Stella Tarakson

Writing for magazines: conducting interviews

Stella

12/11/2013

I’m sure you’ve noticed – many magazine articles take the form of interviews. There’s a good reason for it. Readers are interested in what people have to say: their experiences, their feelings, their story. Hearing it straight from the source resonates more deeply than someone else’s dry second or third hand account. Interviews are also popular with writers: it doesn’t matter if you don’t know it all, just ask someone who does! Otherwise, magazine writers would run out of material very fast.

So how do you go about conducting an interview for an article you’d like to write? These are the steps I teach students in my magazine writing workshops.

1. Finding interview subjects

Often the first question I’m asked is, ‘Who do I interview’? Of course it depends on what your article is about, but consider the following avenues:

Word of mouth / personal contacts
Support groups
Local clubs and societies
Business operators and professionals
Media liaison units of big companies, government agencies or universities

Let’s make it more concrete. Say I’m writing an article about children who suffer depression. I might want to contact a university professor or a practising psychologist. I might also want to talk to some parents, who I could find through a support group.

2. Making contact

Explain the point of your article to the person you wish to interview. Describe your readership so they know who the article is aimed at. For instance, if I’m writing the child depression article for a parenting magazine, I want to make sure the professor knows s/he is talking to parents, not uni students or peers.

If possible, line up a face-to-face interview. This gives you the chance to build up a rapport, and you’ll get far more out of the interview. However, this may not be practical for any number of reasons, such as distance, time, number of interview subjects. Consider conducting the interview by phone or even email. The interviewee might also have a preference, ask what suits them.

3. Preparing for the interview

Prepare your questions in advance. Consider the key issues: who, what, where, when and why. Try to use questions that encourage full answers, not simply ‘no’ or ‘yes’. The aim is to get them talking! Beware of asking what lawyers call ‘leading questions’ – that is, questions that suggest their own answers. You do not want to be accused of putting words into your interviewee’s mouths. Let them tell their story, their way. However, if they talk for too long about irrelevant issues, it helps to have some questions ready to nudge them back onto the right path.

4. Conducting the interview

It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. Look and act professional. It’s best if you can record the interview, but you should ask for permission first. If they’re not comfortable with being recorded, make sure you take comprehensive notes.

Start the interview off with some simple background questions to put the interviewee at ease. In the previous step I said to prepare your questions in advance. Here I’m going to contradict myself a bit. Don’t stick to your plan too rigidly. Listen to what the interviewee has to say, and respond accordingly. They might raise something totally unexpected that leads to something better than you originally anticipated. Your planned questions are a guide only. Be open to new directions that may interest your readers.

5. Afterwards

Send an email thanking your interview subject for their time and assistance. Check any facts that you’ve been given – just because someone told you something, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true! Write up the article while the interview is still fresh and, if necessary, clarify anything you might have misunderstood. Once the article is published, they’d appreciate another quick email telling them about it.

Photo credit: the justified sinner / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA, beedieu / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Why I wrote: What to do When Someone Dies

Stella

6 comments

29/10/2013

Today is the fifth anniversary of my mother’s death. There hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought about her, and this major marker made me think about other people I have lost. One of my earliest books, What to do When Someone Dies, helped me come to terms with the death of someone else that I was very close to: my father.

I’ll never forget how the book came about. My father died when I was heavily pregnant with my second child. Naturally, I was devastated. Dad had terminal cancer, so I knew it was only a matter of time. But somehow I believed he’d hang on long enough to see his only grandson. He didn’t make it and I was in serious denial. Sure, I managed to go through the motions of helping arrange the funeral and doing all the stuff that needed to be done. But I didn’t really believe it was happening.

A phone call from a publisher

A few weeks after my son was born, I received a phone call from Choice Books. They said they liked my previous book, and would I like to write one for them? I was about to say yes, until they mentioned what the book was about. A guide to the arrangements that have to be made after a death. Dealing with wills, funerals, the estate, etc. They said I could use my legal knowledge. They didn’t realise I also had personal knowledge – and very recent too.

I almost said no. The pain was too fresh and writing would make me re-live it. But I knew that turning them down would not make the pain go away. I also realised the book would be better if written by someone who’d experienced the personal element. The writer would need to keep in mind their readers are grieving – well, I didn’t need any reminding! Most importantly, this would be something I could do for my father, in his memory. So I said yes.

