Since I wrote about Johanna Penn's article on her fear of being judged because of what she writes (she is moving into writing horror) I've been deeply affected by the sentiments she expressed.
I guess, then, it should come as no surprise that Joe Bunting's post over at The Write Practice--Why You Should Be Excited About Failure And Rejection--struck a cord with me. Joe advises us: Don't try to be unrejectable.
Embrace Rejection
Joe Bunting writes:
We are all scared. However, what separates successful writers from wannabe writers is what they do in the midst of their fear. They lean in. They don’t run. They don’t fight. They do the right thing, the thing they said they were going to do in the first place.Thanks Joe, I needed that reminder. I highly recommend reading Joe's article, it's short but packed with writerly goodness.
Seth Godin says, “Write more, write better, share often. It’s entirely possible you’re not good. But the key word that’s missing is, ‘yet.’”
Your job isn’t to be unrejectable. Your job is to share your story.
Other articles you might like:
- 8 Ways To Channel The Power Of Your Unconscious Into Your Writing- Different Kinds Of Story Openings: Shock And Seduction
- The New Yorker Rejects Its Own Story: What Slush Pile Rejections Really Mean
Photo credit: "154/365 They're Coming To Get You." by martinak15 under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.
I'm about to start the query process for a second time and so I came across this at the perfect time. Thank you for sharing this and the links.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kim! Best of luck, you'll be in my thoughts. :)
DeleteFear of rejection is so huge. One of my clients--a confident woman by all appearances--told me she was absolutely paralyzed by it. When I was submitting my novel, I finally learned to separate out the submission process from my emotions and just do it like I would do a job I didn't much like. That really helped.
ReplyDelete"... and just do it like I would do a job I didn't much like."
DeleteGreat advice, thanks!
I remember the first time I submitted and (sob!) was rejected. I was devistated; after a while I've learned (I hope) to separate rejection of my story from rejection of ME. Which it isn't.
Thanks for your comment! :)
Thanks for posting this. It is so discouraging when you can't even get anyone to read past the first fifteen pages. I know I am getting better all the time but this post was encouraging. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteGlenda Parker
I hate the saying, "It takes time," but it's true. It takes time, and work, and dogged persistence, but one does get better.
DeleteThanks for your comment Glenda, you're an inspiration! :)