Am I Any Good?
by Kathryn Mockler
​June 18, 2018

I remember when I got interested in creative writing, one of the thoughts that crossed my mind was—do I have any talent? This is common for many new writers. Feeling like they are not good enough or talented enough can sometimes stop new writers before they even get started.

I once had a friend ask me to read his poems, and after I gave him some feedback, he asked—Yeah, but am I any good? Is it worth it for me to pursue writing poetry? Obviously I couldn’t answer that question because whether or not someone devotes their life to writing is a completely personal decision.

The writing life is both exhilarating and brutal. You may write something you find so personally fulfilling, but when you share it with the world, the world may not see what you see, and this can be heartbreaking. Also if you are hoping to get published, then you have to deal with all of the rejection that goes along with that.

Really when you think about it too much—what fool would put themselves through all that? Well, me for one and maybe you too!

The best thing to do when we have a concern is to face it head on rather than letting it fester. So let’s go to that scary place.

Ask yourself—what will you do if you find out you’re not any good (whatever that means to you)? I know—it’s a terrifying thought.

But seriously what will you do if you find out that you are not any good at writing?

Will you stop? Will you give it up forever?

If your answer is YES—well—that settles that, doesn’t it?

But if your answer is NO—then what will you do about it?

While it may seem strange that I’m taking you to one of the darkest places in a writer’s mind, before we even begin—trust me there is a purpose.

As a writer there are going to be times when you feel like you are not any good. This can happen when you are blocked, or if you get a comment on your work that is particularly painful, or if you get a rejection, or if what you are trying to say is not landing on the page, or if you are just starting out.
​
So what we need to create here is our safety net—in the form of a personalized list of actions that you can refer to when you are feeling blocked or lost or uninspired or just not any good.


Write Your Safety Net List

Make list of at least 5-10 things you will do when you feel that you are not any good.

This list will give you concrete actions to take that will help "catch" you when you feel like you are falling.

Here are some things I do, when I feel this way.

• try write every morning in my journal
• stop “trying to write” for that moment and read writing that inspires me
• go to readings
• go out for coffee with another writer and talk about these struggles
• write in different styles (or genres)
• write in ways that surprise me (hey if I'm not good—then I have lots of freedom to do what I want, right?)
• go for a walk

So what will you do? Make your list in your notebook or journal or use this PDF Worksheet.

This post is from Week 1 of Introduction to Short Fiction, an online course for those new to fiction writing. 

Kathryn Mockler, the Eastern Canadian Editor of Joyland: a hub for short fiction and the Publisher of The Rusty Toque has some behind-the-scenes tips for writers sending out their work to literary journals:

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

If you want to publish in a certain journal, then it’s a good idea to read the work they publish before you submit anything. For instance, if you write science fiction, you’re wasting everyone’s time by submitting to a journal that only publishes poetry about beetles or haiku. 

Target journals that you feel will be the best fit because your share their taste or style or tone. Avoid sending blanket submissions. 

​Read the publishing guidelines for things like format, submission length requirements, and genres. Don’t guess. Each journal is different. Some take online submissions and some don’t. Some journals have themes. You won’t know unless you look.

 
2. GET THE EDITOR’S NAME

One way that you can indirectly let editors know that you’re professional and have done your research on their journal or magazine is to mosey on over to the journal’s Masthead and get the name of the editor(s).
 
When you write “Dear Fiction Editor,” you’re indicating that you don’t know the journal you’re submitting to very well. It’s not going to make or break a submission, but small things like this can frame how editors will read your work and how much time they will spend on it.
 
Make sure you thoroughly proofread your letter before sending it. Sometimes submissions come through addressed to the wrong editor or journal or have several typos. Not a great way to make an impression.
 
 
3. DON’T PAD YOUR LETTER

Editors actually want to read less than more. By adding unnecessary information to your cover letter, you run the risk of irritating the editors before they even have a chance to read your submission.
 
Fun fact: it’s okay to be inexperienced or unpublished. No one is going to judge you for that.
 
What they will judge you for is a desperate attention-seeking letter that is filled with shoddy witticisms and unnecessary information. Harsh, I know, but it’s true.
 
Don’t add unnecessary personal information to your cover letter like the fact you live with your cat in your mother’s basement or that you suffer from depression. Many writers suffer from depression. I mean we’re all living in a nightmare for goodness sake! Of course you’re depressed. We all are!  But that’s not the kind of information editors need to know.
 
Many editors are writers and have their own memories of starting out. In fact many editors like the idea of discovering new voices. So rather than trying to pad your letter and to look more experienced than you are—just say that you’re new to writing. It’s okay. I promise.
 
On the other hand, if you’re a well-published writer and have 100+ publications. Don’t list them all. That is obnoxious. Only list the publications that you think will fit with the aesthetic of the journal you’re submitting to.
 
A short bio with just a handful of publications is sufficient. Editors don’t have time to read your life story or every magazine you’ve published in.
 
 
4. AVOID HUMOUR

Of all the submissions I’ve read over the years, there has only be one writer who attempted to use humour in her cover letter that was actually funny. While her cover letter was genuinely witty, her submission didn’t live up to that initial humour of the letter. Too bad!
 
