Writing is a profession where you pour your guts out on the page, spend years writing the best story your mind, heart, and fingers can produce, labor days and nights on perfecting work that may or may never be seen ... and somebody is always waiting in the wings to tell you how bad you suck.
Sometimes, after reading over your work for the millionth time, you still find mistakes. You cry, pound your fist on the keyboard, run your hand through your hair and think -- they're right. I do suck. You begin to understand that perfection can only be born out of rejection. And yet, even then, the perfect manuscript does not exist.
Rejection is not only part of becoming a bonifide writer, it's essential. Each rejection is a brick upon which we build our tower to Heaven. A writer who has not experienced the critical reviews of their peers, the public, and those within the industry is missing something special. The chance to experience the rush of adrenaline that fuels the fire inside to never give up. It's truly a rush.
Recently, I've read some amazingly bad reviews on books I've devoured and loved. Books I thought incredible. AND I'm licking my own wounds, as well. Though I'm satisfied and thrilled with the response to TELEVENGE, there has been rejection. BUT what's finally sinking into my thick skull is how extremely different opinions run in not only the written word, but in every aspect of life. Think about it. How different we all live. Our religious beliefs, political agendas, the area of the country we were born and raised. Think about the differences in even you and your best friend. Or those you've known all your life. Within your own family! Every one of us look at books, movies, and life in general ... different, to one degree or another. So why sweat the rejections?
Remember that even rejections vary in size and shape. In stupidity and brilliance. In kindness and cruel. Every opinion varies from one degree to another. It's just an opinion, after all. And of course you've heard the trite, old, and crude saying ... opnions are like assholes, everybody's got one.
Do everything you can possibly do to learn the craft and be the best writer you can be ... and then, in the end, write for yourself. Use rejections. Don't let them use you!
Blessings to you and yours.
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