Writing is about rejection just as much as it is about acceptances and hard work. This past weekend I received the following rejection:
“Thank you for sending us ‘20,170 and 1.’ I'm very sorry it took so long to get back to you.
Unfortunately, this story doesn't quite meet our needs for our podcast. Your characterization is strong, and you do an excellent job evoking the sense of a world without over describing it. However, it is *very* downbeat, and it just doesn't quite hit the sense of 'fun' we're trying for. That's not to say it's a bad story at all; I think it's a strong one, and well-told. It just isn't the tone we're looking for.”
Every once in a while I received a rejection letter that’s also a message that goes deeper than the story. Reading an editor say “an excellent job…” is encouraging and is enough of a hope to keep me going. With that said, I have not had a lot of time to work on my fiction and I’ve not made time to work on that type of writing. Instead I’ve been burying myself with freelance work because it’s been paying and I’ve enjoyed the work. Will I get back to fiction? I sincerely would like to, but I’ve not been inspired to write a short story and I’ve also been discouraged by the lack of markets out there. Sure, I’ve had stories published in the “4 the luv” category, but I’d like to have a piece of fiction published in a high quality print magazine. That has been my goal for several years now and I continue to fail to succeed. I keep trying to become a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America but I cannot become a member as I’ve not been able to sell a story in one of the markets that they’ve listed as a requirement for membership.
I wanted to share the above story to show that I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old. I have not dedicated my entire life to writing as I went to school and then have been working in the work world for the past 11 years. However, I have made time to write stories, free “how to” writing articles, and have a few pieces published now (“how to” writing article and gaming articles). I’m happy that my writing career is moving forward—oh, so slowly, but it’s better than just having rejection after rejection. The question is whether I want to or can be inspired to sit down and write another fiction piece. It’s been difficult to get back into writing fiction as I’ve not had the desire to write a piece. I am writing and have been selling those pieces, but fiction has not been on my “to do” list lately. Will I return? I expect to, but just not at the moment.
Tonight I hope to relax. My next writing deadline is in about two weeks and unless I need to touch up one of the pieces I’ve sent out in the mail (which is possible), I intend to relax a bit as work has been stressful lately. Peace and have a good day.
“Thank you for sending us ‘20,170 and 1.’ I'm very sorry it took so long to get back to you.
Unfortunately, this story doesn't quite meet our needs for our podcast. Your characterization is strong, and you do an excellent job evoking the sense of a world without over describing it. However, it is *very* downbeat, and it just doesn't quite hit the sense of 'fun' we're trying for. That's not to say it's a bad story at all; I think it's a strong one, and well-told. It just isn't the tone we're looking for.”
Every once in a while I received a rejection letter that’s also a message that goes deeper than the story. Reading an editor say “an excellent job…” is encouraging and is enough of a hope to keep me going. With that said, I have not had a lot of time to work on my fiction and I’ve not made time to work on that type of writing. Instead I’ve been burying myself with freelance work because it’s been paying and I’ve enjoyed the work. Will I get back to fiction? I sincerely would like to, but I’ve not been inspired to write a short story and I’ve also been discouraged by the lack of markets out there. Sure, I’ve had stories published in the “4 the luv” category, but I’d like to have a piece of fiction published in a high quality print magazine. That has been my goal for several years now and I continue to fail to succeed. I keep trying to become a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America but I cannot become a member as I’ve not been able to sell a story in one of the markets that they’ve listed as a requirement for membership.
I wanted to share the above story to show that I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old. I have not dedicated my entire life to writing as I went to school and then have been working in the work world for the past 11 years. However, I have made time to write stories, free “how to” writing articles, and have a few pieces published now (“how to” writing article and gaming articles). I’m happy that my writing career is moving forward—oh, so slowly, but it’s better than just having rejection after rejection. The question is whether I want to or can be inspired to sit down and write another fiction piece. It’s been difficult to get back into writing fiction as I’ve not had the desire to write a piece. I am writing and have been selling those pieces, but fiction has not been on my “to do” list lately. Will I return? I expect to, but just not at the moment.
Tonight I hope to relax. My next writing deadline is in about two weeks and unless I need to touch up one of the pieces I’ve sent out in the mail (which is possible), I intend to relax a bit as work has been stressful lately. Peace and have a good day.
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