Over the last little while I’ve had many conversations with writers about critique and rejections and negative reviews, and I wanted to share some thoughts here in case they’re helpful to other writers. I know a lot has been said already, and perhaps I’m not adding anything new or particularly insightful, but I occupy severalContinue reading “On rejections and negative reviews”
Author Archives: Hajera Khaja
Writing is not a talent
Every time I finish a manuscript critique and I’m about to send it off to the writer, I always feel a little nervous before I hit Send. I feel like I’m letting the writer down, like I’m sending a package of disappointment their way. Because almost always, the story or the writing needs more work.Continue reading “Writing is not a talent”
How to overcome ‘writer’s block’ (Part 2)
I’ve been talking about writer’s block in the last few posts. Here is the initial post where I talk about why I don’t believe in writer’s block, and here is how to overcome writer’s block part 1. In this post, I want to talk about how to overcome feeling stuck in the midst of aContinue reading “How to overcome ‘writer’s block’ (Part 2)”
How to overcome ‘writer’s block’
In a previous post, I talked about why I don’t believe in writer’s block, at least not it the way it’s generally portrayed and understood. To me, writer’s block is simply a state of feeling stuck in our writing, feeling unsure about what to write or how to proceed with a particular project if you’veContinue reading “How to overcome ‘writer’s block’”
Why I don’t believe in writer’s block
Pop culture has given us this image of a writer, someone who sits at a desk day and night and their story flows out of them at a maddening pace until they have birthed their book, in its entirety, until they are exhausted. They eat nothing but toast for days on end (that is, ifContinue reading “Why I don’t believe in writer’s block”
On not writing in a pandemic
I haven’t been able to get to my desk for a while. With young kids at home, unable to see their friends in school or visit grandparents and other family, I find myself tending to them before anything else. Writing has fallen to the wayside. I forced myself to sit down at my desk thisContinue reading “On not writing in a pandemic”
Cut up your story
This is both the scariest and the most exciting part of revision for me – playing around with story structure. I cut up all the scenes in my story, mix them up, and rearrange. I don’t have a formula, I just go by gut, and more often than not, this process gives me deeper insightContinue reading “Cut up your story”
Thoughts on rejections
I’ve been thinking a lot about rejections. What it means for us as writers to receive rejections and how that can change our relationship with our writing. At their worst, rejections can damage our belief in ourselves as writers, that the things we have to say, the stories we have to tell are not important,Continue reading “Thoughts on rejections”
Whatever your dream, don’t give up
I’m getting my copy in the mail at some point, but I couldn’t help myself. I went to a bookstore just to look at it, just to hold it for a few moments. It was surreal, seeing my name in print, flipping through the pages of my story. I remember reading this anthology some yearsContinue reading “Whatever your dream, don’t give up”