Wednesday, November 5, 2014

IWSG November—Good enough?

The first Wednesday of every month is reserved for the Insecure Writers Support Group (also known as the IWSG). If you are interested in joining this awesome group where we post our insecurities and triumphs, as well as offer encouragement to fellow writers, you can sign up HERE. Created by the amazing Alex Cavanaugh, the IWSG is a wonderful group to be a part of.


I realized something recently (and for most of you, this will come as no shock, you've probably known it all along). I realized how subjective this whole publishing process truly is. A novel one person might not care for, another person might love.

Photo info

I recently entered my shiny new YA novel into a contest held by other writers. The goal was to be chosen from the slush pile and go on to be presented on the blogs of said writers so that agents could read and request material. I didn't make it out of the slush pile. Sure, it was a bummer at first, but then I decided to query the very first agent on my list. And guess what? He requested the full that same day. In a matter of minutes I went from complete and total letdown to doing the happy dance. Go figure.


I know nothing could come of this request. Like so many writers who have gone before me, the query trail is paved with rejection. And of course, AFTER I sent my completed manuscript to said agent, I noticed the mistakes. Commas flying here, there, and everywhere. An added "the" where there should be none. Of course.

And while I haven't received my first rejection for my YA novel YET (it's a little too early in the game), I am steeling myself. They will come. I know it as sure as I know the names of my children (which I have to admit I DO forget every now and then, well, not so much as forget as I sometimes get flustered when they are misbehaving, and I call them the wrong name until I get to the right one. Anyhoo...)



Those rejections will pour in like floodwaters. But you know what? That's okay. All it takes is one. One yes. One person who is willing to take a chance on me. So, if I'm insecure about anything this month, it's that. Am I good enough? And will someone recognize my potential.

What about you? What are your insecurities for this month?

33 comments:

  1. I have mixed up my kids names too, during times of stress. It doesn't help that their names start with the same letter.

    I once read an interesting quote about editing and revision - but I can't remember from who, and I can't find it online. It went something like this: "Every time I pick up my novel, I find something to improve upon." It was a master too, like Stephen King or Dan Brown. I wish I kept the quote reference. GRRR.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I think we'll always find something to tweak or correct. Eventually, we just have to "let it go." *Cue the song* :)

      Delete
  2. It seems to be a tough road when one is an author or in anything that is creative. Rejection is a word that is tough to feel but that one , somehow, is supposed to get used to....not sure how I could do that but one thing I can say is that You ARE good enough!!! There are some big names out there now who have been, before, repeatedly rejected. There are also millions who think about a dream they would like to do but never act on it and you do! You are a writer and it brings you joy, ultimately. Regardless of the frustrations that come with writing, you are doing something that you, and others who are on the IWSG actually do. I think that is something to be proud of. My insecurity is that when I write on my little blog, that people will find it boring

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thank you, Birgit, for your kind words! You are the best! And no, no one could ever find your blog boring—just the opposite in fact. You always have me cracking up when I visit!

      Delete
  3. Kristin, you're right on the money. Just one! It's a fickle world out there and rejection often times has nothing to do with quality of writing or talent - it's fit, just like that favorite pair of shoes. Better to wait until you find a comfortable pair then to stuff your feet into something that's pure torture with every step.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are so smart to have emailed on your own, and brave to have taken the chance. Also, brave to have entered in the first place. You are right. Writing is an art and just as with painting or any other art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, there are some avenues where the "art" sells better and we're all trying to reach that goal. Good work and keep it up! I agree with you, Birgit's blog is NOT boring! Have you read her post today?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Hahaha! I'm still laughing about Birgit's post. :)

      Delete
  5. Good for you, Kristen! Way to skip the middle man. And I wouldn't worry about those commas, that's what an editor's for! Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have such a good attitude - keep it up! Fingers crossed for you on the full ms request.... :)

    Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love your outlook - and that you got a request for the full right away, with one foot in the slush pile! Way to go! I think I'll take a page out of your book and stop looking at the insecure-making things out of the corner of my eye.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congratulations on thinking outside the box in the face of rejection. WTG. You took a growing leap with that one.
    Rock on.
    Juneta at Writer's Gambit

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey, that's awesome! From low to uber-high.
    All it takes is one yes...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's right! That's what I keep telling myself. :)

      Delete
  10. Awesome. You know, agents will totally look past minor errors. They see them all the time. What they won't look past is a weak storyline or poor characters. If you've got both of those down, no worries. You'll totally get there. Although rejection has to be expected, I'm hoping for you.

    Unleashing the Dreamworld

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations. You're making your way to publication one step at a time. If this one doesn't do it, one of them will. Just keep writing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations on the full request! And best of luck too, it's just a great pick-me-up after that contest. And hey, no worries about the mistakes, luckily they know this is pre-editor ;)

    S.K. Anthony: My Writing Quirks—IWSG (16)

    ReplyDelete
  13. That's awesome that you got a request for a full from your first agent. GO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congrats on the request for a full. Bask in the approval and keep querying!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congratulations! That's awesome. Yes, rejections will eventually come, but hold onto these good things and go back to them whenever you feel discouraged by rejection. We should all keep a folder full of positive comments about our writing to look through every time we have even a second's doubt that this is what we were born to do!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Too many insecurities to list, really. Good luck with your novel.

    ReplyDelete
  17. How's that for going from low to high? It doesn't matter what the end result is, a full request is huge. You should happy dance!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sound like you already know how to take charge of this! And to not let this totally eat you up! Shine on, woman!

    ReplyDelete
  19. My little mantra is; a successful writer needs two things, belief and hope. Belief in themselves and their writing and the hope that someone else will too. Good luck and keep on dancing!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Best of luck with the querying! And I'm glad the agent requested a full. That's great!

    ReplyDelete

I LOVE reading your comments!! Thanks for taking the time to leave one!

BLOGSPOT TEMPLATE BY DESIGNER BLOGS