Sometimes in blogging, inspiration arrives erratically and in quantity. That is why I can now move swiftly from a definition of “Senior Moment” onto rejection. I’ve already covered it recently in my comments on the record-breaking rejection I had last week, so I won’t labour the point.
I wasn’t expecting this rejection as I almost always end up with an acceptance from this magazine, and because I considered the poems to be good. But it was a guest editor and they can be unpredictable.
I never time these things, but it was a matter of minutes before I was onto other things. I returned, briefly to the subject as i sat with Julia at breakfast and I am now back to other things. I have returned to it for this post, but only to give a little context to my remarks. It’s possible that in years to come I may write a satirical novel featuring a mad pensioner who dedicates his last few years to ruining the lives of editors who turned him down, only to realise he’d have been better writing poetry. It would allow me to be rude about some of the foibles of editors, and to point out the importance of looking forward.
I have just spent an enjoyable half hour looking at other places to send poetry. I’m not sure if they are all for me, but it’s always good to look round and try something new. It’s easy to get into a rut when everything seems to be working nicely and you need the occasional prompt to do something different.
Having read some good poetry whilst doing so, I also want to up my writing game, so there are several positives to take from every set-back.
The only thing that worries me is that, having written what I thought was some of my best poetry for months, I get turned down by other journals that usually accept me and find I have taken an evolutionary wrong turn.
I do hate those judges of other people’s efforts
Generally I’m glad to have them because it sets a quality threshold for me. Sometimes the accompanying comments have been very useful and even changed the course of my poetic life (this has happened several times). However, the recent two have been less positive.
The trouble is if the judgement is about taste, instead of quality and we give up on it.
If they accept them it is because the quality is good. If they reject them it is nothing to worry about, just a question of taste. 🙂
I live in world of delusion. 😉
Sensible 🙂
My career as a poet is based on persistence and industry rather than talent. 🙂
It is upsetting when what you think is good work is not given the reception that it deserves. I got easily discouraged when I was submitting radio plays many, many years ago.
Yes, early rejections can be very dispiriting. I have allowed them to stop me writing at various times, but in this incarnation as a poet I have worked hard at channeling rejection into motivation. It seems, eventually, to be working.
Your successes are many. But like most of us, you brood on your failures.
That’s true. And despite all my good intentions I still do, though I control it much better these days. I’m better off thinking about writing rather than rejection. 🙂
Human nature, though, to focus on our failures. I am guilty of this too.
I once read the advice that we should never be harder with ourselves than we are with others, which is good balanced advice. And again – something I try to do rather than something Im achieve. 🙂
Yes, yes! Sigh.
We are an imperfect species. 🙂