My amazing editor

I later discovered the editor who commissioned me had cancer. She knew she was dying, and saw the need for such a book. I only learned this after she had died. Amazing woman. To have stayed so strong during the process, even to the extent of helping her clueless author not to fall apart!

The second edition

Nice to know it’s helped people

Years after the book was published, I googled myself (as one does). I stumbled across a review of the book. The reviewer said it helped her get through the most difficult time in her life, and she was grateful to have found it. That simple sentence made me feel so good.

Now in a second edition, the book is still selling, so I know it must be helping lots of people. I’m sure Mum and Dad would be proud …

Joining the Twitterverse – basic twitter terms

Stella

8 comments

22/10/2013

I feel like a twit. No, that’s not it. I feel like a tweet. Much better! After much longing, lurking and learning, I’ve finally taken the leap and joined twitter. At first I found the jargon mystifying, so to help potential twitterers I’ve created a list of commonly used terms and symbols. Feel free to add to them in the comments section!

@
This symbol precedes a twitterer’s username or handle. For instance, mine is @StellaTarakson. And, yes, twitterer is the correct term!

Direct message (DM)
It’s possible to send a private message to someone on twitter – but only if you follow each other. To send someone a DM, click the envelope symbol that appears on your ‘Me’ page (your profile summary) then click on ‘New message’. Alternatively, go to their page, click on the little head symbol (don’t you love my technical language!) then select ‘Send a direct message’.

Favourite
You can mark a tweet as a favourite, simply by viewing the tweet and clicking on the appropriate option. It is automatically pinned to your account so you can find it again later.

Follower
Someone who subscribes to another person’s tweets. You need to create an account to follow people. It’s kind of Twitter etiquette to follow back people who follow you, unless they are one of the Twitterati (celebrity or star tweeters). People can also ‘unfollow’ or stop their subscription.

Hashtags #
Topics on twitter are categorised using the hashtag symbol. Placed before a keyword or phrase, it enables users to find information on a particular topic. For example, #amwriting is a common one for writers. You can search for existing topics or you can create your own.

Lists
You can organise those you follow into lists, making it easier to keep track. Your lists can be private or viewable to the public. To create a list, click on ‘Lists’ and ‘Create list’. You can add or remove someone from a list by clicking on that little head symbol again and selecting ‘add or remove from list’.

Reply
You can reply to other people’s tweets by viewing their tweet and clicking ‘Reply’. The message you enter will be preceded with @(their username). You can also enter that manually at any part of your tweet. The person you are replying to will see your tweet when they look at their @Connect tab.

Retweets (RT)
You can re-send or forward on a tweet, known as retweeting. This is considered a compliment! It’s important to acknowledge the original twitterer, so the RT symbol is used to show this. You can also put ‘via @….’

Twitter chat
A conversation on twitter at a specific time. You can join in if you know the hashtag and time of the chat.

Twitterverse
The whole universe of twitter. It truly is its own world! The twittosphere refers to all the people who tweet.

URL shorteners
Each tweet has a 140 character limit. This can be problematic if you want to send a link to a website. To shorten the URL, or the website’s address, you can use a shortener service. The best known is tinyurl. Go to their site, paste your long URL in the box and click ‘shorten’. You then copy it into your tweet, leaving more characters for your message.

Loving the Liebster Blog Award!

Stella

5 comments

15/10/2013

When I first started blogging, I didn’t realise what a warm and inviting community the blogworld is. It seemed so big and anonymous – but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I’m getting to know and like many remarkable people from all over the world, and suddenly being a writer is far less isolating. I was touched when fellow writer and blogger Evelyne Holingue nominated me for the Liebster blog award. She’s a Frenchwoman living in the US and writing in both French and English. I admire people who can leave behind everything familiar to start again. I don’t think I’d have the courage! You can find out more about her here: http://evelyneholingue.com/

How the Liebster Blog award works

It’s not a traditional award bestowed by judges. Rather, it’s a getting-to-know-each-other process. The Liebster recognises blogs with fewer than 1000 followers that deserve recognition. Evelyne nominated me and sent me a list of ten questions, which I’ve answered below. I pass the compliment on to five other bloggers and ask them ten questions of my own. We link to each other and share the love. The hardest part has been restricting myself to only five wonderful bloggers! See them listed under my answers.

