Got another rejection letter in the mail yesterday and opened my files to discover that this is Rejection Letter #100.
100 isn't really that many, not when you consider that I've been sending stories out since 2001. I really should have about three or four hundred rejection letters, but I just haven't been sending out much stuff lately. Well, let's be honest here: I haven't been writing as much lately. A lot of things have been happening personally and professionally and I just haven't gotten it done. But I understand that if I'm to get better at writing, I've got to devote more time to it and less time to other things (like maybe blogging?).
Pianist Artur Rubenstein once said something to the effect of: "If I skip a day of practice, I know it. If I skip two days, the orchestra knows it. If I skip three days, the audience knows it." Well, right now I have no audience and no orchestra. I do have two former students from a writing workshop/forum who are keeping me on track with my novel revisions, so I'm very thankful for them. (They're ruthless, I tell ya. Even when they're on vacation, I still get "How's the novel coming?" and "Did you work on your novel today?" messages.)
So I have to keep at it with greater persistence. Thanks, guys, for keeping me on track. Keep up the good work.
1 comment:
CONGRATULATIONS! At the Iowa Writer's Conference, they say that EVERYONE should try to get 100 rejection letters. That should be a GOAL, not an obstacle, because it means you're doing your job!
They also said:"The worst thing you've ever written is better than the best thing you've NEVER written."
Hurray for you!
I also have an invitation for you:
Timely post! I have an invitation for you:
We're doing REJECTION ALL WEEK at Almostgotit.com: come join the bloggy fun!
Please join me by
(a) posting on your OWN site (don't forget to send me a link!)
(b) emailing me your own rejection stories, poems, and rants -- or make a Rejection collage, magazine cover or poster (see my post today for online art-making links). Post on your own blog or send it to me -- almostgotit(at)gmail.com -- and I'll post as many as I can later this week
(c) leaving your own depressing or funny-depressing stuff in the comment section at almostgotit.com.
We've got one week, so wallow away!
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