The most common questions I am asked are “How did you get published?” or the always exciting “How long did it take you to get published?” in both cases the questions are so highly individual that I can’t imagine my answer doing much to advance anyone’s faltering career. That said, I feel the need to answer the question in the most honest way possible. The only help is to motivate and try to keep that dreadful discouragement out of my tone. ‘Cause the truth is, it’s a serious exercise in dedication and mental stamina to keep the faith. I have stacks and stacks of rejection letters. If I decided one fine day to wall paper my bedroom in the letters of dismissal, I could cover every inch of the large room.
There were moments on my path, heck even days leading to months, where I was so discouraged I quit writing. I would stare at the stacks of written material and curse the hours spent producing such prolific arrays of work, never to be read by anyone but me. I spiraled down into that sad head space called writers block. Invariably, I would pull myself from this place and put pen to paper, mostly because this is what I do. I write. If this is you, if you find that the only thing that keeps you going is to create, then never stop. Don’t let anyone criticize your zeal. Make something great and share it with the world. Keep those rejection letters as a sign that you are moving forward. Every failure takes you one step closer to that golden place called success. Make connections, talk to people, but most importantly write, write, write and send something out, somewhere at least once a week. Do that and things may change. Good luck on your journey. And that my dear friends is how I got published.
Until tomorrow.
Fortune favors the brave!
Samantha Shu
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