Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Writers zen and the art of being rejected...part 1

I am in a strange zen place about my writing at the moment. Now don't assume for one minute that this means i am not worrying about stuff. There are still plenty of things to worry about such as children (especially eldests sprained ankle and middle childs stolen cell phone and library card which currently has eighteen books out on it, several of which are overdue - who steals a library card? but I guess at least the thief is trying to improve their mind - i am divided in my opinion on that one), driving on the motorway and over the harbour bridge, MY BOOK LAUNCH THIS SATURDAY (8th November, at Mainly Toys in Mt Eden Road, starting 4pm, be there or be square), doing the best lessons I can for the writing class I am taking, the dog's fleas to which he is allergic and all sorts of other things like what to buy people for christmas. I am not worrying about the election, although it is near on impossible to pick between two people whose policies aren't that dissimilar but whose behaviour is equally bad. Not much of a choice really. I choose wine and chocolate...

...anyway I digress. Zen. Writing. I have had a few rejections recently. The agent bravely sends my things out into the world, and...then they come back. But I am untroubled, relaxed, even philosophical about it. I can't help wondering though - is this a bad thing? The potential devastation wrought by rejection can cast a cloud over things for days but if i am not worried by rejection does that mean that some kind of passion is gone. I still feel passionate about writing but how can i be calm about rejection? So folks, you tell me, should I be worried that i'm not worried about rejection?

3 comments:

Maureen Crisp said...

To get a rejection shows that you are a writer and you mean business. You write... you send it out... you get rejected... you write.. you send it out....you get picked up...
Not everything written gets picked up straight away...But you are still in the business of being a professional writer.
So I think that being in a Zen state about rejection just shows you are a professional...that's my take on it.
Many happy sales for the book launch!
maureen

Maureen Crisp said...

hi
just found this on rejection from an editors point of view over on the flux blog
http://www.fluxnow.blogspot.com/
posted under the halloween picture
cheers
m

Fifi Colston said...

Have a great book launch- people can vote then come and drink wine! Whats the plan for the launch? Wish i was there...