January 8th, 2009
Rejection. I’ve experienced a lot of rejection as a writer. Well, not just as a writer?. You’d think I’d be used to it. But it still stings. One of my books was recently rejected by Bethany House publishing. I was sure hoping that material would be approved. It seems like when you’re down about disappointing circumstances in life you can’t escape other people who are feeling the same way. It’s a little comforting I guess and I’m ashamed that it?s that way. Misery does love company. Just look at a fly strip. You never see a fly stuck there saying, “Go around! Go around! Rejection is just a nature of the line of work I’m in. But I’m in good company. William Young, the gentlemen who wrote The Shack, had his book rejected by more than a dozen publishers. Young kept trying. He kept making submissions and someone finally said, “yes”. The book became a bestseller. That’s the happy ending I’m looking for. Maybe several happy endings. I need it to make up for some of the rejection letters I’ve received. One rejected letter said, “Opened by mistake.” Another one said, “You’re one of those writers who is worth watching. Not reading; just watching.” One of the difficult aspects of this job is to keep writing after you’ve been told that you can’t. But that’s what I’ve got to do. Maybe it’s not too late for clown college.
