Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Why I've Received No Writing Rejections This Year

I haven't received a rejection letter in a long time.

Why?

Because I haven't been sending out any writing submissions.

See how that works?

In order to be published, you need to send your work out into the cold harsh world.  If you're good (or talented, or lucky, or connected...whatever adjective describes your world view), you have your work published, it sells thousands of copies and you make a name for yourself (and a little cash too).

If your work is rejected, does it mean that it wasn't good/talented/etc.?  No way.  It could be any host of reasons.  You might be sending the right work to the wrong publisher or agent.  You might be sending it out a day after you finished writing the first draft, with no more than a bare spellcheck to get you through.  (Don't do that, by the way).  It might be okay but needs work.  Or it might be good and needs the right audience.

When you send the work out, you take your chances.  Without sending it out, there is no chance that it will be published.  Got that?  NO CHANCE IT WILL BE PUBLISHED.

That's what I've got right now.  No chance.  No hope of selling those thousands and thousands of copies and getting my name heard.

Yes, I keep writing every day.  But writing is about more than that (if you want to be read by anyone other than your family members).

I have to suck it up and get my work out there.  So should you.  We'll hold each other's hands, I promise.