One of the best statements in the world is "We have read your submission and __________ Journal/Magazine/Zine would like to use ____________ in our ______________ issue."
To me, there is almost nothing that could beat that (well, "You got the job.", "You've been accepted to grad school.", "Will you marry me?" and "You've won a million dollars." might). There is such a high that one feels, knowing that someone finds their writing good enough to publish. That feeling can carry me for days. Until I receive a rejection.
The hardest part about submitting my poetry to journals has been the rejection. I’m like every other person. I want praise! I want to be told that I am a part of an elite group of published writers just because I am published somewhere. I am also greedy. The more I get published, the more I want it to continue. I am tremendously grateful to be published anywhere. But I want more!
I want to be published in publications that other writers whom I deeply admire have been published in. I want to be considered as great as they are. When I get a rejection, I feel like I will never be anyone in the poetry world. The first thoughts in my head are not “How do I improve?”, they are “What did I do wrong?”.
It’s hard to ground yourself at times. I know that even though I have been writing poetry for ten years, there is so much I have to learn. I know that some of the writers I admire went through the trenches of graduate school and workshops first. I know that they have been rejected so many times before they were published. But part of me feels like I have to skips steps to catch up.
I have watched poets younger than me get the recognition I have been craving for. I know that I am young in some aspects (24 years-old), but when you have seen poets younger than you receive awards and have books out, you start to wonder about your own choices.
I am not an outgoing person. You won’t find me at any of the open mics in New York City. I am happy with my pen and my pad (or my fingers and keyboard). I rather let the whole world read my work than to let them hear me read my work. I feel like this has hindered me somewhat. No one knows who I am. Yet I have been writing longer than these younger poets and probably have written more.
I do not begrudge them of their light. I admire many of them as I do the older poets that I sort of know through Facebook. I just need to vent. And to write anything at this point.
I am going through writer’s block and have been since May. I decided to concentrate on sending my work out instead. And while the acceptances have been coming in, the rejections count has increased more than I would like it to.
When I first decided to write a little bit about my experience with publishing so far, this entry was going to go in a different direction. My thoughts were more organized. I did not spill out as many insecurities. But as I have been writing this, I realized that since I am not a part of an elite group of published writers who talk to each other and hang out together yet, that I need to let it out.
Going through this process takes hits to your ego everyday. You realize how mean you are sometimes when you read someone else’s writing and feel a little bit jealous. You won’t always feel good about yourself or about the good fortune of others. There is a dark side that puts you through the ringer.
Yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am learning. I am realizing my potential and my faults. I am starting to realize where I can improve and how to go about it. And I am happy for other poets and writers who have all of this wonderful stuff happening to them. I know that my time will come.
A friend of mine once told me that I am one of best poets that he knows. I am on his top three or something like that. When I start to feel down about rejections, I remember things like that. And I go and take a look at the stuff that has been published.
I will get there. I will get there. I WILL BE WHO I WANT TO BE!
Lesson One: Feel it, feel it all. There is nothing wrong with negativity as long as you can find the positive in the end.
To me, there is almost nothing that could beat that (well, "You got the job.", "You've been accepted to grad school.", "Will you marry me?" and "You've won a million dollars." might). There is such a high that one feels, knowing that someone finds their writing good enough to publish. That feeling can carry me for days. Until I receive a rejection.
The hardest part about submitting my poetry to journals has been the rejection. I’m like every other person. I want praise! I want to be told that I am a part of an elite group of published writers just because I am published somewhere. I am also greedy. The more I get published, the more I want it to continue. I am tremendously grateful to be published anywhere. But I want more!
I want to be published in publications that other writers whom I deeply admire have been published in. I want to be considered as great as they are. When I get a rejection, I feel like I will never be anyone in the poetry world. The first thoughts in my head are not “How do I improve?”, they are “What did I do wrong?”.
It’s hard to ground yourself at times. I know that even though I have been writing poetry for ten years, there is so much I have to learn. I know that some of the writers I admire went through the trenches of graduate school and workshops first. I know that they have been rejected so many times before they were published. But part of me feels like I have to skips steps to catch up.
I have watched poets younger than me get the recognition I have been craving for. I know that I am young in some aspects (24 years-old), but when you have seen poets younger than you receive awards and have books out, you start to wonder about your own choices.
I am not an outgoing person. You won’t find me at any of the open mics in New York City. I am happy with my pen and my pad (or my fingers and keyboard). I rather let the whole world read my work than to let them hear me read my work. I feel like this has hindered me somewhat. No one knows who I am. Yet I have been writing longer than these younger poets and probably have written more.
I do not begrudge them of their light. I admire many of them as I do the older poets that I sort of know through Facebook. I just need to vent. And to write anything at this point.
I am going through writer’s block and have been since May. I decided to concentrate on sending my work out instead. And while the acceptances have been coming in, the rejections count has increased more than I would like it to.
When I first decided to write a little bit about my experience with publishing so far, this entry was going to go in a different direction. My thoughts were more organized. I did not spill out as many insecurities. But as I have been writing this, I realized that since I am not a part of an elite group of published writers who talk to each other and hang out together yet, that I need to let it out.
Going through this process takes hits to your ego everyday. You realize how mean you are sometimes when you read someone else’s writing and feel a little bit jealous. You won’t always feel good about yourself or about the good fortune of others. There is a dark side that puts you through the ringer.
Yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am learning. I am realizing my potential and my faults. I am starting to realize where I can improve and how to go about it. And I am happy for other poets and writers who have all of this wonderful stuff happening to them. I know that my time will come.
A friend of mine once told me that I am one of best poets that he knows. I am on his top three or something like that. When I start to feel down about rejections, I remember things like that. And I go and take a look at the stuff that has been published.
I will get there. I will get there. I WILL BE WHO I WANT TO BE!
Lesson One: Feel it, feel it all. There is nothing wrong with negativity as long as you can find the positive in the end.
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