I've started 2011 off with my first real rejection - oh, who are we kidding I've been rejected before 10 times over but this was quite official. I had sent off Losing Stanley (my first book) to 3 Seas Publishing in Madison, Wisconsin. It's a small publishing firm that specializes in women fiction. Anyway, I guess you know how this is going to end - thanks but no thanks. Very standard rejection. Evidently, that is not good. If they go to some amount of trouble to reject you, you are suppose to take that as a compliment. It does not appear that I was complimented.
This hurt more than I thought it would. I understand that some of the best writers get rejected over and over again - this is what I have told myself anyway - but I have to admit I was crushed. I thought they would reject me - that I was prepared for but for some reason I thought I'd get some sort of encouraging nod. Why did I think that? Wishful thinking, I guess.
I have to admit that I am questioning myself already. I haven't given up but the isolation of not knowing if you have any talent at all - is incredibly frustrating. I really need a nurturing writing community of some sort. I haven't found a good fit yet but haven't given up on that front either.
Holidays are over - still have 3 more weeks of summer holidays for kids (we are in the Southern Hemisphere if you've forgotten:) Think positive thoughts and work - write - work. I am sending more out and bracing for more rejection. This is the life of a writer - I guess - unless it's not. Time will tell.
Keep your chin up! Times have never been tighter in publishing and in the music industry. There's an axiom about songwriting I've always heard: you must write 100 bad songs to get to your 1st good song, at least you don't have to deal with that!
ReplyDeleteCreativity is a communications thing, and not everyone will connect with your message, especially with only one initial read. I wrestle with this and music all the time.
Anyway, I think what you're doing is valuable, so don't be so easily discouraged. There are a ton of rejection stories out there from some pretty famous writers, so get some encouragement from that, too!