rejection – Jean's Writing

Then you might be a writer.

I think this week deserves a little levity. I don’t know about you, but I could use a smile and a bit of encouragement.

My thanks to Jacqui Murray for a light-hearted article for writers.

7 Things Writers Can Do No One Else Can (or Wants to) by JACQUI MURRAY

After reading her post, as a Southerner, I immediately thought of Jeff Foxworthy and his “You might be a Redneck if…” comedy routine. (Don’t click on Jeff’s link if you are easily offended.)

7 quirks that are a writer’s superpower.

If you can invent words no one else can understand… You might be a writer. (Writers invent words and move to our own beat.)
If you eavesdrop on diners and stare, unapologetically at strangers… You might be a writer.
If you dress like a hobo one day and a diva the next… You might be a writer.
If a fire breaks out in your home, the first thing you grab is your Kindle… You might be a writer. (A writer always needs something to read.)
If you go around talking to no one… You might be a writer.
If you drop yourself between the pages of a story… You might be a writer.
If you’ve developed alligator hide from so many rejections… You might be a writer. (No one hears the word NO more than a writer.)

Okay, now your turn…

What odd superpower to you attribute to being a writer?

Do you have another quirk to add to the list?

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Ouch! “We regret …”

How I hate those words. Don’t we all? But since I shared my excitement and success with you, thought it only fair to share my disappointment and failure. Rejections keep me humble, reminding me, I’m not all that, and sometimes I’m just plain dumb.

I’d little time to bask in the warm glow of publication when up popped the damned devil, Rejection.

All comfy in my pjs and slippers, I sat down to relax in front of the fire, sip eggnog and catch up on emails.

After all, the holidays are a time to kick back and relax. A time to chill and enjoy the fact Fiction Southeast had published my essay. Can you tell I was feeling a bit proud?

Well, everyone knows with pride comes the fall.

My eggnog grew warm as the cold wind of reality swept though my computer and I read the following line in an email.

Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately….

I sulked, ranted and raved over my good story, which they’d declined. Why the hell, was it rejected? Apparently, the judges didn’t know good writing from a hole in the ground.

Then the free critique offered by the magazine arrived. Gulp.

Time to eat crow. Dumb, dumb, and dumber, I’m such a dummy. I repeated as I banged my head on the desk.

The judges liked my story.

“This story is well written, with a good character dynamic.” However, I’d failed to comply with one of the rules. Me I disqualified myself! Non-negotiable. No exceptions.

Messing up or missing a rule equals rejection.

Guess the judges did recognize good writing and they also recognized a dumb one too. A writer that can’t follow instructions.

Stupid, stupid… I took another minute and banged head on keyboard.

One step forward and two back… that’s me.

Now that I need Ibuprofen for my headache I’ll take a deep breath and try again.

Back to the keyboard, writing, reading and studying. To improve my chances for publication I’m reading and rereading a few websites. However not sure anything can help me remember to follow the rules.

Banging head again, need a minute.