Depression Understood Forums

Earlier today, I had received yet another rejection letter from "The magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction" for my flash fiction story "Interactive Creativity".

Honestly, life just gives one blow after another. Almost like it's coaxing me on to end it.

((((Brokenpen))))

Keep going they are the ones loosing out, there will be 'the one' out there that will want it.
Keep trying

((((Brokenpen))))

Its hard! I know the feeling. Its kind of like looking for a job and getting rejection after rejection. Gotta keep trying. One a couple of occassions when I have been rejected I have done an "exit interview" of sort. I ask them, "what could I have done better?" or "What kind of things do you look for ?" Perhaps sending the a letter thanking them for considering your store and asking what suggestions they have.

Its hard and takes courage.

pablos

It's very difficult to get published when you haven't already made a household name for yourself yet. Please don't let it get you down. Keep trying. Stephen King once said in an interview that when he started out he had enough rejection letters to walpaper his den with. Keep trying and you can triumph.

Remember this saying:

Try, try again! Food for thought.

Warmie

Warmsoul/Jeanie13 wrote:Remember this saying:

Try, try again! Food for thought.

Warmie

I try to but time and time again the reasons for the "end" keep getting longer and longer while the reasons to keep going keep getting shorter and shorter.

What I find sad is that I know this woman who is 40 years old who is dying of cancer. Wonderful person really. And I keep thinking, "This isn't right that a woman like that is dying. meanwhile a useless person like me gets to keep living."

(((((((((((((( BrokenPen ))))))))))))))

Please read this post. Might help. It is in the Corner..

http://depression-understood.org/forum/ ... php?t=9706

Are Your Friends Here for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime?

Warmie

Brokenpen, sending you a (((( huge hug )))) hon.

Warmsoul/Jeanie13 wrote:Remember this saying:

Try, try again! Food for thought.

Warmie

Friends may be well and good, Warmie. But the issue that I face is with myself as a writer. If I can't get myself off the ground like this then I don't think there's any real point since I don't really have a lot of skills in other areas as I've said before. And believe me I've tried it all.

(((((((((( BrokenPen)))))))))))))

Wish I had the answers, could type the right thing to help you see the positive in you. I will always try to make you see the real person and to point to your talents, make you truly see them.

Warmie

Warmsoul/Jeanie13 wrote:(((((((((( BrokenPen)))))))))))))

Wish I had the answers, could type the right thing to help you see the positive in you. I will always try to make you see the real person and to point to your talents, make you truly see them.

Warmie

If only you were a publisher. That's pretty much the only thing that's going to convince me otherwise at this point.

Please don't give up. Writing is a tough profession. You have to keep trying in order to succeed.

I just saw this and wanted to comment. Have you considered self publishing? Relying on some publisher to acknowledge your work can be a daunting task as you now experience. Self-publishing gives you the freedom to market your book the way the like and you get more profit. Even with a big publisher you need to know how to market your book. Self publishing successful may even get you noticed by publishers. For self-publishing look at www.lulu.com and www.writerpower.com.

Have you got testimonials from others who have read your book? It is important to get feedback to be sure your work is going to be well received and to determine your target market.

One last word, to support what has already been said. You are worthy of your book. Be determined to get it published and you will, self or otherwise. If you accept defeat that will stay with you all your life. Do you want that? I am sure not. Start already on your next book. It will distract you from thinking negative thoughts about publishing this one.

All the best success.

I have to say that I'm impressed that you have got to the stage of submitting your work to magazines/publishers, and actually getting letters in response. Even if they are, so far, rejection letters. It's further than I've got, so far at least.
But, I'm not giving up, and I earnestly hope that you won't either.
Also, I hope that you'll forgive me for saying this and maybe stating the obvious, but I find myself wondering if you and I may share a tendency towards " All-or-nothing thinking "?
I feel really " knocked back " if something negative or disappointing happen to me sometimes, particularly if I'm feeling " low " at the time anyway.
So, may I ask you a hypothetical question, even if it might sound a little foolish? If the letter from F&SF had been an ACCEPTANCE letter rather than a REJECTION letter,would that truly have made such a great difference in the quality of your story or your worth as a human being? What I'm trying to say is, and perhaps not doing such a good job at it, sigh, , is it possible that you are you placing too much weight on purely external validation
Your story doesn't become any less creative or valuable just because one magazine takes a pass on it today. You are not any less valuable a human being because F&SF passed on THIS story, THIS time.
Will your story suddenly be validated by publication? I would say that your story will be exactly the same when it's published as it is now, after this current rejection.
I would say that what is valuable in your story, and in you as a writer and person is intrinsic, it is already there. Now, today, this moment. Give yourself a chance to see the worth of your own work, and your own worth as a unique and therefore irreplaceable human being. And, give others a chance to see these things as well. Even , if it takes a certain amount of time..
OK, lecture over!
PS. What is " flash fiction " ? I don't recognise the term? Is it a particularly US term?

((((((((((((((( TackingIntoTheWind ))))))))))))))))))))))

Thank you for finding those words, for all of us. You are so right.

Rejection or not, your art is being read (((((((((( BrokenPen ))))))))))))) AND noticed enough to get some sort of reply. So keep trying, keep sending, keep the faith, yes hard to do, but it is 'do-able'.

Warmie