If you are hilarious, then put that humour in your story or poem. Leave it out of the cover letter. If your humour doesn’t fit the editor’s humour then you could inadvertently frame your submission negatively.
 
 
5. AVOID SUMMARIZING THE STORY

Some editors may feel differently about this, but I recommend not summarizing your submission in your cover letter. [Submitting cover letters for full-length manuscripts is different and they do often require summaries.]
 
If you have some contextual information then it’s fine to include that. For example, you may want to mention if the submissions is part of a series or if it is an experimental piece that needs some framing. But if you are just submitting a short story, then avoid summarizing it.
 
If your writing is strong, your readers should be able to come to their own conclusions about what you are trying to say.
 
When you frame a story before someone reads it, you are setting up expectations. What if your summary is better than your story? Or what if you are terrible at summarizing but terrific at writing? 
 
Your best bet is to just let the editors experience the piece for themselves the same way readers will should your work get published.


6. DON’T ASK FOR FEEDBACK

Many, if not most, literary editors are working for free or for very little money. They hardly have time to read all the submissions they receive, let alone offer critique. Therefore, it is just not feasible for them to give feedback on the hundreds or thousands of submissions they get.
 
Sometimes if an editor feels strongly about a work then they might provide some words of encouragement or invite a writer to resubmit. If that happens to you, consider yourself very fortunate and resubmit as soon as you have written something terrific. But otherwise be grateful that someone is taking time out of their short life to read your work and publish it. If you want feedback start a writing workshop, post in online forum, or take a class. ​
 

7. INCLUDE NECESSARY INFORMATION

Many writers forget to include the basics such as the genre that they’re submitting in or the titles of the works being submitted. Some journals like to know if the submission is simultaneous (meaning it’s being considered by other journals) and others like to know some brief biographical information.
 
Some editors advise indicating writing you’ve read and enjoyed from their journal. I tend to not like this because it often feels forced and like filler. But I’ve seen that advice around, so it might be something to consider if your cover letter is on the short side.
                                                                                 
When writing your bio, keep it short and write it in third person. Don’t include any value statements about yourself or your writing. Don't say things like "you'll love my story" or "I think my story is a good fit". That's for the editor to decide.
 
Just include the following:

• what kind of writing you do (the genres)
• any interesting jobs you’ve had (especially if related to the work being submitted) or programs you've attended
• a couple of recent publications (if you have them) or awards
• where you live

 
That’s it. Try to keep your bio length to around 50 words.

 
​9. KEEP GOOD RECORDS

Most literary journals now use online submission management systems like Submittable and most journals accept simultaneous submissions (but not all so read the guidelines for each journal before you submit).
 
These management systems are great for keeping track of your submissions. It’s important to let journals know right away if your work has been accepted elsewhere.
 
I also keep an Excel spreadsheet of all my submissions because not all journals use the same online system and some still require hard copy or email submissions.


9. PROMOTE YOURSELF 

If your story gets accepted and published, share it on social media and with your friends and family.
 
Some writers feel uncomfortable about this as they may feel like they are bragging. However there are ways to share your work so that it feels like a share and not a brag. For example, share the link to the journal or the issue you’re being published in and thank the editors or prop up the other writers in the issue. That way you’re helping to promote a journal and other writers while at the same time presenting your own work.
 

10. TAKE REJECTION IN STRIDE

Should your work get rejected, try to take in stride. It happens to us all. You’re in good company.
 
Never email an editor back to ask why you’ve been rejected or send a nasty note. That just burns bridges and doesn’t help you in the long run. I’ve been published by journals that rejected me for years. It’s just part of the process. All writers go through it.
 
Avoid letting rejection determine your value as writer. Often editors have to reject perfectly good stories and poems. There is a lot work out there and not enough space to publish it all. A rejection doesn’t mean your writing is terrible. It just means it might not be a fit for a particular publication.
 
Remember the publishing process is completely subjective. That’s why doing your research is such an important part of the process. The better you know a journal, the better you’ll be able to determine whether or not they are right for your work.
 
Good luck!

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Jennifer LoveGrove interviews me for her series on poetry exercises and prompts over at Open Book where she is this month's writer-in-residence.
​
Kathryn Mockler on Poetry Exercises
by Jennifer LoveGrove

Today in my series on poetry prompts and exercises, I'm featuring writer Kathryn Mockler. She teaches creative writing, poetry, and screenwriting at Western University, and runs private workshops through her new online writing school Mockler’s Writing Workshop. She has had six short films produced and is the author of the poetry books The Purpose Pitch (Mansfield Press), The Saddest Place on Earth (DC Books) and Onion Man (Tightrope Books). Currently, she is the Toronto Editor of Joyland and Publisher/Founder of The Rusty Toque. 

What do you do when you’re stuck, when the writing is not coming readily, or maybe not at all? Or perhaps you only have a limited block of time in which to write and you want to dive in but you aren’t sure where to begin? What do you do to get started?
When I first started writing, I used to get really stressed out if I couldn’t think of anything to write. I would beat myself up and fret and go blank. It was horrible. But over the years, I have learned that those moments, which seem like they are not productive because I’m not actually writing anything, are just part of the process. I’d like to say the fear goes away, but it doesn’t. Writing anything new or anything I am stuck on always makes me feel like I’m jumping off a cliff. I’ve just learned how to cope with it better.

Read more