I had a slightly sore throat last night, but it was worse this morning, with a partially clogged nostral and a really annoying cough. Mnnn...
So I figured I'd forego the computer today, but I do like to check my email and check my friends list, see what people are up to. And since I was doing that, I'd check my other email (designated for querying agents and other publication-related emails) and post here.
Query email had a new unread letter of rejection, my first for the a novel.
I'm not a person who likes rejection (who does?), and who will generally do things to avoid situations where rejection is a possibility (at the same time, joining programs that I don't need, but which add to my work plate, like the Honors program--go figure). Writing is the one thing where I knew I would be rejected a certain number of times before finding an agent who I wanted to work with, who would want to work with me. But I did it anyway. I worked through writing a novel, then editing an novel; writing a query letter, and a synopsis (finished that yesterday, yay me), and researching agents. All to send a letter out, and more than likely get a form letter saying, 'sorry, not for us.'
I knew it would happen all through the previous stages, but writing is such an integral part of my life, and I want to make it a part of the rest of my life, hopefully in the sense of a paying career (eventually), that I was willing to risk rejection. I don't like it, and I hope there won't be many, but I think knowing the process ahead of time helped me not to take this first rejection so seriously.
Anyway, it's there, and it's like breaking the skin of water on top of a glass. The water is flowing, and I can keep moving forward. Because for all my neurotic insecurities, I believe I'll find an agent.
...
Don't worry, I won't devote an entire post to every rejection. Just this time, because I knew I didn't want to freak out when it happened, but I still wasn't entirely certain how I'd react. And I hope doing so even this first time isn't a mistake, so we can chalk it up to blogging while sick, yes? ;P
Happy writing everyone,
Sabrina
2 comments:
Rejection is always hard. My method of coping is to immediately set it aside and get on with things I enjoy. I can come back to read for any specific input of the helpful variety in the rejection later on.
That's good advice, especially for the personalized rejections. I think I handled this one well, and can only hope it wasn't just the head cold numbing my emotions. (Ugh. I'm still all congested.)
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