My answers to Evelyne’s questions

1. What do you remember of your first blog post?
I wondered whether anyone would actually see it! It felt like I was in an empty room talking to myself. Amazingly I got my first ‘like’ within minutes. It was such a buzz!

2. Why are you blogging?
I love writing and I love writing about writing. Blogging gives me a level of interaction that I just can’t get with books.

3. What do you like best and least about blogging?
I like the immediacy. You put up a post and – wham – response! I know, though, that not every post will interest every follower. I try to have a good balance but it’s hard to know if you’re hitting the right mark.

4. What blogs do you like to follow?
Other writing blogs, naturally. Book reviews. Anything to do with Greek Mythology – it’s one of my particular interests.

5. What would you like to share with your readers that they might not know about you?
My parents migrated to Australia from Greece. They worked so hard to give us a better life. They’re both gone now, but much of my writing reflects what I learned from them.

6. If money, job and family weren’t an issue where would you live and why?
On an isolated rocky beach. I want to listen to waves crash while I write.

7. Have you learned more from your successes or failures?
I’ve learned from both. They’re different sides of the same coin and you can’t have one without the other.

8. What is your idea of a day lived to its fullest?
Coffee. Reading. Writing. Walking. Repeat as often as possible, before time with my family at the end of the day.

9. What one key message do you want your readers to take away from your blog?
That success in any endeavour is possible if you persevere. That it is worth pursuing your passion because life is short. Oh, that’s two. Is it okay to put two?

10. Do you prefer the book to the movie or the movie to the book?
The book. Always the book. Movies never match the pictures a good writer can paint inside my head.

I’d like to nominate:

Dimity Powell http://dimswritestuff.blogspot.com.au/
Caylie Jeffery http://cayliejeffery.blogspot.com.au/
Herminia Chow http://aspiringwriter22.wordpress.com/
Anna Mayfair http://annamayfair.com/
Kristine Riddle http://kristineriddle.wordpress.com/

Here are my questions for them!

1. What made you decide to take up blogging?
2. What does your family think about you being a blogger?
3. At what time of day do you do your most productive writing/blogging?
4. What is your favourite form of social media and why?
5. What is your most vivid childhood memory?
6. Do you have an all-time favourite book or author?
7. What was your favourite subject at high school?
8. Where would you like to go on holiday, assuming no money restraints?
9. Which superpower do you wish you had and why?
10. What would you like to share about yourself that you readers might not know?

Writing workshops: the good, the bad and the brilliant!

Stella

10 comments

08/10/2013

I’m currently developing a new workshop: Writing for Children and Young Adults. It’s got me thinking about the writing workshops I’ve attended over the years – and there have been many! Some good. Some not so good. Some brilliant. After attending so many, I’m gaining an insight into what works and what doesn’t.

Workshop on Finding and Re-using Public Information I I’ve realised that being able to write doesn’t mean you can teach. The skills are very different. Writers are often introverts, hiding behind their computers, but that’s not much use if you want to help others!

Running workshops has also given me a heightened appreciation for school teachers. You have to be a cross between an entertainer, motivational speaker, life coach and professor. Fortunately writing tutors have a willing audience (unlike many school teachers!). Even so, by the end of an all-day gig I am utterly drained … but happy. Workshops are the ideal way to escape the isolation of writing and meet like-minded people.

What works

As a workshop participant, I like to receive practical information. I’m not a fan of waffle, meanderings and padding. Must be the lawyer in me! Tell me something I don’t know, then tell me what to do with the information.

A good balance between information and activities is also important. Listening to too much tutor-talk can be boring – participants need to participate. I like it when tutors provide guidance for a writing exercise, then encourage participants to share their responses with the group. And I mean encourage! Not bully or shame, which unfortunately happens sometimes. In my workshops, I never press anyone to share if they don’t want to. If they do, I provide constructive feedback. Many participants who start the day feeling uncertain about their writing leave with new confidence – and that makes it all worthwhile!

What doesn’t work

I must admit I don’t want to hear too much about the tutor. Just enough to set the stage and inspire the group by showing that writing success is possible. It’s not meant to be all about them!

Structure is important and I find a lack of direction frustrating. Workshops that wander and jump around too much indicate a lack of preparation. Creating slideshow presentations, planning activities and creating tip sheets takes a lot of time, but you can’t run a good workshop without preparation.

