You're the second writer I've seen quote Wendy this week. It's a powerful urge to be done with all that. To be a writer is to live with constant rejection -- I was rejected from a fellowship I had high hopes for this week -- and sometimes it feels like the best one can hope for is the rollercoaster of ups and downs. Is that any way to live a life? It's not one I would recommend. But. One thing I think you and I and Wendy all share is that our writing practice involves a great deal of reflection, which is a tremendous asset in the face of rejection. I believe the interrogation of one's desires and evaluation of one's efforts takes the teeth out of rejection. There's nothing a rejection can teach us about ourselves if we've thoroughly investigated the work and what it means to us and to the world.
I have submission/rejection spreadsheets spanning decades, so the idea of just quitting it all is very freeing -- I barely submit these days as it is, so it's odd how lifechanging I imagine giving it up to be --
You're the second writer I've seen quote Wendy this week. It's a powerful urge to be done with all that. To be a writer is to live with constant rejection -- I was rejected from a fellowship I had high hopes for this week -- and sometimes it feels like the best one can hope for is the rollercoaster of ups and downs. Is that any way to live a life? It's not one I would recommend. But. One thing I think you and I and Wendy all share is that our writing practice involves a great deal of reflection, which is a tremendous asset in the face of rejection. I believe the interrogation of one's desires and evaluation of one's efforts takes the teeth out of rejection. There's nothing a rejection can teach us about ourselves if we've thoroughly investigated the work and what it means to us and to the world.
I have submission/rejection spreadsheets spanning decades, so the idea of just quitting it all is very freeing -- I barely submit these days as it is, so it's odd how lifechanging I imagine giving it up to be --
As life changing as writing Love Notes?
I loved this love note, and will write a note back soon.
Thanks John :)