...and I'm sure it won't be my last lol. Back in July I posted about submitting my first ms. It's been a fairly long wait but that wait is finally over. I received a standard form letter rejection today from the publisher. I know that the odds are against me but that's alright - if it's the Lord's will that I be published, odds don't mean a thing do they? In the meantime, I have to ask myself why I choose to spend time writing. If my main objective is to get published then what's the fun in that? Sure, it's a dream of mine (like most writers).
What is my main objective though? Simply to enjoy the telling of each story. To watch the miracle that transforms a blank screen with a blinking cursor into any tale imaginable. To journey wherever my mood, inspiration, imagination takes me and to love the ride. To discover new characters and pull their adventures out of thin air. To be the villian, the hero and the comedian all at the same time. To love the story, hate the story, re-write the story and love the story all over again. To change my mind mid-chapter just because I can. To be a writer - whatever that is.
So, I may be rejected by that particular publishing house but I'm certainly not dejected. I still have much to learn about this process and that's ok. This particular ms is going right back out to another publisher. I'll likely have a rejection collection before too long lol. If that's the case, I say “bring it on.” In a way, this faceless, generic form letter is a sort of trophy.
“A trophy?” you ask in surprise.
“Absolutely! It represents hours of work.”
Going from blank page to submitting isn't a quick process. Lots of writing and research go into it. I had no idea all the work (and tedious details) involved. So, I save my rejection letter with a sense of pride knowing that I worked hard for it.