Monday 2 July 2012

PAPER CUTS - Minor but Sting like a SOB


I don’t care what people say or how brave a face they put on it, receiving a rejection is akin to a full body flay of tiny nicks from an exploding paper mill.  Paper cuts hurt, so do rejections and all the sage advice in the world—don’t give up, sub to another house, start a new ms, take solace from the many thousands who have suffered likewise—isn’t worth a damn whilst the cut is still smarting.

I know, I received one and I very much pretended to be brave, whilst privately wishing I’d booked a bed at the local A&E department. God, did it hurt—for days!

Only thing that made me feel better was receiving a request for a full at the end of the same week…so maybe the sage advice isn’t totally wasted, sub far and wide, because publishing is subjective, and if the force be with you—luck by any other name—you will get a break…eventually.

My moment of sagacity:

Rejection = pain

Pain = Heart (you need a heart because without one, you’re a sociopath)

Painkillers (balls + bloody mindedness) = Relief (maybe)

Relief = Bad Hangover!

Bad Hangover = Hair of the Dog (get back to writing)

4 comments:

  1. "Pain = Heart (you need a heart because without one, you’re a sociopath)"

    I LOVE this. I'm sorry you were rejected (i've had plenty of them) but YEAY For a request for a full. That's brilliant - and deserved!

    Didn't realise you had a blog -now following :-)

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  2. Incy
    Rejections may be rungs on the ladder to publication, they may be good for the soul (though personally I doubt this!!), they may be proof you tried, they may bring out you out in stiff upper lip syndrome but they are also the thesaurus of HURT.

    So HUGS.

    But requests for fulls are absolutely wondrously amazing so congratulations - was it the same m/s that got the R?

    Lots of luck with it.

    Nina xx

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    Replies
    1. Yes - it didn't 'fit'. Was encouraged by the invite to sub further mss in the future and also to sub this one to other Houses because publishing is 'subjective', though.

      So onwards and upwards and truly appreciate your empathetic words - Thank you. One day.....

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