The best I’ve seen

Some workshops I’ve attended have been brilliant and I’m not saying that lightly. I’ve left them feeling enlightened and motivated. I’m only going to mention the most recent, as I don’t know if some of the older ones are still running. I’d highly recommend any writing workshop run by Kate Forsyth http://www.kateforsyth.com.au/ and Brian Falkner http://www.brianfalkner.com/ Both of these successful authors are approachable, informative, and extremely giving.

Care to share?

Have you attended a writing workshop that you would like to recommend to others? Please share in the comments section!

Photo credit: jwyg / Foter / CC BY-SA Sean MacEntee / Foter / CC BY

Feeling thankful: World Teachers’ Day

Stella

10 comments

01/10/2013

Many authors can trace their success back to one single teacher. A person who recognised their potential and worked hard to foster it. Who inspired, motivated and encouraged them. I’m sure that many writers, like myself, would like to thank their old teacher personally but are unable to do so. Years pass, we lose touch.

World Teachers’ Day
http://www.unesco.org

This Saturday, 5 October 2013, is World Teachers’ Day. It’s the perfect opportunity for us to thank these important people who shaped our lives and will never be forgotten. Even if they don’t know it.

World Teachers’ Day

Over 100 countries celebrate World Teachers’ Day and it’s been going every year since 1994. According to UNESCO, it is ‘a day devoted to appreciating, assessing, and improving the educators of the world’. Sadly, this crucial profession is often unrecognised and undervalued. This year’s slogan is ‘A Call for Teachers’.

I’d like to thank …

Peter Davison

Mr Peter Davison of St Joseph’s Girls’ High School Kogarah, my year 7 English teacher. His encouragement of my fledgling interest in writing was phenomenal. He even went so far as to send my early pathetic attempts at novellas to publishers. They weren’t accepted, of course, but I received some very encouraging feedback. As well as a burning desire to keep going!

I have no idea what’s happened to Mr Davison. I’ve had over 30 books published now, mostly in the education field. I’d like to think he’s seen one and remembers me. The teacher in my first junior novel, which comes out next year, is named after him. Just in case he ever sees it – I want him to know he’s not forgotten!

Get involved

There are many ways to celebrate. Festivals, seminars, award ceremonies. Visit the UNESCO site at http://www.worldteachersday.org/map/ for links to what’s happening in your neck of the woods.

In Australia, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day late (25 October) because it otherwise falls during our school holidays. If you’re a Sydneysider like me, consider entering your favourite teacher in this competition: http://www.hillslodge.com.au/blog/competition Run by a hotel, the prize is a pampering accommodation package.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

Is there a special teacher that inspired you to become the person you are today? Here’s your chance to say thanks, by writing a short note in the comments section. You never know, they might see it. Well … it’s possible!!

On the CYA success wall!

Stella

2 comments

24/09/2013

CYA Conference

Brisbane’s CYA Conference is well-known for its writing and illustrating competitions. There is a large range of categories to enter, from picture books right up to young adult. The feedback sheets are well-thought out and very detailed. I was lucky enough to win first prize in the chapter books (younger readers) category for my entry Mike the Spike.

The award helped me secure a publishing contract for my junior novel. New Frontier was seeking submissions for their Little Rockets series. Submissions were open for just one month. They received over 500 stories. Guess how many they took on? Only two! We have a lot of competition!

Now the CYA folks have generously added me to their website’s success wall. This is what they put up on their News & Updates page:

I love getting emails like this:

“I wanted to share my exciting news with you. You may remember my chapter book…”

Yes, it’s another success story!

Meet Stella Tarakson

Stella’s book Mike the Spike will be published by New Frontier Publishing, after winning the Chapter Book – Younger readers section, Stella met with Sophia Whitfield from New Frontier at CYA Conference, and soon after — a contract followed.

Artists +Opportunity+ access to Editor = Success!!!! (Yes!!!)

You can see Stella’s BIO and her full How CYA Conference helped her, on her success page as she joins the wall of inspiration – The Success Pages.

Until next time, keep writing and keep illustrating!

CYA later!

