My Journey – What do you do when you get discouraged?

What writer hasn’t been there? Rejection. Today I’m going to lay it all out there because you know you’re not alone. You work really hard on a query letter, maybe harder than you’ve worked on your book, only to receive an email or letter that says:

“We have reviewed your query and will have to pass at this time. It’s just not right for us, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a good fit for someone else.”

Oh, really? Can you possibly direct me to that someone else? You know what I mean. I received many letters like this from literary agents and I’m sure if your a writer who’s taken the plunge, you have, too.

But don’t give up! I listen to way too many self-improvement podcasts to tell you otherwise. It’s the writers who keep going, that never lay down their pen or keyboard that make it. I did give up many years ago because I had a good job and my self-confidence was shot. Maybe you’ve been there.

So, what advice do I have that’s real and practical?

Keep writing – My current book and the one I have coming out in the fall were written ten years ago. I’ve learned a lot in that time period about writing and about life. Your writing has to evolve with you. It’s an extension of who you are.Surround yourself with other authors – My first connection with another real-life author was at the school I taught at five years ago. She connected me with another network of authors. Now that I have a publisher for my second book, I’m connecting with other authors under that label. I’ve even interviewed a couple of them on my blog to help promote them.Get help from people who’ve been where you are-In self-publishing my first book, Ruby Slips and Poker Chips, I had an author friend who had self-published many books hold my hand through the process. When I was beating my head against the wall trying to start a blog, another author friend walked me through the steps on Facebook messenger. Right now, marketing is my devil, so I’ve hired someone to help me make it out alive. Expand your horizons-Author introvert types like us only want to sit around for hours getting lost in the story we’re telling. Believe me, I totally get this. But you will never move beyond where you are now unless you push your boundaries and move out of your comfort zone. My husband and I have started a travel blog and even though it wasn’t intentional, it is pushing me. My Travel Life Story was created as a way for us to combine our talents – my writing and his photography. The scariest part is we’ve started a YouTube channel which makes me want to crawl under a rock.



www.mytravelifestory.com

I know it’s tempting to give up and tell yourself it’s not in the cards. How in the world am I supposed to share my story with a total stranger when I can’t even share it with my best friend? You’ve got to fail and you have to be criticized before you can pick yourself up and keep going.

The way I made it through this review: “I got this as a freebie, and I did finish reading it, but I removed the book from my Kindle afterward, as this won’t be anything I would ever read or refer to again. The story was completely unrealistic and the characters were not particularly likeable. The general concept of reimagining the story of the Wizard of Oz in modern-day America was promising, but the execution disappointed. Sorry!”

Was by getting 43 reviews like this: “This was a fun book to read with the references to the Wizard of Oz. That alone made me want to keep reading to see what the next Wizard of Oz reference was going to be and how it would play out in the story! A well-written book with a fun plot. A must-read for sure. You won’t be disappointed!”

When have you wanted to give up? What kept you going? Make sure you subscribe to my page and check out our travel blog.

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