If things are going great for you and your writing, maybe this message won’t be relevant. For the rest, I just wanted to share three thoughts that might be helpful. Although writing is still my main activity, lately I’ve also been getting involved in a new arena and here’s what it has brought up:
1. As romantic or brave as it sounds to be a risk-taker and to operate outside your comfort zone with new activities…it’s uncomfortable and feels risky! That may seem like a “doh!” insight, but my point is simply that the abstract principle and the reality are different. If you’re in that reality and feeling insecure…well, that’s how we’re supposed to be feeling.
2. When things don’t go smoothly, it’s important to keep a larger perspective. Here’s an example: your manuscript comes back from yet another publisher. Short-term perspective: failure. Longer-term perspective: when I finally find a publisher, the number of rejections I had before succeeding will make a good story.
3. It helps to look for the win within the loss. For instance, if your work is rejected but you get a constructive comment, that’s a win. It may give you an idea for how to improve your manuscript, and it may give you a potential contact to which to submit your next project.
OK, now I’m going back to feeling risky and insecure...
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