Tina, Ally & Sam

Aren’t they great! I’m thankful for the encouragement and exposure, so I had to blog about this one final time. Any more and I might get boring … feel free to disagree at this point …

If you’re considering entering next year’s competition, I strongly encourage you to give it a go. There’s lots of time to start preparing your story. If you need a bit of a nudge, have a look at the growing list of now-published writers on the CYA success wall: http://www.cyaconference.com/cya-success-wall/

What are you waiting for??

Bouncing story ideas: the do’s and don’ts

Stella

6 comments

17/09/2013

Bouncing story ideas off other people is a great way to create a gripping plot. It helps you identify when you’re being too predictable (watch for those yawns) or too bizarre (watch for signs of glaze-eyed incomprehension). It gives you the benefit of other people’s ideas, opinions, and experience. Last but not least, it helps stop you turning into a hermit while you work on your book! However, there are some important do’s and don’ts when it comes to bouncing those precious ideas about.

DO be selective in who you ask

Fledging story ideas can be delicate things. When looking for brainstorming buddies, pick someone you can trust to be honest as well as constructive. They don’t need to be writers, but it helps if they are avid readers. Consider friends, family, writing group members, writing tutors … notice how slickly I snuck in a plug for my writing workshops … There are also countless online forums where writers post their ideas and provide feedback for each other.

DON’T make it your sole topic of conversation

It’s easy to get obsessed when you are brewing a new story, but you can’t expect everyone else to be as fascinated in it as you. If you’re bouncing off friends and would like to keep them, pepper in some normal conversational topics too. Even if they’re not quite as earth-shattering as what your sneaky antagonist is up to.

DO express yourself clearly

You’ll find that the mere process of putting your ideas into words will help. It forces you to think clearly and concisely. Saying your ideas out loud helps even more – sometimes I realise how lame my idea is when I describe it to someone. It sounded good in my head, though!

You still have to make the final leap alone!

DON’T lose momentum

Much of what drives us to write is a burning need to get the story out there. Spending too much time talking is bad in two ways. Firstly and most obviously, the more time you chat the less time you have to actually produce. But a greater risk is that you’ll lose the impetus to write. Too much praise for your fine and clever ideas, and the urge to write them down starts to wane. Let your computer keyboard be the outlet for that smouldering story, not a pat on the back from your friends.

DO make the final call yourself

Remember that when it comes down to it, you have to write YOUR story. Consider all the advice you’ve been given but make your own judgment. You know your story better than anyone else, you know your characters intimately. If the suggestion feels right, use it. If it doesn’t – lose it!

Who do you bounce ideas off?

My main targets are my husband, children and brother. I’ve also got a couple of good writer friends that are willing to put up with my agonising. Who do you use? I’ve never tried an online forum and I’m curious to know what you think. Have you had any good or bad experiences with them?

Photo credit: garrellmillhouse / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA jhf / Foter / CC BY-NC

Cliches – avoid them like the plague

Stella

13 comments

10/09/2013

Certain phrases have become a bone of contention for readers who like to call a spade a spade. At the risk of opening up a can of worms, I’m going to take the bull by the horns and cut to the chase. I’m talking about cliches, of course.

A cliché is an expression or phrase that’s so overused it’s become trite or common place. Done to death, in other words. And yes, that was on purpose! It’s inevitable that we’ll use clichés in our writing occasionally. After all, they encapsulate concepts so well. But be on the lookout. An over reliance on clichés is one of the surest signs of an inexperienced writer.

Why do we use clichés?

Clichés spring to mind very easily, which makes some people say they’re a sign of lazy writing. But on a more basic level, we use clichés because they express certain concepts brilliantly – which is why they were created in the first place. They are so good, often we don’t even realise we’re using them. Which is half the problem.

Clichéd expressions are concise, not wordy or clumsy. They create images so vivid that people instinctively understand what they mean. ‘As white as snow’, ‘cool as a cucumber’, ‘like a bull in a china shop’. We know exactly what they’re describing, even if we’ve never actually seen a bull. Or a china shop.

Other cliches are more obscure but we still get them, even if we don’t quite know why. Everyone knows ‘on cloud nine’ describes a blissful state, but do you know why? Well, neither do I. Don’t bother googling it, by the way. I’ve tried. There are as many explanations as you’ve had hot dinners!

Over time, as writers use certain phrases over and over again, they lose much of their original effect. They become hackneyed and predictable, even irritating at times. In other words, they become clichéd. So how can we avoid clichés in our writing? Alternatively, can we use them to good effect?

