It has struck me that the title of my website is Anna May Mangan’s Writing News, but my writing is one of the things I talk about least. And, as this week is probably the most exciting to date of my writing career, I thought I should blog on the topic nearest my heart. My non fiction proposal for a family memoir has been sent, by my agent, to a dozen or so leading UK publishers for their consideration, and I am sparking with excitement.
It took me a long time to get going with my writing for a ragbag of sad reasons, but determined not to waste my ‘second chance life’ after twice recovering from cancer I declared to my family on January 1st 2008 that this was going to be my year. My writing, I told them firmly, was finally going to get my full attention. The kids were quite bemused by this annoucement. One said “Oh, so you like writing? I thought you only liked cooking and cleaning and Countdown.” Another, tummycentric as always, asked “But we’ll still get three squares a day though, right ?”
Since then it’s been a magical, hustle-filled sixteen months. I’ve had some wonderful results but countless rejections, too. Most rejections I shrug off as an occupational hazard but a few months ago I got a humdinger…..
It was from a London theatre producer who had read my first attempt at a full length play. In my polite covering letter to him I explained the pause in my writing career was because I had been very sick. He fired back a reply saying that in his opinion it was a real pity that my health had improved enough for me to be able to write again because I was so shockingly bad.
That did hurt. I cried all over my keyboard. My husband wanted to pummel him into apologising and my sister offered to post poo to him in a jiffy bag. But that man actually did me a huge favour by testing my committment. His cruel comments could have savaged my confidence and my courage, but I didn’t let that happen.
“Rejection ? Suck it up ” is what my youngest said when she didn’t get into her first choice of university. If my current proposal doing the rounds is met with a bumperfest of rejections of course I will be disappointed, but I’ll be back……. Right now though, I am just excited and happy to have got this far.
Keeping my fingers, toes and eyelashes crossed for you.
When you book comes out, will you autograph it for me please?
Thanks for your vote of confidence Debbie. I’ve taken up mongolian chanting to deal with the stress of waiting for a response.
Anna May x
It must be great to have something in common with JK Rowling – rejection! Just think how many rejections she had before making it big – it won’t be long before you’re at the book signing in Waterstones. It’s not “if” it’s “when” with your book and I hope it’s very soon. I think you should have a column in a newspaper with your blogs – Liz Jones is irritatingly good in the Mail but you’re pithier and downright laugh out loud funny. You won’t be doing the Mongolian chanting for long.
HI Julie,
If things don’t work out I could be in Waterstones alright, working on the till if they’ll have me.
Anna May x
oooooohahaooooochumalawoowoo
This ‘London producer’ guy is obviously an an idiot.
He probably can neither read, nor write.
You can send him one of your new books when its published and see how he liked that.
x
Hi Anna May
What a dope that guy is! There are ways and there are ways to reject a person’s work and being rude and creepily insensitive is not one of them.
Best of luck with the memoir. You are brilliantly funny and I hope you find success.
I heard Janice Galloway read from her memoir this week and I’ve bought it to read. Have you read it?
I’m re-reading Nuala O’Faolain’s one at the mo – it is fabulous.
N x
Thanks for your support Nuala, I’ll check out those memoirs you mention. Anna May x