{"rendered":"ONE YEAR OF NO"},"content":{"rendered":"

This month marks one year of devoting almost all my time and energy to finding an agent willing to rep THE DARK SIDE OF TIME.\u00a0 It’s interesting to me that the actual writing of the manuscript took a mere seven months door-to-door to complete a first draft.\u00a0 That said, it should be noted that rewrites and polishing, re-formatting and creating different versions of queries and synopses long, short and in-between also consumed a good deal of time.\u00a0 The results?\u00a0 A couple of nibbles.\u00a0 Some respectful declines, with encouraging words.\u00a0 And many, many “Thanks, not for us,” form responses.\u00a0 But there is something even worse than frank rejection; that is, to be ignored.\u00a0 No response.\u00a0 Flatline.\u00a0 Shoo, fly.<\/p>\n

\"Writer's<\/a><\/p>\n

True, my carefully curated list of possible fits for the ms were heavy-hitting, top drawer agencies.\u00a0 But even with that factored in, the trance of unworthiness creeps up on you.\u00a0 How can it not?<\/p>\n

Here’s what I’ve learned that’s important.\u00a0 It’s perfectly OK to throw yourself the occasional pity party.\u00a0 But keep it brief.\u00a0 When you’ve finished, you need to remember what your own<\/em> opinion of the work is.\u00a0 Stand behind it with well-deserved pride.\u00a0 And then look back at how hard the work of selling is, especially when it comes to your very self.\u00a0 How tenacious you’ve learned to be.\u00a0 How brave.<\/p>\n

Someone once referred to me and Vic as “cinematic junkyard dogs.”\u00a0 He was speaking to our experiences in producing our indie films ex nihilo.\u00a0 No funding.\u00a0 No backers.\u00a0 No publicity machine.\u00a0 NO.\u00a0 NO.\u00a0 And NO.<\/p>\n

We wouldn’t take no for an answer.\u00a0 We forged ahead, working our day jobs, working nights, weekends on our own films.\u00a0 Rolling that rock up the hill.\u00a0 And we got those films made.\u00a0 Then we pressed on, sending ’em out to give them life on the festival circuit, only to hear more of the same.\u00a0 NO.<\/p>\n

But then there were some successful submissions.\u00a0 RANDOM LUNACY <\/a>\u00a0was accepted as \"Nyuff<\/a>Closing Night Selection at the venerable New York Underground Film Festival.\u00a0 Simultaneously we were awarded Best Doc at the Westchester Film Festival.\u00a0 We got to travel quite a bit with the film.\u00a0 We did Q&A’s with audiences large and small.\u00a0 It was a heady time.\u00a0 Exhilarating, because the nature of art requires it to be interactive.<\/p>\n

That’s a problem when it comes to staying the course with a manuscript.\u00a0 I’m grappling with that now.<\/p>\n

\"Creation<\/a>These digital days, happily, there are options.\u00a0 I can self-publish.\u00a0 I probably will, eventually.\u00a0 I’m researching, considering, exploring. \u00a0 I’m making notes for the next novel.\u00a0 Working on short stories.\u00a0 And so lucky to be reading for audiences — I’ve joined the Irish American Writers & Artists Association<\/a> as well as Artists Without Walls<\/a>.\u00a0 Interaction.\u00a0 The ecstatic process of hearing and being heard.\u00a0 Now there’s<\/em> the Divine Spark.\u00a0 Like the hand of the Almighty touching the fully human outstretched hand of Adam.<\/p>\n

As I write this, I hear a lone bird in the bare branches of the tree outside my office \"bird<\/a>window.\u00a0 It is trilling the same sweet note over and over again, and it puts me in mind of spring, and the summer to follow.\u00a0 My favorite season.\u00a0 Life.\u00a0 Growth.\u00a0 Possibility.\u00a0 A season of yes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This month marks one year of devoting almost all my time and energy to finding an agent willing to rep THE DARK SIDE OF TIME.\u00a0 It’s interesting to me that the actual writing of the manuscript took a mere seven … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n