I was working on a blog titled, “Baseball Caps and T-Shirts”, however, I read something the other night that really got under my skin. I’ll even go as far as to say it pissed me off. I’ve been thinking about this blog for a few nights now, and decided to hold off on the other. You’ll just have to wait for a southern boy’s guide to male “couture”.
So, anyway, I was reading a post in a social media site for writers. The young lady had received her first rejection and, to paraphrase, said that they told her the heart and soul came through, but the writing just wasn’t there. She was asking for help about writing styles and looking for some instruction. One of the replies started by saying, “I don’t mean this to come across as a personal attack…”. Well, you know I had to see what the rest of it said, so I clicked on it.
As I’m writing this, I feel like it may be a little long, so, if you wanna go to the bathroom or fix a light snack before you continue reading, feel free to go ahead (unless you’re reading this on your phone, then you’re probably already in the bathroom).
The replier went on to say that (again, paraphrasing) with so many programs out there making it able for anyone to write and publish books for the mass market – blah blah blah. They ended the reply with, “Just because you can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, doesn’t mean you can be a chef at a gourmet restaurant.”
?!WT ABSOLUTE F?!
Some of you don’t know this about me, but I have a very short fuse at times and will blow up and say things I shouldn’t say.
What? No, Jim! Not you!
Yes, absolutely me. I explode quickly and then I’m over it, not thinking about the ruin and destruction I’ve left in my wake. I’m sorry. I’m trying to do better. Sometimes. Okay, but I have good intentions of doing better, and we all know what good intentions is a paving material for.
So…my first reaction was to blast the replier right there on the site, but that would be against the site rules and get me kicked out of the group. I lose enough sleep over stupid crap without trying to step into more stupid crap, so I decided to take my anger and use it in a more constructive way. Like blasting them right here on my blog!
Yes, asshat! See? There I go again. You just personally attacked every indie author and self publisher out there, of which I consider myself. The writer was responding to a rejection for a story she had written and submitted to editors. It wasn’t like she had just put something out there and got bad reviews. She is trying to go the traditional route, not self publish, and was asking for constructive feedback from a community of people who are supposed to be there to teach and encourage. For the person replying to come back with, what amounted to, “just because you know your alphabet, doesn’t mean you’re capable of writing a story”, is a slap in the face to anyone who writes, whether professional author or simple blogger – like me.
All I can say is, if this guy has never received a rejection, then, he is either the exception or he’s never written anything worth querying. To all of you who are writing, WRITE ON! Do it for you, if for no other reason. You never know who needs to read your words, or who may be inspired by what you do. If it makes you happy, then continue being happy. Look at me. I’m probably the only one who reads my blog, but that doesn’t stop me. LOL! Actually, people do read it, I think. Thank you all for the encouragement and the support you give me. I love you all.
Jim G Black Writes 
I love this!!
I hate gatekeeping, especially gatekeeping of the arts. Anyone can write. Anyone can create. I feel so much for that woman who was looking for advice for a very specific type of art (traditional publishing in her genre) and recieved an arrogant dismissal instead.
Rejection IS part of art. Failure IS part of art. It’s how we grow. That commenter who said those unkind words will have to learn that the hard way (and I know from experience that eating your old words doesn’t taste very great… ).
Keep writing Jim (or should I say WRITE ON!) ! I always love reading your raw and passionate style!
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Well, it’s definitely raw lol. I was trying to put a “power to the people” fist on my blog (a play on Right On), however, I couldn’t get it to show up.
You are one of the people that keeps me writing. You’re friendship and support are invaluable.
When I started writing, actually writing with the goal of wanting to get something published, I learned so much I didn’t know about indie authors and self publishing and different genres (many more than I ever would have believed). I have met and followed and read works by some outstanding authors and made a lot of friends. It doesn’t matter if you’re indie and self publishing or repped by a major publishing company with thousands of titles, a writers work is a writers words, and everyone should be free to create. I am with you. I hate gatekeepers of creativity, too, and agree that rejections are part of the creative process and growth. Just because one rejects you, doesn’t mean they all will.
Thank you for your kind words and Facebook post. You’re wonderful.
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Great post, Jim. This goes along with what we all said this morning on the radio. If you want to write, just do it and don’t worry about the audience yet. Put pen to paper, or hand to keyboard, and write! Join a critique group and keep at it. The best stories almost always come after failure.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. I had fun with you and Destiny on the radio this morning.
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