Rejection? Pishaw
Today rejection is in the air. No, I don't have any news about being rejected, but today's #authorconfession was to Tweet out rejection advice. I naturally tweeted about No being one more step toward Yes, and to grieve for one day, then get back to it.
Now, The Blood of Seven hasn't had THAT many rejections, but it has had enough that I am stepping away from that book for the time being. I'm fairly certain I blogged this news earlier this year, but being that I can't remember something Fishubby told me this morning, I'm just going to talk about it again.
The small press closing down, yeah, a small blow, but also a relief, because I have my sights set higher than a tiny press that can't get their shit together. I tried one more tactic and got a request during a Twitter Pitch party. Another rejection.
No worries, friends. I was already ready to put this book aside and more on to my next book, Photos in Darkness.
I pitched PID at Colorado Gold this year, and even though it isn't finished (I was up front about that with the agent), she still wants to see it when I do finish it. I told her it would be done in three months. I have until December 9th to get this book done. She knows I'll also need to edit and polish, so I'm thinking I'll have it in her hands no later than February or March, but hopefully before then.
Yes, that is great news: an agent wants to see my book that isn't even written yet. She also asked me about the other book... I gave her the pitch for Bo7 and she wasn't interested in that. Which was a huge relief and a huge eye opener. I'm not excited about Bo7 anymore, and it shows. It's TIME TO MOVE ON.
Okay, back to the point. Twitter thing about rejection, and then there was this article written by a fellow Tweeter: http://erniechiara.com/it-only-takes-one-yes/
This resonated with me. I love stories about writers overcoming the odds. Trying hard and never giving up.
I wanted to write this post because I know a person who has made it. They got their YES and THEN SOME! Agent, publishing deal, a book out in the world, and he takes it for granted. If he is reading this, he KNOWS I'm talking about him. I kind of hope he does read it. Anyway, he has it made: agent, publishing deal, a HARDCOVER book out in the world! And he doesn't see it the way I do. He takes it for granted. He doesn't realize that people like me, who have been writing for 30 years and have always had this passion burning in my blood and bile since I knew how to scrawl letters on that lined paper kids learn to scrawl letters on... I envy him. Even if he isn't making the money he thought he would. Even if he still has to work the olde day jobbe. He has DONE it. He is living my dream. The dream I have had since I was six years old.
Don't take your dreams for granted people. When you get there, when you're really doing it, and you're having fun, and even if you aren't having fun (because maybe the dream you always wanted wasn't the one you needed -- Character Motivation 101)... Enjoy the moment. Because for every yes one person gets, there are hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of others who only get no for their entire lives.
Let that sink in.
Peace and Keep Writing,
Claire L. Fishback
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