Looking on the Bright Side

I posted this over at the Wyrdsmiths' group blog, in response to another blog member's post on an unspecified but painful rejection.

My gosh, Tate, what happened? Oh, why am I asking? Being a writer is about rejection -- among other things. It's also about fans and fan mail and good reviews and friends who are writers and readers. And the awesome feeling when something you have written is RIGHT.

I tend to be a bit glum as a person, which I attribute to my background. I am genetically and culturally half New England English and half Icelandic; and I have spent most of my life in Minnesota, which has its own culture, but which is influenced by all the Scandinavian settlers.

Now, it is possible to be either or both and cheerful. But I seem to have gotten New England dourness and Scandinavian moroseness. I also got a fair amount of toughness and a good sense of humor, so I am not complaining.

But I have to keep reminding myself of what's good about writing and the rest of my life, because I will over value the dark stuff, rather like all those miserable cops in Scandinavian murder mysteries.

What's good is the colleagues and readers and the pleasure of getting a story right.