By

Steven M. Wilson

For those of us who are writers (God bless us, everyone), the sting of rejection can be painful at the very least and damning at most.  It comes in a number of ways, a review, a comment, our own insecurities or the form letter from an agent who obviously didn’t recognize your talent and skill. Or they didn’t even bother to answer.

As of early November, I have begun the age-old practice, for we writers, of sending out queries about my book THE JERICHO TRAIL to those unseen individuals asking them to pass judgement on my work. And then I wait. And wait.

It can be a demoralizing process, exposing yourself to potential rejection. And I wish that I could provide some insight into protecting yourself and your mental state from the submission practice, but I can’t. I’ve experienced anger and frustration, so much so that once I decided to quit writing. Why would I put myself through the humiliation when I could just pack it in and say enough is enough? That conviction to quit writing all-together lasted nearly a week. Eventually, the fury dissipated, and I (with Priscila’s help), came to my senses. Still, it was a very real emotion, and I suppose I’m not alone in that feeling.

I’m lucky in a way. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and other than my initial success with an agent, and placing five books with Kensington Publishers, I have experience rejection continually for some years.

I’m not immune to the pain of rejection but I made up my mind that the truly important part of writing is writing. And since the loss of my agent and publisher, I have continued down that particularly fulfilling and agonizing path for over 12 years. Seven or eight books later (I don’t honestly know because when the process of writing a novel is over, I tend to move on rather rapidly), I lose myself in putting words on paper.

To me, the most important aspect of writing is the creative endeavor, developing plots, fashioning characters, finding just the right words, and reforming drafts into the final, complete novel. So, what’s the reward if not a gushing agent contacting you to tell you your book is the greatest thing since sliced bread?

It has to be the writing. When you’re sitting alone at your computer, struggling to hammer out a novel, you have to keep the purest motives firmly in hand. And that’s writing. I’m not suggesting you forego the agent-submission ritual; I’m saying that ultimately a writer has to come to grips with the actual reason he or she is compelled to write.

For me, it’s because my brain is constantly employed building stories. That, and also a blank page offends me. There it is, bottom line, real deal, the thing that drives me to write.

We all have our reasons of course, but I recommend that you concentrate on the process, rather than the expected (and hoped for), outcome. It’ll keep you from going nuts.

Luckily, Priscilla provides comfort and input as I write, and that support is beyond measure. It is important because I occasionally slide into those often dark moments when I’m convinced my writing is terrible, that I really don’t have talent, that I’ll never find an agent. Why do I struggle so? Answer, go back a couple of paragraphs and review my reason for writing.

I commented to Priscilla during one of those down moments that I understood why some writers are addicts. Drinking or drug use numbs the pain that often comes with being a writer. Luckily, two beers and I’m asleep, and the prospect of using drugs terrifies me. Then, when I’m in a better place, I reread something I’ve written and realize, “Hey! This is pretty good stuff.”

So, when you’re on the search for an agent or publisher and you find yourself disheartened, take a break, reread some of your earlier work, eat a sandwich, or take a walk. You’ll be surprised at the sun’s return, the charming call of birds, or the sight of children playing. In other words, its temporary so be charitable to yourself.

And the agents? Well, it’s like this. They are in a horribly competitive field. Their job is to find the right book for the right time and then they have to convince a publisher that their selection is exactly what the publisher needs. They’re incredibly busy hunting for that book in a terribly subjective procedure. They’re bombarded by hundreds of submissions without the time to properly respond to every rejected writer with comments or suggestions on how the writer can strengthen their work. And besides, it’s not their job.

So, what do I think will happen with THE JERICHO TRAIL? Hell, I don’t know. I think it’s one of the best books I’ve written although I’ve felt that way about others. What I will do is send the book out to the appropriate agents and return to my unfinished novel RIVER OF WITCHES. Plus, I’ll read. And people watch. And wait.