We had a great time on Blog Jog Day last weekend. I got to meet some great bloggers and view some really interesting blogs. Now that the day is over I plan to revisit those blogs and interact a little more with the owners. As a writer it’s so important to get out, if only virtually, and meet other writers. Writing can be a lonely business and if you’re not careful you can easily become a hermit. So, thanks to all of you for visiting my site last weekend and leaving your comments. I am pleased to announce the winner of my book giveaway. It is none other than Laura Ann, a blogger from England. I’ll be contacting Laura privately.
One of my blog posts that received the most comments was Never Give Up On Your Writing. In the post I said, “When you decide to become a writer, prepare yourself for rejection; whether from literary agents, magazine editors or even the public. However, do not let that stop you. Each rejection, instead of discouraging you, should increase your determination to do better.” People praised me for my encouraging words. Elva Anson of emidrapublishing.com commented, “Too many people who speak to writers are discouraging. It is good to hear someone who knows the importance of encouragement. I started writing magazine articles before writing my first book. Since then I have written 5 books. Life has many twists and turns, but the end they all fit together.”
I was grateful for that comment and remembered it this week when I received another rejection for my query Coming Out Of Egypt. This rejection was like a boomerang. It returned instantly and I have to admit I had a little pity- party. But not for long. Because when I was drafting my query I felt it wasn’t right for the market, but I was encouraged by a friend who had just had her book (which was perfect for that market) published by them to submit mine also. Anyway, I got over that rejection very quickly. In fact, I was sort of relieved because this is a publisher that pays no advance and functions almost like a POD.
This rejection reinforced another lesson in querying that I already knew. Research carefully before you query. Querying without researching is like someone fishing in a river where there are no fish. In the past I have sent out queries willy nilly, hoping that the fish would bite, but they never do and they never will. So now, I’m being more selective. I’m not allowing that rejection to stop me from hoping, and neither should you. I’m off to the library!
