From Rejection-land to Pulitzer Nomination with James Lee Burke (and a book winner!)

Need a little inspiration and motivation to keep going on your writing journey?

Photo courtesy of http://www.jamesleeburke.com/

My dad (who's been sending me author tidbits and nibbles ever since he found out I had the writing bug) recently sent me a photo of a book he was reading. Specifically, the bio section of the book. The author was James Lee Burke and dear old dad was fascinated to read that a story that had gotten rejected 111 times went on to be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. See the bio excerpt below:

Burke's work has been awarded an Edgar twice for Best Crime Novel of the Year. He has also been a recipient of a Breadloaf and Guggenheim Fellowship and an NEA grant. Two of his novels, Heaven's Prisoners and Two For Texas, have been made into motion pictures. His short stories have been published in The Atlantic Monthly, New Stories from the South, Best American Short Stories, Antioch Review, Southern Review, and The Kenyon Review. His novel The Lost Get-Back Boogie was rejected 111 times over a period of nine years, and upon publication by Louisiana State University press was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

If you're getting discouraged after rejection number 10 or 20...or 50 or 60...or 100 or 110, DON'T LOSE HEART! I'm not saying that we all have Pulitzer-worthy tales floating around our heads, and sometimes it's best to let a story go and start on something new, but if you love writing, then stick with it J

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By order of Random.org, the WINNER OF CHRIS HOWARD'S NOVEL ROOTLESS IS...

Pk Hrezo!!! Congratulations!! Please shoot me an email with your address and I'll ship you the 

book