How Much F*cking Rejection Can a Writer Take?
As much as we’re willing to, I guess.
Is there any other profession that gets rejected as much as writers? Actors immediately come to mind, so feel free to join in this rant.
You guys read my stuff. You know how much I absolutely love my life. I talk about how fortunate I am to write for a living. I know most people don’t get to do what they love and collect liveable paychecks at the same time. I do, and I’m grateful. Trust me.
But you guys also know that I want so much more. I’m a positive person, and any writer will tell you that dealing with rejection is part of the game. But it really does get fucking annoying sometimes.
Not the right fit rejection.
The hopeful rejection.
The automated rejection, LMAO.
I’m actually laughing as I read through these. I have dozens more, but I’ll spare you (and myself).
It’s just crazy to me how someone who is seemingly successful can simultaneously be managing all this rejection. But this is me, and for me having a blog on Huffington Post isn’t enough. Writing for Elite Daily isn’t enough. Guest blogging on Fatherly, Canadian Parent, Chelsea Krost, Thin Difference, Scary Mommy, Actualise Daily, and all the wonderful websites I can’t remember off the top of my head just isn’t enough.
Of course I could just publish my next book myself, but I don’t want to. I want it to be released through a traditional publisher who saw enough value and potential in my manuscript to offer me a contract. Is that too bold?
Obviously I’m not going to give up. I just received a couple more rejection letters in the mail this week and I’m having a bit of a bad day. I guess parts of me are human, after all. I do get discouraged, though I never doubt my capabilities. Never.
I just need to get better. I need to work at becoming a better storyteller and improve my technical skills. I’m signed up for an editing course which I think will help. It’s been a while now since I’ve taken any kind of formal lessons.
We’re a different species, us writers. I mean, even when we do write something that we are finally comfortable with, we have editors who still find ways to make it better. That’s not rejection, but it shows just how difficult it is to write anything engaging enough to turn a few heads.
Not sure if this is true or not, but I remember hearing a story about Margaret Atwood. She was at a party when a Doctor came up to her and asked her what she did for a living. She told the Doctor she was a writer to which the Doctor replied something to the tune of, “Oh, I plan on writing a book when I retire from surgery.”
In true writer fashion, Atwood replied something like, “Well, I plan on doing surgery after I retire from writing.”
Thanks for putting up with this piece. I try to write about all the craziness going on in my life, and that includes all the not so great stuff. All of us aspiring to be anything eventually deal with rejection. It really doesn’t get any easier to deal with. Or maybe it does. Who knows…
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