WANA Peeps — Piper, James, and Kristen
Wednesday I posted some highlights from the DFW Writer’s Conference I attended last weekend but there’s one bit of wisdom that I forgot to mention. I remembered it this morning in the midst of my meditation. Funny the things that come to us when we just take the time to be still.
In his keynote speech, James Rollins told of his journey toward becoming a successfully published author. Like many of us, he started out in a different profession. Choosing veterinary medicine over becoming a writer because it was the “practical” thing to do. For years he prospered as a vet, owning his own clinic until one day he decided to revisit his childhood dream and began writing.
Once he completed his first book, Subterranean, it took hearing 49 no’s, and being told it was unpublishable, until an agent finally said yes.
I know I said this on Wednesday but it bears repeating since so many creative professionals get defeated by rejection.
The book that launched his career is the same book that got rejected dozens of times and was deemed unpublishable. What if he’d given up after the 47th, 48th or even 49th submission? What if he’d allowed rejection to beat him down and shrug off ever having a career as a writer? What if he’d believed it was unpublishable and let that stop him from ever writing another word?
He would have let others dictate his life for him and may never have realized his dream of being a published author. The dream that was destined for him, but would’ve never been realized had he given up prematurely.
Prematurely? 49 query letters is an awful lot. Who would’ve blamed him if he’d given up.
Yeah. But that’s the difference in someone who’s a hobbyist and someone who’s a professional. A professional is someone who sees the project through. A professional is someone who is so committed that defeat isn’t even a part of their vocabulary. A professional is a finisher and believes so strongly in their work that nothing will stop them from getting their message out.
And really, that’s what it all comes down to. Belief. If we don’t believe in our work, why would anyone else?
Many artists moan and groan for not being respected. For not being taken seriously but if we’re not respecting our work and taking ourselves seriously, how can we expect anyone else to?
So what is it you believe? Do you believe that your message has a place in this world and if you work long and hard enough it will be seen and heard? How have you handled rejection in your career? Has it always propelled you forward or did it ever lead you astray?
Ingrid Schaffenburg's Blog 
Eexcellent advice as usual.
Thank you Louise 🙂
Excellent post! I can’t believe I missed you…I was at DFW Con too….anyhow, love your blog and its regular dose of zen advice.
I saw you there! We were in the book proposal class together and I appreciated all the good questions you asked! Nice to meet you, Rashda!
Hey Jess! I remember seeing you too! Nice to know your name now 🙂
Thank you! How did you like DFWCon? We’ll just have to meet up next year 🙂
I was exhausted by the end of it….can’t wait to do attend the nexy one! 😉
Great post! And very true.
To answer your questions, I have a bad case of chronic defiance. I’ve been told so often I was no good at this, I would never be able to make a living as an artist/writer, etc. Took me years to dare and put any of my work in front of an audience.
Sure, I’ve been trying to do something else – in fact, a lot of things – but I was never able to hold down a job that deprived me of too much of my precious writing and drawing time, much to the dismay of my family.
Giving up? Not an option. Rejection? Next! Not good enough? I’ll learn it and then I’ll show you who’s best.
“Giving up? Not an option. Rejection? Next! Not good enough? I’ll learn it and then I’ll show you who’s best.” — Love it!! You need to frame that.
Kudos to you for never giving up. When it’s in your blood, you simply can’t. And don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Keep on, keep on! Best wishes for your future success.
Haha, thanks! I’ll print it out and put it over my desk.
Yes, absolutely! I believe there’s something like a calling for some, and once you hear the call you have to follow it, even if it’ll be a long and hard road to success.
Thank you, and best wishes to you, too, as well as everyone else writing for the love of it!
I do believe!! Even if book one doesn’t become a best-seller, I’m not stopping there. The more you write, the better you get — right? GREAT post, Ingrid! It was great meeting you this weekend. I posted a pic of us over on my blog today. 🙂
Yay! I’m gonna go check it out. SO great meeting you too! Let’s keep in touch 🙂
Good stuff, Ingrid! Thanks for coming!
Thanks Jason! You put on a great party/conference 😉
You have such beauty about your writing, Ingrid! For me, I’ve always thought I could offer something in writing, but never believed anyone would see past my inability to speak (pitch) to actually read it. A couple of pitching sessions during a Grad Dip confirmed this, and that’s where I stopped. Key word there – Belief. What a word. Thank you 🙂
Thank you Alarna 🙂 You are still writing yeah? Because the pitching process is something that can be worked on. Don’t give up 🙂
Couldn’t agree more! I just mentioned J K Rowling to someone on twitter. We have to keep going. The more rejections we get make the eventual acceptance more exciting…. Although, I’d like the excitement a little quicker 🙂
Great post, sweetie xx
LOL! It’s so true! If life is this good now, I can’t imagine how amazing it’ll be when we get to do all the fun, “big” stuff that comes with huge success. Let’s plan on Cannes 2014! I think one of us will make it there by then no!? 😉 We’ll at least have sold a script and can treat ourselves. Xx
This is why you’re going to be successful. I mean, I think about all the things I know you’ve accomplished and the dreams haven’t stopped for you there. You are the epitome of staying focused and striving for your dreams, fully knowing there will be bumps in the road along the way but that’s where we learn the most and overcome our biggest barriers: which as you said, is usually ourselves.
So glad I met you, Ingrid!
Awww! Thank you Jess! So glad I met you too 🙂 It must’ve been that die-hard ballerina discipline that was instilled in me early on but I never even consider quitting. How can we? I feel if you truly love what you do, nothing will stop you. Good luck with your book! Interested in Fast Drafting it with Jenny, Kristen and I?? We start in a week.
OMG, really? Yah I actually do want to give it a try. I sometimes work better under pressure like that. By in a week do you mean tomorrow, or starting 6/3? Cause I won’t be ready tomorrow. But I’m shooting for the 6/3 date too. Let me know!
Yes. 6/3. I gotta get our business launched next Friday and then I’ll be able to write away!! Let’s chat soon about it 🙂 Yay!
I’m grateful to have learned to deal with rejection well early on. As artists, our “job” is to produce our best quality work, grow in our craft and do the proverbial grunt work. Belief in ourselves isn’t always easy, but it’s important. As are posts like these! Thanks, Ingrid!
You’re so welcome August! Yeah… acting will do that to you 😉 Rejection is the name of the game in that biz. But it taught me to persistent in whatever it was I was passionate about no matter what. Eventually we find our audience 🙂
Fantastic advice and I’m sitting here thinking about you and I coming away from the conference on the same wavelength. I wrote about basically the same topic today, just took a different angle. 🙂
FAB post, friend. And I MISS YOU!!
I miss you too!!! It was all too short. But we’ll be out there soon and I can’t wait!