Overcoming Rejection

Recently, I attended a writer’s conference in which I sat down with two literary agents. A line of us stood outside of a room anxiously awaiting the opportunity to present the pitches for our books. It might as well have been an American Idol audition, I was so nervous. My fingers wrapped around each other, my chest felt like a lead weight was perched on my lungs, and all because I wanted someone to find what I had to say interesting.

Both agents were very pleasant and eager to listen and asked to see the first pages of my novel. My fear wilted away and I felt like shouting from the rooftop, ‘My work is actually going to be read by someone in the publishing industry!’. I quickly got home, wrote a synopsis, and sent off my chapters with crossed fingers.

Unfortunately, the inevitable happened: I was rejected by the first agent I met with. Although kind and respectful, she told me my work ‘didn’t stand out’ for her. Upon reading this, my translation was this: YOU JUST AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH. In hindsight, I can look back and know that this isn’t what she meant, but regardless, it was a hard blow to my self-esteem and my enthusiasm for writing.

I wanted to give up. I wanted to forget about writing my next novel for the fear that it too wouldn’t be worthy of publication. However, after several days went by, I began to miss my characters and the feel of the keys under my fingers. It was then that I realized I didn’t start writing because I wanted to be published, I started because there were words within me aching to be released, and I will continue to write because I LOVE IT. Because what really matters is your passion and your commitment to continue to pursue it despite what anyone else thinks.

As Cinderella once sang, “A dream is a wish your heart makes”, and I plan to Dream Out Loud because you never know when someone’s going to be listening and like what they hear.

Follow your dreams, you’re worth it :)

MMcknight