The e-Writer's Place Writers Resource - Rejection Possibilities

Apparently, I'm not having enough pain in my life. Having the garbage guy flatten my trash can or hearing from Publisher's Clearinghouse that I have, yet again, lost the million dollars that should have been mine are apparently not painful enough for me. I had to go looking for more pain -- like rejection letters.

When we writers put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), we may as well open a vein because, let's face it, writing is very personal.

We pick every word ourselves and we make sure every one is the best word possible. We prepare our packet to send to a publication we know is perfect for our work then wait patiently for a contract only to receive the disdainful Rejection Letter.

Now that we live in the technology age, I can expose myself to pain instantly. I sent an email query to an editor who emailed me within the hour implying that I am an unsuitable moron who writes revolting drivel.

I'm trying to train myself to develop a hide like a rhino and remember that being a writer is like asking to be clubbed.

And the more times I send out my work, the more chances I have of getting a whole crowd of rejection letters so I can feel totally lifeless.

So before I start rehearsing, "Do you fries with that?" I Have to remember that rhino hide I worked hard to produce and send that article out again.

Still paralyzed by the Rejection Event, I can experience other writers' rejections by going to Catherine Wald's Rejection Collection website.

At least it'll make me feel like I'm not the only writer pulverized by the publishing world.

Lyne Royce is a freelance writer living in the desert east of Phoenix. She lives with her devoted husband and six spoiled and previously stray cats. She's fervent about Native American history and enjoys reading books on the subject when she has the time. After 15 years teaching software classes, and two years doing Web site design, Lyne decided to listen seriously to her muse and has participated in writing workshops and clinics on the Web, including the Writer's Digest Workshops' Fundamentals of Non-Fiction Writing, Focus on the Non-Fiction Magazine Article; WriteRead.com's Query Letter Clinic; Writers.com's workshop Writing and publishing Magazine Articles; the humor clinic, Writing from the Left Side of the Brain with Jane Combs; and Secrets of the Professional Freelancer at Coffeehouse.com. She belongs to several writers discussion groups but her favorite, Writers Pad, is where she enjoys learning from her writer friends on a daily basis that it is possible for a writer to become a published writer.