Monday, October 12, 2009

The Fear Factor

"The Death of Emily Dickinson" by Bill Lindbald. http://storytellersunplugged.com/blog/2009/10/11/the-death-of-emily-dickinson/

I read this essay just a few minutes ago and it's one of those posts that smacks you upside the head. I believe that fear of rejection is the biggest stumbling block for beginning writers. We're afraid that our story will be rejected. We're afraid that we haven't used the proper words or sentences or comma groupings. We're afraid that an editor is going to ask us why we're writing such crap. We're afraid that we're...well, you get the idea. We ride the rails of rejection fear until we're paralyzed by it.

But the truth is, all the editor said is no. No, by itself, can't hurt you. And there are just as many reasons for that simple no as there are fears for sending out your story. No, the story isn't a fit. No, I just bought a story like this. No, all the slots are filled. No...you see, it isn't just about the quality of your story, it's about a hundred different variables that you have absolutely no control over.

Write the best story you can, then send it out. The worst that can happen is that some editor somewhere will say no. Rejection won't stab you in the heart. It might bruise your ego, but it won't kill you. Submission and rejection are part of the process, so suck it up and send out those stories. What have you got to lose?

7 comments:

Naomi Johnson said...

You said it, I believe it. I've gotta start sending stories out. Maybe I'll learn something in the process even.

G. B. Miller said...

So very, very true.

The story that was recently published in BTOP (first one, yay!) was rejected at least a dozen times before someone decided to take a chance on it.

Can't let that fear imobilize you.

sandra seamans said...

I learned a lot when I started submitting my stories seriously, Naomi. I learned that most editors are great to work with, some will even take the time to tell you why they rejected the story. You learn to find markets, how to target the right story to the right market (still working on that one myself). All of that to say if you don't submit you're cheating yourself out of some wonderful learning experiences.

I think matching your story to a market is the hardest part of the process, G. And some stories just take mutliple submissions to hit the right desk at the right time.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Having just got a response last week other than no, I might dispute this a bit. EDITORS OUT THERE: Just say no.

sandra seamans said...

That's where we differ, Patti. I enjoy when an editor takes the time to tell me what doesn't work for them. I may not agree but if the story gets rejected over and over, I have something that I can fall back on to change the story to make it more acceptable to another editor.

Conda Douglas said...

Such a true post, Sandra. And I've always loved the saying, "the more no's you get, the closer you are to yes"! (It's worked for me.)

sandra seamans said...

That's a great saying, Conda, and pretty much true. Though I do have stories that have never found a home, but that could be my fault because after a pile a rejections I tend to set a story aside. Sometimes by letting it set, I can see why it keeps getting rejected, and fix it.