So I’ve finally finished a major scene in my story. What a great feeling that is. I’ve been dancing around this scene for weeks and was actually starting to think that it was never going to get done. I told myself that I would buy myself something pretty when this moment arrived but as luck would have it at this moment I am broke. Even if I wasn’t broke, I still wouldn’t be able to afford that $600 bracelet that I’ve for some reason bookmarked anyway.
I’m not sad at all. The joy of finishing a difficult scene in a story is reward enough. If you’re a writer you know what I mean. Even so, having a little reward for a job well done is nice and a good motivator. Make sure it’s something healthy and somewhat special. I would stay away from food motivators for obvious reasons. Also, please don’t buy yourself anything that you can’t afford.
I’m going to reward myself by lighting a few scented candles, listening to pleasant music, and just enjoy the quiet and peace. You may have other ways of rewarding yourself. For Example, maybe buy a new game for your x-box, squeeze in more time with your children and yes . . . A little Bow Chicka Wa Wa is always a good reward.
A writer has to be very strong willed. There are many factors that can break a writer’s spirit especially during the novice years. Rejection letters are usually the main culprit. I have received my share of rejection and I know that it’s hard on the soul. Imagine someone calling your child ugly directly to your face. That’s what it feels like if you haven’t already experienced it. Writing is a personal being; it’s a part of you. Because of this, it’s hard not to take the common rejection letter personally.
You have to believe in yourself and stand behind your own work. It’s going to be hard but try not to take rejection letters so personally. Remember that rejection doesn’t necessarily mean that your story was bad. It might not have met the editor’s concept. Perhaps the market is low for the kind of genre that you choose the write. The publisher’s main goal will be to make money. If they don’t think that your story will interest a lot of people they will reject it even if it’s good.
Here’s a list of famous authors and the number of times that they were rejected. This list will definitely give you the courage to pick yourself up, dust off your pen and keep writing.
7,000 William Saroyan
140 Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
38 Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
30 Carrie by Stephen King
26 Watership Down by Richard Adams
22 Dubliners by James Joyce
20 The Kon Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl
16 The Peter Principle by Laurence J. Peter
15 The Enormous Room by EE Cummings
(Cummings self-published this, his first work, now rated a masterpiece, dedicating it to the 15 publishers who had rejected it.)
12 Harry Potter by JK Rowling
(Rowling is vague on the number of rejections she got, saying, “I’m not sure if it was a dozen, but it was plenty…”)
7 The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
(Potter finally published it herself.)
* This list was found on lulu.com