Rejection Affection

In the last two days, I’ve been rejected twice – by two different publishers, for two different stories. Ouch. The knife enters my abdominal cavity. Add another rejection from several months ago, and another from a year or so before that. The blade twists and I lose my breath.

I am not accustomed to this thing called rejection. I have always been the one to get picked for the team – picked for the job. I work hard and I pour all of myself in to everything that I take on, and it always pays off.  Until now…

This world of writing is brutal and not for the sensitive heart.

“Thank you for offering your work,” the big name publisher says, “We’re not going to say that you suck, but we’re not going to say that you don’t, either.” OK, maybe that’s not an exact quote from the jilting letter of refusal, but it hurt just as bad.

Rejection is embarrassing and discouraging, but fortunately I don’t break easily. I’ll hang my head in defeat for only a moment; just long enough to sip down a glass of wine and regain direction and focus – and maybe squeeze in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Then it’s back to work with a new sense of determination.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.” T.H. Palmer.

I’ve never cared much for that proverb. It’s obvious that one should keep trying when one doesn’t succeed. Perhaps the saying would be more helpful like this: “If at first you don’t succeed, try try HARDER.”

So here goes, family & friends. Lying before me, is a challenge at which I have already failed. Wish me luck & sanity in round two!