Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Feeling A Little Bit Writing Bi-polar...


Yup, you read that right. I'm feeling a bit battered and bruised and neurotic as I write this post. "Why?" you ask? Cuz I got a response from another ePublisher for my Cowboy story... and they're passing. *sigh*

Once again, the editor was perfectly nice and informed me that I had a great voice and was very talented... BUT she's going to have to decline this story. Have you ever just wanted to bang your head on your computer? That's how I felt... and still do. But, where does the bi-polar part come in? Glad you asked!

I had the pleasure recently to take part in a series of online workshops given by funny, sassy, wonderful author D.D. Scott. She does great classes about Muse Therapy. In one of the classes of the workshop she talks about "Writing Bi-Polar: I Suck vs. I'm a Genius". Go ahead, laugh, and nod your head all you authors out there... cuz you KNOW it's true and you know just what she's talking about. But if you ever have a chance to take one of her "Muse Therapy Workshops" I'd suggest that you RUN not walk to participate.



Anyway, in one of her lessons she gives suggestions on how to get past the lows of rejections and... "I suck!" moments. One of those suggestions is a "Quotes to live by" document or shoebox to help get over the downers, and keep you in the uppers (wow, that sounds bad... but truly it's not). And since I am currently dealing with my own personal "I SUCK!" moment, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite quotes from my own "To Live by" document:

“When the world says, ‘Give up’, Hope whispers, ‘Try it one more time.’” --- Author Unknown
This one is probably my mantra right now. This story has been worked and reworked to the point that it doesn't even really resemble the original story... okay, except in a purely superficial way.

"Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!" Swing Time with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Frank Sinatra did his version of it as well.
This one has actually been a part of my life...well, for most of my life. I have been dancing (ballet, modern, jazz, etc.) since I was ... well, let's not say how young I was and suffice it to say I've been dancing almost 30 years and just go from there. Anyway, it's something that is a bit of a dancer mantra... everyone falls, and if you quit just because you didn't get it perfect the first time, you're never gonna make it in this business. The same can be said for writing for publication. If you let the first, second, third... hell, the HUNDREDTH rejection make you quit, then maybe it's not the business for you.

"The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground." ~ Author Unknown
This one gets me in soooooo many ways... and you know it does you too. Yes, sometimes we're little nuts. LOL And yes, if we hold our ground, we may just get to where those roots will help us grow.

So, while I'm feeling a bit down, and wondering why in the world I do this to myself, I think that my years and years of dancing, auditions, rejections and sometimes downright nasty comments about my physique (yes, those horror stories are true in most cases) have lent themselves to my philosophy on writing for publication. Nobody got it perfect the first time.

Heck, it's something I tell my little dance students, "Do you think that when I first tried this step that I got it perfect on the first try?" Granted, invariably they tend to nod their heads and think I did in fact master it in one try, but I quickly correct them, "NO! I fell, I tripped, I had to do it over and over again sometimes over a matter of years before I got it just right, and sometimes I STILL mess it up and I've been doing it for 30 years! The point is that you keep trying and eventually you'll get there."

Yeah, I know, I need to take my own advice. LOL And on that note, I think I'll go and set my Cowboy aside for a bit. Not for good, just until I can take another look and see if what is truly wrong with it is something I can see. Until then, I'll pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again with another story. How about the rest of you? Do you have something that helps you get past rejections? Do you have a quote that you want stapled to your forehead so you can always remember it?

5 comments:

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...

Dunno if I've got any great quotes... maybe "Goonies never say Die!"

But I know how you feel. I'm in the same boat with my farmer. 'Oh it's a nice story, but I'm not feeling it', 'the ex girlfriend isn't a very good bad guy'...

**sigh**

Maybe some good advice is: You're not alone.

Unknown said...

Hello, Kealie!

Luv your post here and am beyond thrilled to know you got some fun and fabulous LOL Muse Therapy tips and tricks to help you in your latest writing-for-publication devil-low down.

And...yes...I say "latest" 'cause our damn disappointments in this biz will pretty much always continue to rear their nasty little selves.

And THANK YOU for the fabulous "little nut-oak" quote! You rock! Just added that to my Quotes To Live By doc.

Sexy Sassy Smart Muse Therapy & Writing Bi-Polar Wishes --- D. D. Scott

P.S. No worries about this 'I Suck' Moment either...you gotta 'I'm a Genius' one on the horizon ready for the takin'...don't quit and you'll get there!!! And never forget to have a helluva great time doing so!!! BITCHOK groove, Baby!!!

Kealie Shay said...

LOL, Wendi... Goonies never say die! is actually on my document as well, lol... glad to know I'm not the only Goonie out there. :-D

D.D. Thanks for all your wonderful advice both here and in the workshop. I did love your workshop, and will definitely be referencing it as I go through all the ups and downs.

Mysti Holiday said...

I'm so ready to take the next Muse Therapy course (I have it on my calendar!!).

And, K~, you don't suck. You know that -- because I'd tell you if you did *G*.

Kealie Shay said...

ROTFL, Mysti... yeah, yeah you would... I guess that's comfort. I'd still rather have a contract, lol. :-D