The starkest rejection letter might be followed by a million-dollar advance. Don't let rejection start to look the same as failure.

Like all writing rules, the injunction to start with the trouble can be broken, and it should be sometimes - if there's good reason.

Constant rejection. No security. Career paths being dictated by freelance reviewers. And of course, the terror of the writing desk, of the blank page. Why is it so hard for our non-writer friends to understand this - that it's a job?

You can work really hard and well on something, and someone you respect might hate it; worse, they're not empirically wrong for doing so. This is scary, especially for people who haven't been published.

You followed the letter of the law and you should not be penalized for that.

A tragedy's first act is crowded with supporting players, policeman scribbling in pads and making radio calls, witnesses crimping their faces, EMS guys folding equipment.