Avoidance – come up with a fresh phrase

Try re-using a concept from a cliché, but replace it with something fresh. Consider the phrase ‘like a fish out of water’, to feel out of place. You can see why it became a cliché – it conjures up a vivid image that is universally understood. To replace the cliché with a new figure of speech, think of other examples of when someone would feel sorely out of place. I don’t know, how about, ‘like a vegan at an abattoir’? Just a thought.

Use a cliché to better effect – try reversing it

By reversing, I mean take a cliche but change the wording so it means the opposite of the worn-out phrase. This can work well if you’re trying to create a particular effect, such as sarcasm or wry humour. You get the benefit of the familiar vivid image, but you’re still surprising the reader. ‘Flowed like a river’ is a cliché. But let’s reverse it and say that praise for this blog ‘flowed like cement’. Just a prediction …

Parting thoughts

All right, I admit it.

Does this post make sense? Only time will tell. I won’t count my chickens before they’re hatched, but at least I’ve struck while the iron was hot. I’ve put my best foot forward and given my all. I’ve run it up the flagpole, but landed between a rock and a hard place. Now I should come to a grinding halt, or else I’ll talk in clichés until the cows come home …

Any to add?

Feel free to add your favourite clichés in the comments section. I’ll be waiting with bated breath …

Photo credit: CharliePev / Foter / CC BY-NC .astama. is .eugenia. / Foter / CC BY-NC

Perseverance – the path to success

Stella

9 comments

03/09/2013

Although this applies to many people, in many fields, I’m talking about the need to persevere with your writing. It’s one of the few occupations where you’re flying blind, all on your own, most of the time. Feedback from others helps, but essentially it’s down to you. It’s all too easy to give up when the going gets tough – especially if you don’t have anyone you can turn to for support.

But remember – it’s extremely rare for first attempts to get published. Most writers have a drawer full of manuscripts that they haven’t been able to sell. It’s part of the process, and the only way to learn is by doing. Write, write, and write some more!

It takes time and practice to build your skills. This is the same for every occupation. You wouldn’t want a doctor chopping bits out of you if they haven’t been properly trained first, would you? And even when first-time writers do get accepted, they usually have to approach several publishers before that magical day, when they finally find the one that says yes.

Famous writers who had many rejections

If these great writers gave up first time, the book world would be a much poorer place. Actually, I don’t think much would get published at all!

Many publishers are kicking themselves for passing on this great writer!

JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel was rejected 12 times, before a small publisher took her on. Not so small now!

Stephen King’s first novel Carrie was rejected so many times, he threw the manuscript away! Temporarily, of course …

Even Agatha Christie’s first attempt was rejected 20 times. Her books are still selling, long after her death.

The list goes on. John Grisham, Dr Seuss, Louisa May Alcott, Stephenie Meyer, spanning all genres and all generations. Would you believe F Scott Fitzgerald purportedly received a rejection letter saying, ‘You’d have a decent book if you’d get rid of that Gatsby character.’ Tee hee! Unless you’re already a celebrity, don’t expect instant success. Persevere – you’re in good company.

Giving up before you begin

Some people are so scared of rejection, they never even try. They start a project, get to a certain point, then give up. The manuscript never crosses an editor’s desk, never has a chance of publication. If you let fear hold you back, then you’ve rejected yourself. Which is much worse!

Giving up your day job?

Okay, we do need to be practical. Not everyone has the luxury of dedicating themselves full-time to developing their writing skills. Bills have to be paid. And I won’t kid you, it’ll be a long time before writing earns enough to keep you going. Even if your book is taken up quickly, you’ll have to wait to see the money. Advances for new writers typically aren’t huge and it’s a long time until the royalty cheques start to roll in.

So yes, do what you need to do. But fit your writing in somewhere. Small amounts on a regular basis is best. I met an author at a writers’ conference who used to write on the train to and from work. He now earns enough to write full-time, but he only managed to get there because he persevered through the hard patches. If you can manage an hour a day, most days, you’re in with a good chance.

How to handle rejection

It’s hard, I know, but the only way is to keep going. Don’t dwell on rejection. Learn your lessons and move on. Keep telling yourself ‘maybe next time’. And remember, rejection lasts a few minutes, acceptance lasts forever!

Photo credit: ehoyer / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND, StarrGazr / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND