Yup, you heard it here first, folks. The tank is dry, the muse is shot. This week I don’t feel like I’ve got anything worthwhile to say.
Huh? Is that really Mike talking? The man who can wax poetic about a loaf of stale bread?
Once again… yup.
Sean and I met a second time in less than a week to “Work” on our first chapter contest entries. I managed to distract him for more than 90 minutes by talking about writing without actually ever typing a single word. Pretty clever, wouldn’t you say?
The truth of the matter is, I managed to get my book submitted again (yes, it was rejected once more; for those of you keeping track, that’s two rejections) but I haven’t felt much like flexing my writing muscles the past while. Work has been less than a joy (an excuse, I know) and I’ve been feeling the stress and urge to find something else jobwise (excuse number two).
I have, however, been giving a lot of thought to the couple story ideas that I’m busy plotting and, I have actually gained a bit of ground there. Hmm, maybe things aren’t as bleak as I’m making them out to be (writing-wise, anyways).
And despite all the demands on my time and the stress of my job, I’ve never considered letting the writing go to give myself time for something else. Not even once. I guess that could be a checkmark in the old plus column too.
I’ll admit that the second rejection was a disappointment. Once again, there were no valuable comments to help me on my way to glory. I even tried to book a coffee meeting with the publisher to get some insight, but he didn’t have time. He did, however, tell me that he’ll be in Penticton this month if I wanted to make the 6 hour drive. He didn’t promise to have time to talk to me though. I think I might have to take a pass on it this time.
Happily, I had the intestinal fortitude to have the next submission package prepared and in the mail not two business days later. I guess that’s positive too.
Perhaps things aren’t quite so bad after all.
I have come to realize that despite the rejections, I haven’t lost my desire to write more stories and specifically more books. I have plans to have two more done before the year is out. If Nanowrimo is any indication, that goal isn’t too far-fetched. But does having four books finished increase my odds of getting published?
I don’t honestly know the answer to that question. I personally believe that with each completed book, I will become a better writer. And on the glorious day when I finally get an acceptance letter (or phone call or email), I’ll be better positioned to go from zero published to four or five in the course of a couple months (sometimes optimism is the best policy).
It also means that I continue to look forward rather than back, even when I’m feeling less than stellar in the output department.
And I’ve just (unfortunately) managed to prove something that people have accused me of in the past. I do say a lot, even when I have nothing to say. I don’t know if that’s because I’m a writer or just because I have a big mouth. I’ll let you decide that question for yourself.
Regardless of your opinion, I know things will look up soon. I’ve just finished my final evening class for a while. My leader duties in Cub Scouts will be done in a couple weeks and the big project at work is slated to complete in a month. AND, my son has decided to take a year off from soccer so I will be relieved of my coaching duties for one year, at least.
Yes indeed, maybe the dry spell will go away in due course after all. In the mean time, I’ll just continue to plunge ahead, careening out of control and flapping my lips about absolutely nothing at all.
Have a good week.
