Okay I did it. I've been rejected for the first time. I got it over with and ripped it off like a band-aid.
A couple of months ago I had lunch with a wonderful local writer. She asked me very pointedly, "What are you afraid of?" in regards to my writing, finishing my novel, and sending it out there. She said that I reminded her of another author who does the same thing. He holds on to his novel, talks about it, reads from it, but doesn't just finish it. That's me too. That conversation with her really made me think. I know what I'm afraid of and rejection is part of it. Being told that I suck as a writer is part of it. Yet I know that this will happen.
I know that it's inevitable that I may not be an agent's type, very much like I wasn't some guys' type when I was single. It wasn't until I found my husband and I was his type and he was mine and that we fell in love that I realized that sometimes you just aren't someone's type. It was nothing personal. Those guys may have liked me all right as a person, but they just didn't see me as marriage material.
The same is true for an agent. I have to realize that there will be agents that just don't like my work. I have to get over it and move on to the next agent. I have been afraid of this. So Saturday I submitted 10 pages of my novel to an agent who had a really easy submission process. She just asked for the first 10 pages of a novel as the body in an e-mail. So I did it. I sent in my 10 pages and by Sunday she had replied that it wasn't what she was looking for. I had done it. I sent my novel out there and I was shot down. And surprisingly it feels good because now I know I can do it and I didn't die. I felt a tiny bit bad, but I'm not devastated.
My attitude is to move on to the next agent and submit my work to him or her. I'm also taking a short 4 week online writing class. I've taken writing classes before. I was an English minor as an undergrad and I took a Creative Writing Fiction class and also Poetry class. I took another writing class a couple of years ago through Leisure Learning. I'm taking this class with a goal in mind. It's a short class and it didn't cost anything, except the cost of the books. I'm hoping it gives me the extra kick to finish the end of this novel and then to go back and start the revision process.
Then maybe I will do a weekend writing retreat. I'll go away for a weekend of just writing.
6 comments:
Wow shoegirl - that's inspiring - i share the SAME fear! but you're courageous - u go girl! Writing classes r so much fun - i need to take more - what r the links to the ones you're taking if u don't mind sharing?
Hey Chica,
Out of many No's! There will be a yes! So keep it up! You have a big fan here because I've love the couple of things you've wrote before. :-)
ShoeGirl,
Please don't get discouraged. Just from what I have read on your blog, your writing is fantastic, so I hope you know and trust that when the timing is right, you will get THE YES!!!! Saw your post on my blog (which of course I need to update). I'm so glad to hear you are thinking about the weekend retreat to write!! I think you should definitely do it!!! A golfing weekend for the hubby and writing for you sounds fabulous!!
I need to comment on your post from a couple of weeks back about nature or nurture. I found it so interesting and I'm considering some of the same questions as I see my little man develop.
Thank you to all of you for your words of encouragement! I really am good! I did it because I needed to hear NO so that I could be inspired to continue.
Hey Shoegirl,
It will be a matter of time when many of us will be going to Barns & Noble to buy your book.
Pinche Gata
Very inspiring post, Loida. I know exactly how you feel and i am glad you faced your fear. now if only i could do the same...
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