Have you ever submitted a piece of writing somewhere that you knew was not your best, because then if it gets rejected, you can say "Well, that's okay. It wasn't my best work"? I have done this before. I don't feel so bad about those rejections, because I wasn't writing in the genre I love, or I didn't take the time to make the piece really shine. If I had sent them my best work, they would, of course, have been blown away.
And behind that reasoning is the fear that if I did ever send my best work away, it would be rejected too, and then I might really feel bad about myself because I don't have any excuses to hide behind.
How do I get over this insecurity? I'm not sure, but I send my best writing out despite that feeling because I know my polished writing is good and someone, somewhere is going to enjoy the stories that come from my crazy imagination.
This post is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Check the link for some of the other blogs participating in this event!
I totally identify with this. Good for you for sending out your best work. And good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteYou can't take writing rejections too seriously. Keep trying and you'll succeed. Hang in there. And good luck. :)
ReplyDeleteIWSG #288
Good for you! Insecurities or not, I wouldn't send anything out if it wasn't my best work. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the old sales adage that each rejection is getting you one step closer to a sale (or in this case, an acceptance letter). Keep submitting! :)
ReplyDeleteYou just can't take it personal.
ReplyDeleteAh, I think that... that rejection we're (yeah me,too) hiding from could bring a sweet release if we'd actually allow ourselves to ever experience it. There wouldn't be anything left to dread! And there wouldn't be anywhere to go but up. Wouldn't that make life simpler?
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You go first ;)
The danger with that is you'll never live up to your full potential. I suppose the best way to look at each rejection of your best work is as a learning opportunity - you're at least 3%* wiser than before.
ReplyDelete*statistics plucked from the air.
I feel the same way sometimes. We just need to take a deep breath and click on the "send" button. Take the chance and don't take it personally.
ReplyDeleteWe're all a little passive-aggressive in our own ways. :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, that used to be my favorite form of self sabotage :)
ReplyDeletei actually did this at a conference...i pitched my book to an editor out of my genre. i had been dying to g to a conf & it was the first one that came to my area, so i used it as a trial run for the real thing. knew i wouldnt get an offer, but got great advice and hopefully wont be as nervous for the real thing!
ReplyDeleteI've never sent anything out that wasn't the best I could do (at that time), so the rejections could never be excused away. Those rejections were ugly and depressing, but they were all mine. lol
ReplyDeleteI totally understand where you're coming from, but I try to make every submission count. However, I didn't make the long-list for a competition recently, and when I checked which story I'd submitted my reaction was 'Yeah, that makes sense', so maybe I do it subconsciously.
ReplyDeleteI've sent...and sent...and sent again. At the time I thought it was the best work. Clearly it wasn't according to the rejections. Eh, it's a part of the process.
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