Like many neophyte fiction writers, I often find myself perplexed and distressed at the steady stream of rejections flowing into my inbox.  Assurances that our literary betters slogged through similar swamps in their formative days may bring little bursts of temporary comfort but they provide no real clarity; I once read one of Asimov’s universally rejected early efforts and found it to be all but indistinguishable from his classics.  What’s up with that?

Advice from many of those betters, as well as some not-so betters, flows free and easy, figuratively speaking, through seminars, online courses, blogs and newsletters.  Only a fool would ignore such wealth and I, for one, hate being called names.  So here is my stab at cracking the code.  Here is what I think I’m hearing from the voices whispering across the pro/amateur divide.  In no particular order…

1. SHOWDON’TTELL!! More on this later.
2. Absolutely every element of…