So close, so far.

This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the the September 2 posting of the IWSG will be Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner!

 

 

What’s worse than an outright rejection?

The almost acceptance.

I’ve experienced the almost acceptance a number of times in my life, and especially the past year I’ve had more than I would like. What’s the almost acceptance? When you send something off to an agent or editor, they seem intrigued and want to see more, so you send them the rest, and then wait…and chew off your fingernails…and go stir-crazy. You can picture a happy day in the future when they’ll tell you they love it and want it. You can smell success in the air. You’re so close you can almost taste it, almost there, allllmost…

And then they say no.

You can handle this one of two ways:

Scream. Curl up in a ball. Drink an entire bottle of wine. Weigh how much you want a career against writing to tell the agent/editor what a loathsome bucket of swine they are. Sober up and not do this. Sigh. Try, try again.
Give yourself a pat on the back for at least getting that far and getting their attention. Feel proud of how much you’ve improved. Sigh. Try, try again.

If you automatically do the second thing good for you, and also, I don’t believe you. Almost acceptance sucks. I’m currently in the hellish limbo of yet another one, hoping it goes the happy route this time. If not I’ll recover and try again, but I’ll drink that bottle of wine first.

Have you had an almost acceptance? What was your reaction?

Filed under: IWSG Tagged: blog hop, insecure writer's support group, writing