The BAR*D Newsletter

Winter 2026

* BAR’D: a lighthearted combination of my initials, BAR, and a nod to the bards, those gifted with writing and delivering fine prose.

The first seven from my hometown to enlist with the Newfoundland Regiment for the “Great War.”

My grandfather, the inspiration for my manuscript’s character, Eli, is third from the left.

This photo, from August 1914, helped me craft a scene in my manuscript, GRAND EXPLOITS.

Welcome

After a fun year of sharing monthly newsletters, I’ve decided on issuing them on a quarterly basis.

I have less to report while I’m receiving feedback on my first manuscript, and beginning to turn my attention to new projects. More on this below.

I’ve also decided to tweak the structure of the newsletter as follows:

1. Status of My First Manuscript.

2. The Writing Life & What’s Next.

3. Writer in the Wild.

Status of My First Manuscript

At the end of November, I achieved a milestone by submitting my manuscript package to a small number of literary agents.

I’ve received responses from all but one. While the feedback has been positive, I haven’t yet received the coveted “yes.”

Here are excerpts from the encouraging rejections:

“I was genuinely impressed – it’s often hard to bring an energetic contemporary voice to historical fiction. You’ve got complex characters and a good strong story, but all that said, I wasn’t compelled to drop everything and keep reading.”

“It has a clear premise, a strong opening, and the concept is compelling, but the writing didn’t captivate me so I wouldn’t be the best advocate. I admire what you’re doing, and I hope you continue the pursuit until you find someone who is all-in on this book.”

“It is apparent how much passion and research you have put into this novel. Your background and love for history is infectious. Your novel deserves an agent who not only believes in his or her ability to sell it to the best publishing house possible, but who also has an irrefutable passion to advocate for it through its long life. And I have no doubt that you will find that agent.”

While it’s disappointing to receive rejections, I’m encouraged as agents don’t often take the time to provide personalized responses. I feel I’m on the right track.

I decided to seek additional feedback on my opening chapters from a couple of published authors and an experienced editor.

Their feedback was unanimous. They loved the characters, the setting, and the premise, but the writing wasn’t working as well as it could. I took their detailed feedback and edited the manuscript again. It now feels much stronger.

I’m about to send it to a second batch of literary agents, as well as Canadian publishers that accept direct submissions from un-agented writers.

It may be six to twelve months, or longer, before I receive responses from publishers. In the meantime, I’ll eagerly await responses from agents in the second batch.

To provide perspective on market competitiveness for securing agents and major publishing deals, I’ll share some statistics from a literary agent who spoke at a virtual conference I recently attended.

She receives approximately 7,500 submissions each year, and requests additional information from approximately 150 of them. Of those, she takes on appropriately 5 new writers each year. That’s a success rate of only a fraction of 1 percent. Further, securing an agent doesn’t guarantee that one of the big publishing houses will buy the manuscript. Statistics from publishing houses are very sobering too.

Am I disillusioned? Of course, rejection is disappointing and the odds are tough, but I’m far from throwing in the towel. Many writers receive 50-100 rejections before they land an agent or publisher. I’m just getting started.

More importantly, I remind myself that the act of writing is a thrilling adventure. It’s like reading a great novel or watching a compelling show that you’re longing to know what’s next for your favourite characters.

It’s even more exciting when you’re writing, as you are in control, but you often don’t know what will happen next. The story unfolds and the characters lead you along. Stephen King calls it magic.

The Writing Life & What’s Next

Like exercising a muscle, writing gets stronger the more you do it.

To that end, I’m undertaking the following activities:

1. I’ve enrolled in a short story writing course which will hone my writing craft while exercising a different writing muscle. I’ve had a short story idea brewing for several years, but haven’t focused on it seriously. It’s very different from historical fiction as it involves dystopian and speculative themes.

   
   

   Interestingly, during a recent virtual conference, I heard from a Hollywood insider who explained why producers are hungry for short stories to adapt for film and TV. Yes, the odds are low but it’s fun to dream of the possibilities!

   
   

2. I’ve started writing my next manuscript. While it’s set in Newfoundland again, it’s more contemporary than my first story. (Believe it or not, the 80s and 90s are considered historical fiction.) This one is leaning a little darker than the first one.

   
   

3. While my idea for a story set in Saint Pierre in the 1940s is still percolating, I’ve put it on the back burner as the market is saturated with WWII stories. Then again, trends change.

And, I’ve been reading a lot. I love how reading great books is a critical part of becoming a published author.

Some of my recent reads include:

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

The Weather Diviner by Elizabeth Murphy (a fellow Newfoundlander)

N-W by Zadie Smith

The Spooky Art: Some Thoughts On Writing by Norman Mailer

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

If you’re interested in my thoughts on any of these, please send me a note.

And finally, I’ve registered for a Historical Novel Society conference near Dublin this summer. Being amongst other writers, and exposed to new ideas in such a great city can only be inspiring.

Writer in the Wild

This photo was taken in the Woody Point Heritage Theatre. I’m next to a portrait of my hometown’s legendary actor and artist, Gordon Pinsent.