"Bunyan and Henry" author Mark Cecil wants you to handle rejection better
"When one of my books doesn't get published, I'm not going to get mad about the industry or the editor or my agent or whatever. I just have to write a better book."
Note: These show notes are coming to you quite late, as I was on a family trip and I left! my computer! at home! I thought I could publish these notes from the Substack app, which I should have looked into first because that functionality did not exist until a new version of the app dropped a couple days before the end of our trip. By that time, I was in full vacation mode. So I’ll be sending a few show notes out this week to catch us up. Hope your last couple of weeks have found you shirking at least some responsibility in favor of fun and relaxation, too.
OK, you want to get pumped up about your own writing? Listen to my interview with author and journalist Mark Cecil, whose debut novel—Bunyan and Henry, or the Beautiful Destiny—recently came out. Mark wrote six novels before this one that did not get published, and his approach to keeping going is inspiring and his happiness at having made it to this point is infectious.
In our conversation, Mark shares how he handles rejection (genius), why he loves feedback (something no one else I’ve spoken to has covered), and what “feeling like” writing has to do with the quality of your writing (hint: nothing).
In other news, Mark is also the host of “The Thoughtful Bro” podcast where he interviews authors about their latest book. If you’re digging “Finding the Throughline,” you are also going to dig “The Thoughtful Bro,” so go check it out!
Listen to Mark’s episodes:
[Mark Cecil, practical matters]: On writing multiple books before you get one published + the genius trick that kept him going
[Mark Cecil, inner stuff]: Why getting feedback on your work is like open-heart surgery + opting for the twisty path vs. the straight path to ‘success’
[Mark Cecil: What’s coming up]: The iconic filmmaker who's a master myth maker + being honest about how much time you have for all the various parts of life
We covered:
How Mark is inspired by trying to contribute to a mythology that is uniquely American, and what that means
The six other manuscripts Mark wrote that didn’t end up getting published, and how he dealt with that long road
How he knew he had stumbled on the right idea at last
The genius thing he told himself that helped him keep going despite multiple rejections
How a very frustrating question from an editor launched him on an odyssey of learning the art of storytelling that ultimately led him to the idea of his debut novel
Why he seeks to write every damn day, despite how he’s feeling about himself and his work
How he’ll write anywhere, despite the external–and internal!, conditions he finds himself in
How sports, whether he’s playing, coaching, or watching, helps keep him mentally healthy
Why he considers getting feedback to be like open heart surgery–absolutely vital, yet painful–and ultimately, a time-saver
“I’ve found there is almost zero correlation between the mood you’re in and the quality of the work you make that day.”
And, ironically, how devastated he gets by a bad review
How his inner critic loves to tell him, “If you were any good, you’d be successful by now,” and how he deals with that
How making his debut at 46 motivates him
Taking the twisty path instead of the straight path (if that even exists)to what he calls “the beautiful destiny”
Why he’s crazy for Charlie Chaplin movies
How to tell if an author loves people or not
Looking to George Lucas as a model of modern mythmaking
Being honest about how much time you have for all the various parts of life–like exercise and friendship–and dealing with that reality
The 12-year-old who made one of Mark’s lifelong dreams come true
The challenge of writing a book that appeals to a wide range of people
The “very dark, very twisted” Netflix series he just binged, the song that always makes him smile (it’s now on the “Proven Pick-me-ups from Finding the Throughline playlist on Spotify–look for it!), why September is the best month, and the brunch dish that Mark uses as a bellwether for whether or not a restaurant is good.
Links to specific things we discussed:
The Oldster Substack
Jennifer Weiner’s post on dealing with bad reviews, “Revenge of the Panned”
Grub Street Creative Writing Center in Boston
Charlie Chaplin’s films “The Great Dictator” and “City Lights”
Michiko Kakutani, book reviewer for The New York Times
Ron Charles, book reviewer for The Washington Post
“Baby Reindeer”—the show that most recently kept Mark up way too late watching
“Blow the Whistle,” by Too Short
“It's a blessing and a curse to write something that is original or hard to categorize. On the one hand, it's like, great, you've done something that's unlike other books.J But to a marketing team, that's sort of a nightmare because they're like, who is this book for?
Where to find Mark:
Mark’s website
Mark’s podcast, “The Thoughtful Bro”
Connect with Mark on Instagram
Listen to past episodes:
Julie Gerstenblatt, practical matters: On writing novels that will never be published + stepping out into a new genre
Julie Gerstenblatt, inner stuff: A ninja mind trick for making a daily writing goal seem easy + why you should show *and* tell
Julie Gerstenblatt, what’s next: How to approach writing about something you have little firsthand experience of + the magic of a Disney soundtrack
Full show notes for Julie Gerstenblatt
Lisa Tener, practical matters: The tools that help Lisa get her writing done + an easy and fun physical exercise that gets you in the flow
Lisa Tener, inner stuff: Practical ways to get out of the fear of not making enough money + embracing surrender
Lise Tener, what’s next: The simple shift that “makes life juicier” + a recipe for Lisa’s all-time favorite tea
Full show notes for Lisa Tener
Donna Russo, practical matters: Writing through trauma + taking yourself seriously as a writer in a culture that doesn’t value artists
Donna Russo, inner stuff: How to get yourself psyched to start a new project + stay steady through the pre-release nerves
Donna Russo, what’s coming up: How to keep writing fresh (11 books in) + a love song to lobster