Last night I hammered out nearly 3000 words, many of them pretty darn good. Perception, my National Novel Writing Month project (which is my entry in Daron Fraley’s Thirty Six series) is very nearly done, at least the 1st draft is nearly done. If you want to be a reader of this book for me, let me know.
So that’s a pretty great thing!
Also, yesterday I finally did what I’d been planning for a while and pulled out my old file of rejections. Lots of literary magazines sent me lots of rejections. I also found the letter I got from the Writers of the Future and can confirm that I actually did get Honorable Mention once, long ago.
All this to say that I’ve spent the last 24 hours feeling pretty good about myself as a writer.
Well, that kind of thing cannot be tolerated, so the agent who had requested the full ms of Beat emailed me this morning thanking me for the opportunity to read my work, but that the agent would be passing on it.
Here’s the entirety of the email:
“Hi Jared: Thank you for letting me read BEAT, and for your patience with me! There was much here that I admired and enjoyed, but I am afraid I am not enthusiastic enough to feel I am the best agent for it. I know another agent will feel differently. Thank you for considering me. All my best, [redacted].”
This is a very cool person whom I really respect. I have zero complaints, particularly considering that I have seen an increasing number of flaws in Beat as this process has gone on. I appreciate this agent’s time, dedication to quality, and work ethic.
I wish this had gone differently. I cop to sadness and disappointment and frustration. I vent upon my keyboard.
But it’s not the end of the road or the fight. I’ll go once more unto the breach. Actually, I’ll go unto this breach as many times as I need to.
I’m improving as a writer and my books are getting better. I’ll work harder and smarter and I will make this happen.
Rejection means I’m working at this and not hiding it under a bushel. I’m still following my dream and haven’t given up. So rejection’s not bad, because the alternative is boredom.
I’ll keep at it.
Who’s with me?