Hello, dreamers. Query season is approaching, and I’m preparing to make my final editing pass of Pioneers, in advance of writing a query letter and beginning to put myself out there. I have a lot to do, but I wanted to devote this post to a recent development, something that served as a much-needed short in the arm as I prepare for this ambitious undertaking.

First Down

Starting out as a writer can be very disheartening. You write something you feel really good about, something that feels fresh and well-written. You throw it out there, and invite judgement. And you’re rejected. Over and over and over.

And the hell of it is, you have to keep writing. It’s the only way to get better. Over time, being an aspiring writer becomes a cycle of boom and bust. As you write, you feel better about your writing. You believe you’re making progress, and when you look back at your prior work, you can see the improvement you’ve made. Eventually, you write something that looks great, and when it’s rejected, you begin to wonder if you’ve made any progress at all.

Most writers who’ve finally made it talk about a moment: the point where things finally began to turn around. And ironically, it usually begins with rejection. Last week, I had one of those moments.

I’d written a short story that felt really good. It felt like a clear departure from what I’d written previously. And so, I put it out there. It was rejected by the only three publications that accept fiction at its length. But the last one was different. For the first time, I received a personalized rejection email. It was written by the actual editor, who informed me that, while this story didn’t meet the magazine’s needs at the moment, he enjoyed my writing style. And he encouraged me to submit more of my work.

Next week, I plan to do exactly that. But this felt like a turning point: I wrote something good enough to stop an editor in their tracks. To make them feel inclined to provide encouragement. And now, as I prepare to jump into the querying trenches, that was exactly what I needed to hear. As I’ve been putting it, I haven’t scored a touchdown yet. But I’d call this first down by forward progress.

I’m ready. I can do this. I will do this. However long it takes. – MK